Western Pennsylvania residents marked a historic anniversary this week as the date of General George Washington’s 1784 inspection of his western lands fell on a Tuesday. Washington arrived at the tract then known as Washington’s Bottom—now Perryopolis—on Sept. 8, 242 years ago, after traveling from his Virginia estate.
Washington’s Western Holdings
The former commander‑in‑chief owned roughly 1,660 acres around present‑day Perryopolis and an additional 2,800 acres along Miller’s Run in today’s Mt. Pleasant Township, about eight miles from Canonsburg. The lands were managed by Gilbert Simpson, who corresponded with Washington about potential iron ore and other natural resources.
Simpson’s letters reveal the early optimism and the inevitable difficulties of frontier development. In a February 1775 note he urged Washington to visit, noting “probable signs of iron ore” and asking the future president to “set things on a right foot.” Washington, however, grew frustrated with Simpson’s handling of the property, describing the mill’s management as “extreme stupidity” in a 1775 army‑camp dispatch.
Squatters, Millwrights, and Auction Fiasco
Washington’s visit was partly motivated by squatters encroaching on his Mt. Pleasant holdings and by mismanagement of the Perryopolis mill. He later hired Thomas Freeman of Brownsville to supervise his mountain‑side interests, including the Great Meadows site where he once fought as a colonel.
The attempted auction of the Perryopolis property turned into a spectacle rather than a sale. While a sizable crowd gathered, most attendees came to see the Revolutionary hero, and no bids were placed for the mill. The farmland was instead leased to Simpson for a ten‑year term, with Washington insisting that Simpson either accept the lease or forgo the property altogether.
Legacy for Today’s Community
Washington’s brief but telling expedition underscores the challenges early American leaders faced in turning wilderness into productive land. For residents of Washington County, the story serves as a reminder of the region’s deep roots in the nation’s founding era and the enduring importance of responsible land stewardship.
Richard Robbins, a Uniontown resident, will continue covering the saga of Washington County squatters and land disputes in the weeks ahead.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
