Jennings educators relay George Washington’s journey through Butler County
BRADY TWP — In 1753, George Washington was not the guy we see on the $1 bill. He was just a 21-year-old guy — the age of a modern average student at Slippery Rock University.
It was that year that Washington was almost assassinated in Butler County, a story that was relayed to attendees of an annual event at Jennings Environmental Education Center Saturday morning, Feb. 22 — Washington’s birthday.
The Cherry Pie Hike is an annual event at Jennings where people can walk a route traversed by the first U.S. president, and get some cherry pie inside to warm up with.
Cara McGrady, a volunteer for Jennings and a docent at the Foltz School, led the first tour through the trail Saturday, and described a Native American’s assassination attempt that took place in the area in the winter of 1753. She said the trip, which Washington took , was documented in journals kept by Washington and other people on the journey in 1753.
“In the journals it describes how George Washington was almost killed not once but twice in the span of about 48 hours when he was on this journey,” McGrady said during the tour. “It was very risky and dangerous making the trip.”
Tours of the Washington’s Trail took off from the Jennings visitor center every half hour, which was capped off by a meeting with a historical reenactor.
Rodney Gasch, a volunteer with Harmony Museum and Washington Trail, said the tour is popular each year with people interested in history, people interested in hiking and people interested in cherry pie.
Gasch said Washington and his party followed a Native American north through Western Pennsylvania, when Washington was trying to negotiate with Native Americans to encourage them to trade with Britain instead of France. McGrady explained how Washington grew suspicious of his Native American guide, and the trip culminated in the guide firing a musket at Washington’s party.
“We think he walked up Route 528,” Gasch said. “We'll kind of reenact that shot. One French and Indian War actor will fire his musket like it happened in 1753, and the hikers will be able to see him reenact it through things like the clothes he wears.”
While McGrady explained the confrontation, a reenactor stationed across a bridge fired a musket into the air, to demonstrate the sound and proximity of the blast.
Hikers then got to speak with the reenactor, Jack O’Brien, and learn more about life in the 1700s and the story of Washington’s journey through Pennsylvania.
In addition to the event being a historical educational event, the hiking day was also an opportunity for people to learn about nature in Jennings and Western Pennsylvania, through booths and vendors in the park’s visitor center. Gasch said the day is filled with educational opportunities..
“There's three reenactors scheduled to be there and have tables with equipment so we can learn more about their clothing and surviving in the wilderness,” Gasch said. “The nature walks, a naturalist from the park will take people out and talk about the fauna and flora and what all they might see out there in the park.”
