David Zeisberger
Harrison Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Noted Moravian missionary passed through here in Oct. 1767, en route from Bethlehem to found missions among the Delaware Indians to the West. He was the first white man to pass through the primeval forests of this region.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In October 1767, the Moravian missionary David Zeisberger made his way through this unbroken wilderness on a journey from Bethlehem toward the Delaware communities of the west. A tireless figure of colonial Pennsylvania, Zeisberger spent decades living among Native peoples and learning their languages. His passage through these primeval forests marked one of the first recorded European crossings of the region.
Why it matters
Zeisberger's missions represent one of the most sustained and complex chapters of contact between Europeans and Native nations on the Pennsylvania frontier.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
David Zeisberger
Allegany Township, PA · est. 1947
In October 1767, Moravian missionary David Zeisberger traveled through this remote stretch of forest, bound from Bethlehem toward the Delaware communities to the west. Renowned for living among Native peoples and mastering their languages, Zeisberger devoted his life to missions on the frontier. His route through this untouched country was among the earliest recorded European journeys across the region.
Allegheny River
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