West Newton
West Newton, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Led by Gen. Rufus Putnam, the first settlers to establish American government in the Northwest Territory, built boats here to continue their journey from New England and to found Marietta, Ohio. They embarked on their river trip April 2, 1788.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
On the banks of the Youghiogheny here, a band of New England pioneers led by General Rufus Putnam built the boats that would carry them west to found Marietta, Ohio. Embarking on April 2, 1788, these veterans of the Revolution went on to organize the first civil government in the Northwest Territory, planting the institutions of the new republic beyond the mountains. West Newton served as their launching point into a vast, freshly opened frontier.
Why it matters
This departure point marks the beginning of organized American settlement and self-government in the Old Northwest, a template for how the young nation would expand westward.
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Related people
- · Rufus Putnam
Related events
- · Founding of Marietta, Ohio
- · Settlement of the Northwest Territory
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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