Col Crawford Statue at The Carnagie Free Library in Connellsville.
the Plaque States: IN MEMORY OF COLONEL WILLIAM CRAWFORD BORN IN BERKELEY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, IN 1732
FRIEND OF WASHINGTON-PIONEER-PATRIOT. THIS MONUMENT IS SITUATED 1260 YARDS S. 69° E. 16' OF THE SPOT WHERE HE BUILT HIS LOG CABIN IN 1765 ON THE WEST BANK OF THE YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER, AT THE HISTORIC STEWART'S CROSSINGS.
HE FIRST VISITED THE REGION WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS IN 1758, AS AN OFFICER IN THE EXPEDITION OF GENERAL FORBES AGAINST FORT DUQUESNE. AS COLONEL OF THE SEVENTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT, HE CROSSED THE DELAWARE WITH WASHINGTON IN 1777, AND SHARED IN THE VICTORY AT TRENTON. FIGHTING IN DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIER, AS COMMANDER OF THE SANDUSKY EXPEDITION, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS AND BURNED AT THE STAKE NEAR CRAWFORDSVILLE, OHIO, JUNE, 11,1782,
ERECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION THE CITY OF CONNELLSVILLE, AND GRATEFUL CITIZENS 1917.
PAVILLION RENTAL
The William Balsley Pavilion was completed in June of 2011. The previous pavilion (picture to the right) was destroyed by the severe snow storm of February, 2010. The construction of the pavilion was made possible by grants from the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Hotel Tax and the Community Foundation of Fayette County. The pavilion was built by contractor Keith Miller of Connellsville. We use our pavilion for Society and civic programs; most notably for the yearly Braddock's Crossing festival. But we also make the pavilion available for rental on a daily basis. The rental fee is $100.00 per day (for members the rental fee is $75.00). This gives you access to the pavilion with six (6) picnic tables and the Springhouse (pictured below) for restroom facilities and the refrigerator. Rental time runs from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. An application can be obtained by calling the office at 724-628-5344 or by clicking on the link below to download an application to your printer.
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THE ANNUAL CONNELLSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FLAG DAY PICNIC
The Annual Connellsville Historical Society Flag Day Covered Dish Picnic will be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The picnic will begin at 6:00 pm at the Colonel Crawford Cabin Site. Please bring a covered dish to share and your table service for those coming with you. The Society will provide beverages. Our speaker for this event is Barbara Keefer, charter member of the Historical Society.
All members are encouraged to attend and visitors are always welcome. Visitors should also bring a covered dish to share and table service. Plans for summer events will also be discussed during a short meeting. You can pay your dues, if you haven’t yet had a chance to do so, at the picnic.
We are planning a Dinner-Lecture in August this year. Brady Crytzer will be our speaker, and his topic will be; THE WHISKEY REBELLION; A DISTILLED HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN CRISIS. Set aside Friday, August 15, 2025 for this event. More details will follow.
Karen Hechler, President
724-628-5344
Crawford'sCraftAndVendorShow2025
Saturday, August 30th:* 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 31st:* 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Monday, September 1st:* 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Coloniel Crawford's Cabin Site.148 Torrance Avenue, Connellsville PA 15425
Free Admission for the Public
-This event is outdoors
#Booth Options & Pricing
# Monday Only (if available)
- Small Vendor Booth (10×10): $15
- Large Vendor Booth (10×20): $25
(Can also apply to other days if we have schedule deviations)
#Two-Day Option (Saturday & Sunday)
Or Saturday/Monday
- *Small Vendor Booth: $30.00
- *Large Vendor Booth: $60.00
- *Electricity Use (Limited Areas):$5.00 additional
# All 3 Days
- *Small Vendor Booth (10×10): $50.00
- *Large Vendor Booth (10×20): $75.00
- *Electricity Use (Limited Areas): $5.00 additional
Name: lmcswain@btes.tv
Date: 10/17/2008 Message: I am a descendant of swain family. old cyrus swain farm, etc. will share info with anyone searching that name there or Mt. Pleasant
Name: Nancy Soisson-Glista
Date: 10/07/2008 Message: Looking for any history of the Wm. R. Soisson family line. I'd love to hear from lost cousins that knew my grandfather. He died in 1974 and I only remember meeting him one time.
Name: Janet L. Mancini
Date: 10/01/2008 Message: I am doing research on The Children's Home my twin brother John and I were placed in 1957. My birth mother placed us there and died within a few days. We were 4 years old. 11 months later we were adopted into a good home. I have many photos and archives from the home on 141 Oakland Avenue, Uniontown, PA. The first home opened on Highland Ave in 1916. The second in 1917.
The 141 Oakland Ave Home closed in July 1958. Anyone interested please contact the Connellsville Historical society.
Name: jean custer
Date: 09/16/2008 Message: looking for cross's who lived in your town
Name: Brian L. Cypher
Date: 06/21/2008 Message: A first class endeavor, keep up the good work.
Name: JERRY ASSAD
Date: 06/19/2008 Message: I SENT A MESSAGE ON THE SITE. SORRY
Name: Jim Robbins
Date: 06/05/2008 Message: I am researching the Robbins family that lived in Fayette county in the 19th/20th centuries. Visited Uniontown last year and plan to visit Connellsville in 2008
Name: joel abramson
Date: 05/06/2008 Message: Thank you for sharing Connelsville history. My Grandmother lived at 604- 8th Street. Many of the postcards she was sent were simply mailed to Sara Rubin, Connelsville with no address and naturally no zip card. I even did an oil painting of a scene that looked like Pittsburgh Street, that was given to the Cadison's of Punxatawny. 55joelsart@comcast.net
Name: Donna (McClain) Colucci
Date: 03/26/2008 Message: Hi, I was born in Connellsville in 1946. My grandmother owned and operated a general store on So. Pittsburgh St. in So. Connellsville for many years. Her name was Olive Lee, she was known to all the children in the neighborhood as Mrs. Lee. They came daily with their 5 or 10 cents to pick out penny candy from her window display case.
