Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Pennsylvania Waterford George Washington in a British Military Uniform

George Washington in a British Military Uniform

The only statue of its kind to commemorate Washington's beginnings as an officer of the British Colonial Militia.

Waterford, Pennsylvania

Added By
Johnny O Farnen
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Major George Washington of the British Colonial Militia.   Pnoble805/Public Domain
  darabrown3237 / Atlas Obscura User
  darabrown3237 / Atlas Obscura User
A portrait of Washington as a colonel in the French and Indian War in his British military uniform.   Charles Wilson Peale/Public Domain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

While Washington is most often remembered for his role in the Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States, this statue recalls his beginnings as an officer of King George III.

This statue commemorates the 1753 visit of then Major George Washington to the French Fort Le Boeuf. He was to deliver a letter demanding the relocation of French settlers from the Ohio Valley claimed by England. It was his first act as a major in the British Army, and the beginning of his military career. He was just 21.

The French sent Major Washington back to his commanding officer with a polite letter of refusal. Washington's account of the expedition was printed in newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic, making his name as a personage of military leadership. He would remain a loyal member of the British provincial militia throughout the French and Indian War and afterwards, until the Crown began imposing undue taxes on goods imported to the colonies.

The statue was erected in 1922 by the citizens of Waterford, Pennsylvania, the small town on the former site of Fort Le Boeuf, to commemorate Washington's first act of military diplomacy. True to the period, Washington is depicted wearing the uniform of the Virginia Militia and extends the cease-and-desist letter to the French.

Related Tags

Military Military History George Washington Statues Clothing Army

Know Before You Go

Take State Route 97 South from I-90 in Erie. It is approximately a 20-minute drive. Park along High street. The statue is located in a small park next to the Eagle Hotel at the southeast corner of town. Numerous other areas of historical interest are within a short walking distance.

Community Contributors

Added By

TheLabRatKing

Edited By

WhiskeyBristles, Molly McBride Jacobson, rdmtech, darabrown3237

  • WhiskeyBristles
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • rdmtech
  • darabrown3237

Published

February 24, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://fortleboeufhistory.com/around-town/
George Washington in a British Military Uniform
32 High St
Waterford, Pennsylvania
United States
41.940244, -79.983186
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Schaefer's Auto Art

Erie, Pennsylvania

miles away

USS Niagara

Erie, Pennsylvania

miles away

PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden

Meadville, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

Nearby Places

Schaefer's Auto Art

Erie, Pennsylvania

miles away

USS Niagara

Erie, Pennsylvania

miles away

PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden

Meadville, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

United States

Places 417
Stories 28

Related Places

  • The water tank

    Oxford, England

    Slade Camp

    A lost World War II military camp and post-war suburb swallowed by the woods.

  • A cannon sits on a wet wooden platform overlooking trees

    Aldershot, England

    Redan Hill Fortifications

    In the mid-1800s, the British military used this hilltop fort to train soldiers.

  • Zephyrhills, Florida

    Zephyrhills Museum of Military History

    This facility, now a museum, once housed and trained U.S. Army Air Force pilots who flew during the Allied invasion of Normandy.

  • Just Nuisance statue.

    Cape Town, South Africa

    Just Nuisance Statue

    A memorial to the only dog ever officially enlisted in the Royal Navy.

  • Wellington Monument (Statue of Achilles).

    London, England

    Wellington Monument

    This once-controversial and slightly confusing statue of Achilles was built out of captured cannons.

  • Tunnel from Officer’s House.

    Zossen, Germany

    Wünsdorf Officer's House

    A statue of Vladimir Illyich Lenin guards this abandoned building in the "Forbidden City."

  • Stones.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Temple of Santiago Tlatelolco's Stones

    A close look at the church's walls reveals pieces of Mexico's history.

  • Main gate.

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Fort Mifflin

    This little-known Revolutionary War fort is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of its past.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.