Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail:
Gateways and Getaways Along the Legendary Route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh
by Burton K. Kummerow, Christine H. O’Toole, and R. Scott Stephenson
Rowman & Littlefield, July 2008
 Pennsylvania’s Forbes Trail is a map to America’s first road west. Following the famous route through the state’s ridges and valleys, its geography and history, its wild places and its unique cities, it’s also a compelling contemporary story.
In 1758, General John Forbes and 3,000 troops—including a young George Washington—hacked their way through mountains and wilderness to claim North America for the British and create the city of Pittsburgh. The 18th and 21st centuries are the bookends for this unique historic travel guide.
All the riches of the Forbes Trail can be discovered within a few miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and its predecessor, the Lincoln Highway (Route 30). Lancaster and Carlisle, Fort Loudoun and Fort Littleton, and Bedford and Ligonier were outposts for Forbes troops two centuries before they became exits from the highway. Today, they are gateways to the state’s most surprising corners. Ideas for weekend getaways and family adventures accompany reports on seven destinations. Chapter maps help travelers plan itineraries that link the living history of 1758 with museums, outdoor fun, shopping and dining within a short distance. Suggestions for one-of-a-kind inns and restaurants in each area offer a change of pace from standard national brands.
Moving from east to west, each chapter plunges into Pennsylvania then and now. The historical narrative tells first-person stories of the French and Indian War: army life, provincial and international intrigues, and the dangers of “the dark and terrible woods.” Vivid illustrations bring to life a cast of memorable characters: Washington learning to be a leader with the British army; Indian leaders like Teedyuscung bargaining to save their land; military commanders like Forbes himself, mortally ill but shrewdly guiding a challenging campaign; and diplomats like Christian Frederick Post, the humble German immigrant crisscrossing the frontier to forge a peace treaty.
Pre-order copies online at www.forbestrail.org.
Other travel books:
Travelers Tales Prague and the Czech Republic: True Stories (Travelers Tales, March 2006)
Pennsylvania: Off the Beaten Path (Globe Pequot Press; 7th, 8th and 9th editions (2006)
Fun With the Family: Pennsylvania (2007), with Faith & Emily Paulsen.
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