Fort Mason Museum allows visitors to experience life in early twentieth-century Fayette County. It features exhibits of local industries, a turn-of-the-century physician's office, typical home life, and a hands-on early school room.
Fayette
Created in September 1783 from the southern portion of Westmoreland County, Fayette County was named for the Marquis de la Fayette, the young Frenchman who assisted General George Washington during several major battles of the American Revolution. Uniontown, established as Beeson's Town in 1776, was chosen as the county seat.
The county's first industrialization came as the 19th century loomed, with iron furnaces being built in the mountains to take advantage of the many deposits of iron ore and abundant forests that provided a wood source for charcoal. The local glass industry, which later brought national recognition to the upper Monongahela River valley, was first established when Albert Gallatin opened his New Geneva glassworks in 1794. Within the next 20 years, numerous glass factories were erected at various points along the river. The National Road, constructed through the heart of the county about 1815, brought huge numbers of travelers on the way to the newly opened Northwest Territory and ensured the continued growth of Fayette County.
However, the most significant boom to Fayette County's growth and economy came from the discovery of the coke-making process. Vast deposits of bituminous coal underlying much of the county developed an internationally renowned coal and coke industry around the turn of the 20th century. As the coal fields expanded, thousands of European immigrants came to Fayette County to work in the mines. New towns appeared seemingly overnight to accommodate the miners - small communities of "company houses" built by the coal companies to house the new labor group. Fortunes were made in Fayette County coal, which became one of the essential ingredients upon which the Pittsburgh steel empire was built.
The coal and coke boom began to peter out as the effects of the Great Depression took hold. By 1950, most of the large Fayette County mines had been played out, and the county's economy took a significant downward turn from which it is still recovering today. The future of Fayette County lies in tourism and industrialization based on the efficient network of roads and rivers crisscrossing the county. The lush mountain setting and abundant recreational opportunities attract new high-tech businesses to the area, with a young workforce looking to play as hard as they work.
Museums
Frank L. Melega, known for his depiction of the Coal & Coke Era; used a wide range of styles, subjects & media throughout his artistic career.
ArtWorks Connellsville, located next to the Connellsville Canteen, is home to over 85 local and regional artists. It is the only art gallery and learning center of its kind in the area.
Coal & Coke Heritage Center is focused on the coal and coke industries Connellsville Coke Region in the roughly hundred year span of 1870-1970 the captains of the sector whose vision, determination, tactics and resources were responsible for the emergence of industrial behemoths and the amass
The Connellsville Canteen is a recreated "Business and Occupation". A train Station that commemorates the women who served the troops on trains passing through during World War II.
The historic Flatiron Building, constructed around 1830 along the National Road, was initially built for commercial use. Its distinctive wedge-shaped design—resembling a traditional clothing iron—has made it a prominent landmark in the Brownsville.
Perryopolis Area History Museum is located in the historical building of the former Youghiogheny Bank of Pennsylvania, also known as Old State Bank, on Liberty Street, one-half block south of Washington Diamond in central Perryopolis.
The Smock Heritage Museum is on the top floor of the Smock Community Recreation and Heritage Center, the old Company Store.
Organizations
The Fayette County Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1971. Its mission and purpose are to find, collect, and preserve materials that portray the history of the county and the society.
Opened in October 1988, Perryopolis Area Heritage Society is managed by local enthusiasts who want to preserve, promote, and develop the town's and neighborhood's historical structures and heritage. It is a Pennsylvania-chartered organization with 501(c) (3) not-for-profit status.
Organized in 1994 with 11 members, the Smock Historical Society preserves the heritage of the coal mining community, Smock, and the neighborhood.
Bullskin Township Historical Society was established in 1996. Society's sole purpose and mission is to restore and preserve the Heritage and History of Bullskin Township for future generations.
The Dunbar Historical Society preserves and shares the rich history of the Dunbar area for future generations to enjoy.