Gist's Trace: Difference between revisions

The early road known as Gist's Trace (also known as "Memacolin's Path") was first blazed by a Maryland frontiersman named Thomas Cresap and the Delaware Indian Chief, Nemacolin. Mr. Cresap surveyed the terrain while Nemacolin took  charge of the physical labor needed to break the trail. They worked on the trail in 1749 and 1750. The road  (or trace) takes its name from Christopher Gist (1706-1759), one of the first white explorers of that area but it has also been called Nemacolin's path and Braddock's road. Christopher Gist was born in Maryland to Richard and Zipporah Gist.  Richard Gist was a formally trained surveyor and his son, Christopher followed in those footsteps.  Christopher Gist is said to have provided  the English and the colonists with the first descriptions of what was then called the "Ohio Country". During the French and Indian War he accompanied George Washington as Mr. Washington traveled the trail into the Ohio Country on a mission for the colonies. That failed mission was to negotiate a settlement of sorts with the French military.  Mr. Gist eventually owned land near the present day city of Uniontown, Pennsylvania which he named "Gist's Plantation". He was instrumental in the beginning of a small town there.