Old Hannastown, Site of
Why it's listed
Old Hannastown was a frontier village laid out around 1768-1769 in what is now Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with about 30 log houses arranged on a plan with named streets, two taverns and a palisaded garrison fort. From 1773 until 1787 it served as the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains, and its jurisdiction reached across much of southwestern Pennsylvania. In May 1775 its citizens adopted the Hannastown Resolves, which pledged military action against British policy, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence. The town was attacked and burned by British and Seneca forces on July 13, 1782, and was never rebuilt. Because the ground has remained largely undisturbed, archaeological work has been considered valuable for understanding the frontier settlement.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is significant for the Hannastown Resolves of May 16, 1775, which pledged military action against British policy, and for the first court west of the Allegheny Mountains, held in 1773. It also cites the town's role as the frontier defense center and its burning by British and Seneca forces on July 13, 1782, described as possibly the last battle of the Revolution. Its lack of later rebuilding is presented as preserving archaeological value.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72001180, listed January 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 mi. NE of Greensburg, Greensburg |
|---|---|
| County | Westmoreland County |
| Listed | January 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001180 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | ca. 1768-1787 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Site is undisturbed farmland, never rebuilt after 1782, and partly occupied by farm buildings; archaeological excavation by the Carnegie Museum was underway. |
| Acreage | 182 |
| Coordinates | 40.34298, -79.50528 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72001180.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7531786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.