During the French and Indian War, the village of Kit-Han-Ne was the center for Indian raids on the white settlements in Western Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland and Virginia. Colonel John Armstrong led 300 frontier troops in an attack on the village on the morning of September 8, 1756. Most of the village was destroyed and the tribe leader, Captain Jacobs, was killed. And although Armstrong suffered many losses, the battle was considered a victory because the tribe left the village and a majority of the raids ceased.

Armstrong County, named for Colonel Armstrong, was formed in 1800 from parts of Lycoming, Allegheny, and Westmoreland counties. The county is home to many historical sites, including the Battle of Kittanning, the childhood home of Nellie Bly, Drake Log Cabin, St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, and more.

317 N 2nd St, Apollo | 724-478-2899 | apollopahistory.com

300 N McKean St, Kittanning | 724-548-5707 | achmgs.org

107 N State St, Dayton | 814-257-8846 | daytonpa.org

118 1st St, Leechburg | 724-845-8914 | leechburgmuseum.org

59 E Kittanning St, Smicksburg | 814-257-8083

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, it is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. Armstrong County has 14 historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The house, located in Dayton, was built in 1868 by Thomas H. Marshall. The architecture mixes general Victorian themes with elements of the earlier Greek Revival. It was restored by the Dayton Area Bicentennial Committee in 1976 and is now home to the Dayton Area Local History Society. Added in 1976

This historic Roman Catholic church, located in Sugarcreek Township, was built in 1805. It is the oldest Catholic church still standing in Western Pennsylvania. Added in 1978

Brady’s Bend Works is a set of historic blast furnaces and rolling mills located in Brady’s Bend Township. The furnaces are constructed of stone, with the first blown into production in 1840 and a second added in 1845. Added in 1980

St. Stephen’s Church is a historic Episcopal church located in Brady’s Bend Township. It was built in 1867 and is a one-story, sandstone building in the Gothic Revival style. In 1925, it was converted for use as a community meeting hall. Added in 1980

Built between 1858 and 1860, the twostory brick and stone courthouse is located in Kittanning. The jail, built about 10 years later, housed 24 cells. The original jail is no longer in use today. Added in 1981

This historic log cabin located in Apollo was built around 1816 and is a 1.5-story, 1-room, rectangular log cabin with a gable roof and interior end stone chimney. It was restored in 1971 and opened to the public by the Apollo Area Historical Society. Added in 1983

This historic concrete arch bridge is located at the borders of Madison Township and Mahoning Township. It was built in 1895 and is a solid spandrel two-span bridge that crosses Mahoning Creek. Added in 1988

Also known as Hogback Hill Bridge, this concrete arch bridge is located in Mahoning Township. Built in 1922, the three-span bridge crosses the Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad. Added in 1988

The Ford City Armory is a historic National Guard armory located at 301 Tenth St, Ford City. It was designed by architect Joseph F. Kuntz and was built in 1930. Known as 10th Street Station, it is now a popular banquet hall. Added in 1989

NO. 5-9 All five locks and dams along the Allegheny River in Armstrong County are historic sites. For more information on the locks and dams, visit lrp.usace.army.mil. Added in 2000

Born in 1864 as Elizabeth Jane Cochran to the wealthy Judge Michael Cochran and his wife Mary Jane Kennedy of Cochran Mills, Armstrong County, Nellie Bly was an original crusader for the women’s suffrage movement and a world-renowned investigative journalist. She was a pioneer for healthcare and industrial reform and set a world record in 1889 by circling the globe in just 72 days. Her long list of impressive accomplishments includes going undercover as a patient at the infamous Blackwell’s Island Asylum in New York, patenting several inventions related to oil manufacturing, and traveling to Europe as the first woman to report from the trenches of the frontline. Nellie was raised in Apollo and her paternal grandmother, Catherine, was one of Apollo’s earliest settlers.