The King's Garden
Feeding Pittsburgh in the 18th Century
To feed the growing population, Fort Pitt's British commanders set aside nearly forty acres of land along the Allegheny River for the King's Garden, named for the British King George III. Stretching three-quarters of a mile along the Allegheny River from Fort Pitt, the Garden included a bowling green, a fenced deer park, a large orchard, and a series of fields, pastures, and garden plots laid out in geometrical patterns. The plantings that make up the green or living walls of the cafι reflect the Garden's patterns.
Fort Pitt's garrison raised fruits, vegetables, and grains in the King's Garden. These local crops, rich in vitamins and nutrients, supplemented the typical military diet of salted meat, flour, dried peas, and rice. Pittsburgh's early inhabitants enjoyed strolling around the grounds for many years and continued to use the term the King's Garden even after the colonists declared their independence from King George III.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Forts and Castles • War, French and Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1759.
Location. 40° 26.46′ N, 80° 0.504′ W. Marker is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County. It is in Downtown. It can be reached from Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Located on the face of the Cafι at the Point near in Point State Park, coming from downtown, it sits on the left side of the walkway before the underpass to the park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pittsburgh PA 15222, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Ohio River Valley, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Welcome to Point State Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Wall Section Through Rampart of Fort Pitt (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Flag Bastion (about 300 feet away); Forks of the Ohio Fort Pitt Blockhouse (about 400 feet away); Revolutionary War Patriots (about 400 feet away); The Site of Fort Pitt (about 400 feet away); Edith Darlington Ammon (about 400 feet away); The Venango Path (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pittsburgh.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Forbes Road (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . .
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2011, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,823 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 15, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 20, 2011, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
