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There’s hardly a bad view of Pittsburgh from Mount Washington. One must-see beautiful scenic overlook is a place called “Point of View Park”, located on Grandview Avenue. It’s an amazing vantage point to see Heinz Field, Point State Park, the confluence of the Three Rivers, and of course the breathtaking sight of the city below.
There’s a statue at this scenic location depicting an October 1770 meeting with George Washington and Guyasuta, the respected and powerful Seneca leader. Washington, who was not yet president at the time, spent a great deal of time in Pennsylvania and was in the area often to determine its suitability for settlement near the Ohio River. A plaque at the site states that the two “historic figures first met in 1753, when Guyasuta guided Washington up the Allegheny River to deliver a message to the French at Fort LeBoeuf”. Washington’s goal was to convince the French to leave their forts and abandon the area. They ultimately refused and consequently the French and Indian War ensued.
The 750-pound, larger-than-life bronze statue, aptly named “Points of View“, conveys an intense discussion between the two influential leaders, likely about the fate of the highly prized land and trading agreements. Their faces are nose to nose, less than nine inches apart. Local sculptor James A. West, who created the monument, vividly recreates a moment in history that silently and powerfully tells the story of the negotiating acumen of two individuals that would make an indelible mark on the area.
The two men were considered allies early in their relationship but were on opposite sides during the war. Washington and Guysuta had vigorous differences as to the fate of the land, the evidence suggests that they parted as friends. The design of the statue clearly conveys a message to those who have disagreements: a peaceful, sit-down discussion about our differences can often have a positive outcome.
Although it’s unknown exactly where the two men met face-to-face to discuss the important matters of their day, it was most certainly in the general vicinity of the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongehela Rivers below. Guyasuta and Washington may have had differences of opinion at times but there is no doubt that both men positively impacted the region.
Establish my footsteps in Your Word ~ Psalm 119:133 