Which present-day city grew at the former site of Fort Duquesne?

The present-day city of Pittsburgh grew at the former site of Fort Duquesne. The fort stood at the strategic confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, where they form the Ohio River.

French forces built Fort Duquesne in 1754 to secure the forks of the Ohio and challenge British claims in the region. Its location controlled important inland routes linking the Great Lakes, the Ohio Country, and the Mississippi basin. The fort became a major flashpoint at the beginning of the French and Indian War.

The French abandoned and destroyed Fort Duquesne in 1758 as British forces approached. Britain then built the larger Fort Pitt nearby between 1759 and 1761. The settlement around these forts developed into Pittsburgh, whose name reflects the later British fort and statesman William Pitt the Elder.

Visitors can still see the historic geography at Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. The park marks the outlines of both Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt, helping distinguish the two forts that are sometimes treated as if they were the same structure.