A monument to the near-shooting of George Washington and his traveling companion, Christopher Gist, in December 1753 in or near Forward Township, located near the Forward Township municipal building on Ash Stop Road. William Pitts/Butler Eagle

FORWARD TWP — You may not know it, but quiet, unassuming Forward Township played host to an event that — had it played out differently — would have changed the course of history as we know it.

Next year, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the township is planning to hold a special event to commemorate its unique place in American history.

It was in, or near, Forward Township where, in December 1753, future President George Washington was fired upon by a Native American traveling companion as he was trekking through modern-day Butler County. At the time, Washington was traveling through Western Pennsylvania on a diplomatic mission from Virginia to deliver a note to the French at Fort LeBoeuf.

The event is scheduled for May 17, 2026.

The first part of the event will involve the relocation and rededication of a stone monument to the near miss and Washington’s trek, which is currently located along Ash Stop Road, near the maintenance sheds at the municipal building. Currently, the plans are for the monument to be moved to the flag plaza area, closer to the municipal building.

“Our goal is to eventually create a little historical park there,” said township Supervisor Susan Oliver-Stough at a meeting Thursday, May 9.

The monument itself was erected in 1925 by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and according to Oliver-Stough, is starting to show its age.

“It’s starting to crumble a little bit,” Oliver-Stough said. “We have to figure out what’s the best way to preserve the structure before we even try to move it. We’ll have to have a big crane come, but we’ve got to figure out what’s the safest way to move it. So a preservationist is going to be working with us to help do that.”

The dedication of the relocated monument will be followed by a reception at the Glen Eden Event Barn on Dufford Road, where reenactors portraying both George and Martha Washington will discuss the near-assassination and life in colonial America.

Oliver-Stough says that multiple groups have already enlisted their services to ensure that the event is as historically accurate as possible.

“The Daughters of the American Revolution, the Harmony Museum and Washington’s Trail … those three groups are helping us with this project and making sure that we’re correct historically on all the facts of what happened,” Oliver-Stough said.

Two students from Seneca Valley Senior High School — Joshua Radonovich and Anita Miller — will also assist in the event as part of their senior projects before graduation, with Radonovich focusing on the reception and Miller focusing on the relocation and rededication of the monument.