Braddock and Cumberland Road Series

Dr. John Kennedy Lacock (1871-1933) born in Amityville in southwestern Pennsylvania was a noted professor at Harvard University and a public lecturer on American history topics. He was especially well versed in his knowledge of British General Braddock’s ill-fated Monongahela campaign against the French at Fort Duquesne in 1755. This expedition ended in failure and the death of Braddock after days of hacking its way through virgin wilderness and constructing what became known as the Braddock Road only to be ambushed by French and Indians and his army scattered just a few miles short of Fort Duquesne. During the retreat Braddock succumbed to wounds received on the field of battle and was buried in the middle of the road near today’s Chalk Hill. Early in the 19th century as the Braddock Road was being widened and re-opened for commerce, Braddock’s grave was discovered and a monument to his memory placed at the present day side of the road. Braddock’s remains were returned to England for interment in London’s Westminster Abbey.

In 1908 and 1909 Dr. Lacock and a group of friends and associates explored western Maryland and southwestern Pennsylvania rediscovering and documenting the exact route followed by Braddock and his army in 1755. For the treks Lacock hired Ernest K. Weller of Washington, Pennsylvania to photograph the explorations each day. From Weller’s photographs a series of both black and white and colored postcards were produced and offered for sale as a set of 60. The postcards proved unpopular or of little interest to the general public and many of the sets were ultimately destroyed. Finding a complete set today in original packaging is very difficult.

The set traces the expedition in order from its start in Cumberland, Maryland to Braddock’s Field near McKeesport. I originally was able to purchase 35 of the 60 from a postcard dealer in Pittsburgh and ultimately after years of effort succeeded in assembling a full set of the colored postcards and perhaps 8-9 of the black and white images. For a long time I did not have No. 1 assuming it to be a Cumberland view and confining my search to Cumberland in dealers’ stock boxes. The search ended successfully when I finally discovered that Postcard No. 1 was a reproduced painting of Gen. Braddock prior to the expedition with the remaining 59 being scenic views in order of the route.

The original set of 60 was manufactured by Hugh Leighton of Portland, Maine and labeled The Braddock Road. Locations details on the image side of each postcard are in either white or black lettering depending upon the background color. The Braddock Road set was followed by a second and smaller set of 20 labeled as The Cumberland Road tracing the westward route from Brownsville on the Monongahela to Washington, Pa. These carry Leighton numbers beginning with the prefix L and have a different and harder surface texture. Details are printed in very small red lettering on the fronts and are often difficult to read without magnification especially if there is wear to the postcard.