Uniontown

Town and administrative headquarters of Fayette County, southwest Pennsylvania; population (1990) 12,000. It is located 72 km/45 mi south-southeast of Pittsburgh, on Redstone Creek, to the west of Chestnut Ridge, in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Formerly a coal producing centre, Uniontown now provides trade and marketing services and has diversified manufacturing facilities, producing aircraft parts, steel scaffolding, and clothing. It also produces lumber, coke, and water and gas meters. It is home to the Fayette campus of Pennsylvania State University (1934).

An early battle in the French and Indian War was fought on the 3 July 1754, at Fort Necessity, built by George Washington; the location is now part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield, 14 km/9 mi to the southeast of the town.