From a Revolutionary hotspot, to the western edge of the new nation’s empire, to an industrial heartland, the six decades from ca. 1770 to 1830 saw significant cultural change in western Pennsylvania. Change happened so quickly west of the Allegheny Mountains during this period that mapmakers struggled to keep up, often mapping towns only as they were being abandoned. Drawing on data from several archaeological sites investigated by Indiana University of Pennsylvania, this talk attempts to fill some of the gaps in the documentary record. Through reanalysis of existing collections and data from new excavations, we will explore how residents of this region created, adapted to, and failed to adapt to change during this tumultuous period.