Our area was important for hunting and travel. Several Indian trails, such as the Nemacolin and the Catawba, crossed through the area that is now Connellsville. The heavily forested area was home to numerous species of fur bearing animals. Once Europeans began moving into this region in the early 18th century, they found the potential for great wealth in fur trade. Furs could be shipped back to Europe and sold for great profit. The French, who first settled in Canada, had always been attracted by the furs and the network of rivers that made up the Ohio River system which included our Youghiogheny River. Furs had to be transported to market, and rivers have always been nature's highways. By the 1740s, French trappers had penetrated into our region.