There are several areas of historical significance in and around Buchanan State Forest. The Forbes Road built during the French and Indian War by John Forbes passed through what is now Buchanan State Forest. Forbes built his road from Carlisle to Pittsburgh as a supply line for the British soldiers that were trying to capture Fort Duquesne. Remnants of the road are still visible in the state forest and are used by visiting hunters, hikers and mountain bikers. Cowans Gap State Park is located in an area that was one of the first to be settled in this part of Pennsylvania. British Major John Cowan and his wife Mary who migrated to the area just after the American Revolution. Buchanan's Birthplace State Park the location of President James Buchanan's birth and his boyhood home.