A local told us that the way to pronounce Ligonier is 'Lig' (as in PIG)- 'on'- 'air'.

Fort Ligonier was built in September 1758 and was first called Loyalhanna.  British General John Forbes needed a staging area and supply depot for his planned attack on the French at Fort Duquesne and this site was only about 50 miles from Fort Duquesne. On October 12th, Loyalhanna was successfully defended against the French after the British were defeated at Fort Duquesne. Because they recognized that they were heavily out-numbered by the British, Fort Duquesne was then abandoned by the French.  General Forbes changed the name of Loyalhanna to Fort Ligonier. He named it after the commander in chief of Great Britain, Sir John Ligonier.

George Washington, then a British officer, arrived at Loyalhanna in late October. During Chief Pontiac’s war of 1763, Fort Ligonier was attacked twice by the Indians before the British victory at Bushy Run. Fort Ligonier was never taken over by an attack during the eight years that it was in service from 1758 until 1766.