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Encyclopedia > Valley Forge National Historical Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Location Pennsylvania, USA
Nearest city Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°05′49″N 75°26′20″W / 40.09694, -75.43889
Area 3,466 acres (14.03 km²)
Established State Park: 1893
National Historical Park: July 4, 1976
Total visitation 1,293,001 (in 2005)
Governing body National Park Service

Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site where the Continental Army spent the winter of 17771778 near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the American Revolutionary War. The National Historical Park preserves the site and interprets the history of the Valley Forge encampment. Originally Valley Forge State Park, it became a national park in 1976. The Park contains historical buildings, recreated encampment structures, memorials, museums, and recreation facilies. Valley Forge can refer to: Valley Forge, a pivotal winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ... Year 1777 (MDCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located just outside of Valley Forge National Historic Park in Schuylkill Township of Chester County, Pennsylvania. ... This article is about military actions only. ... The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the U.S. National Park Service. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

Historical encampment

Washington and Lafayette
Washington and Lafayette
Main article: Valley Forge

From December 1777 to June 1778, the main body of the Continental Army was encamped in Valley Forge. The site was chosen to keep tabs on the British forces in Philadelphia 18 miles away. This was a time of great suffering for the army, but it was also a time of retraining and rejuvenation. The shared hardship and Baron Friedrich von Steuben's professional military training program are considered key to the subsequent success of the Army and Revolution. Image File history File links Washington_and_Lafayette. ... Image File history File links Washington_and_Lafayette. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ... Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War. ... Nickname: Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love endure Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: , Country Commonwealth County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government  - Mayor John F. Street (D) Area  - City 369. ... Baron von Steuben Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus Steuben, Baron von Steuben (November 15, 1730-November 28, 1794) was a German army officer who served with George Washington in the American Revolutionary War and is credited with teaching American troops the essentials of military drill and discipline. ...


Park history

Established in 1893, Valley Forge was Pennsylvania’s first state park. In 1893 the independent Valley Forge Park Commission was created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania "to preserve, improve, and maintain as a public park the site on which General George Washington's army encamped at Valley Forge[1]." In 1923 the Commission was brought under the Department of Forests and Waters and in 1971 moved under the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission[1]. State park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreation, or other reason, and under the administration of the government of a U.S. state or one of the states of Mexico. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... State nickname: The Keystone State Other U.S. States Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell Official languages None Area 119,283 km² (33rd)  - Land 116,074 km²  - Water 3,208 km² (2. ... The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) owns, operates and maintains numerous historical and cultural sites located throughout Pennsylvania. ...


The park served as the location of the National Scout Jamboree in 1950, 1957, and 1964. The national Scout jamboree is a gathering, or jamboree of thousands of members of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), usually held every four years and organized by the BSA National Council. ...


In 1976, the bicentennial year, Pennsylvania gave the park as a gift to the nation. On the 4th of July, 1976, the park was transferred to the National Park System as Valley Forge National Historical Park.[2] The United States Bicentennial was celebrated on Sunday, July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ...


Modern park

Today the park is a mix of historic structures, reconstructed structures, memorials, and visitor facilities.


Welcome Center

Visitors Center
Visitors Center

The modern park features a newly renovated Welcome Center, which has several exhibits, a gift shop, and shows a short film in the theater next door. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...


Plans are underway to build the American Revolution Center near the Welcome Center.


Headquarters buildings

George Washington's Headquarters

A key attraction of the park is the restored colonial home, used by George Washington as his headquarters during the encampment. A renovation program of the headquarters area begun by the park in July 2007 has been advertised to include projects such as the culling and replanting of trees, the renovation of the old Valley Forge train station into an information center and museum, and the relocation of the current parking lot. Quarters of other Continental Army generals are also in the park, including Huntington, Varnum, Lord Stirling, Lafayette, and Knox. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 525 pixelsFull resolution (1250 × 821 pixel, file size: 386 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 525 pixelsFull resolution (1250 × 821 pixel, file size: 386 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Washingtons Headquarters in Valley Forge National Park Washingtons Headquarters at Valley Forge is the house in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where General George Washington made his headquarters during the encampment at Valley Forge of the Continental Army, during the winter and spring of 1777-1778. ... Washingtons Headquarters in Valley Forge National Park Washingtons Headquarters at Valley Forge is the house in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where General George Washington made his headquarters during the encampment at Valley Forge of the Continental Army, during the winter and spring of 1777-1778. ...


Reconstructed works and buildings

Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge
Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge

Throughout the park there are reconstructed log cabins of the type thought to be used during the encampment, including a larger log cabin hospital. Earthworks, for the never needed defense of the encampment, are visible, including four redoubts, the ditch for the Inner Line Defenses, and a reconstructed abbatis. The original redoubts and several redans on Route 23, Outer Line Drive, and Inner Line Drive were covered with sod to preserve them, but they are currently in need of further restoration. The original forges, located on Valley Creek, were burned by the British three months prior to Washington's occupation of the Park area. However, neither the Upper Forge site nor the Lower Forge site have been reconstructed. There are also several historical buildings that have not been made open to the public because of reasons such as their current state of disrepair. These include: Lord Stirling's Quarters, Knox's Quarters, and the Von Steuben Memorial. Other historical buildings include the P.C. Knox Estate and Potts' Barn. Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 5423 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Valley Forge Categories: U.S. history images ... Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 5423 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Valley Forge Categories: U.S. history images ... A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort. ...


Washington Memorial Chapel

The Washington Memorial Chapel and National Patriots Bell Tower carillon sit atop a hill at the center of the present park. The Chapel is the legacy of Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Burk. Inspired by Burk's 1903 sermon on Washington's birthday, the Chapel was built as a tribute to Washington. Burk was also instrumental in the development of the park itself, including obtaining Washington's campaign tent and banner, now on display in the Welcome Center.[3] The Chapel and attached Bell Tower are not technically part of the park, but serve the spiritual needs of the park and the community that surround it. The Bell Tower houses the DAR Patriot Rolls, listing those that served in the Revolutionary War, and the Chapel grounds host the World of Scouting Museum.[4] Chapel Designed by Milton B. Medary[1], the Washington Memorial Chapel was built as a tribute to George Washington. ... Chapel Located in Valley Forge National Historical Park in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the Washington Memorial Chapel is both an active Episcopal Parish and a tribute to General George Washington. ... For the University of Regina student newspaper, see The Carillon. ... Look up dar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Punch Cartoon Throughout the world there are many museums related to Scouting dedicated to preserving, communicating, and exhibiting the heritage of the Scouting movement for purposes of study, education, and enjoyment of society. ...


Memorial markers

The National Memorial Arch

Sitting atop a hill, the National Memorial Arch dominates the southern portion of the park. It is dedicated "to the officers and private soldiers of the Continental Army December 19, 1777 June 19, 1778." The Arch was erected in 1910 by an act of the 61st Congress and is inscribed with George Washington's tribute to the perseverance and endurance of his army: Image File history File links Size of this preview: 394 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1150 × 1750 pixel, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 394 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1150 × 1750 pixel, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Revolutionary War memorial at Valley Forge The National Memorial Arch is dedicated to the officers and private soldiers of the Continental Army December 19, 1777 June 19, 1778. The Arch is located in Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania. ... United States Capitol (1906) // The Sixty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. ...

Naked and Starving as they are

We cannot enough admire
the Incomparable Patience and Fidelity
of the Soldiery."

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ...

A statue of Anthony Wayne at Valley Forge
A statue of Anthony Wayne at Valley Forge

Visitors leaving the Welcome Center proceed along Outer Line Drive toward the Arch. The Drive is lined with large (~2 m high) memorial stones for each of the brigades, or "lines," that encamped there. Crossing Gulph Road at the Arch, the Drive proceeds through the Pennsylvania Columns and past the hilltop statute of Anthony Wayne on horse. More brigade stones line Port Kennedy Road. Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 4365 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (3008x2000, 4365 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 - December 15, 1796), was a United States Army general and statesman. ... Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 - December 15, 1796), was a United States Army general and statesman. ...


Visitor facilities

Valley Forge Station

Near Washington's Headquarters is the Valley Forge Railroad Station. The station was completed in 1911 by the Reading Railroad and was the Visitor Center for travelers who came by rail through the 1940s.[5] The station is currently being remodeled as a museum and information center that offers visitors a better understanding of Washington's Headquarters.[6] Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Categories: Rail stubs | Philadelphia and Reading Railroad ...


Should the long-standing Schuylkill Valley Metro project come to fruition, this station would again connect the Park to center city Philadelphia, Pottstown, and Reading with public transportation. Near the Welcome Center is another rail road platform, known at Port Kennedy Station, on the same line. Both platforms and parking areas are in a state of disrepair. [7] The Schuylkill Valley Metro is a planned 62-mile railway system that will link Philadelphia with city of Reading, Pennsylvania in central Berks County, using both sides of the SEPTA R6 system, as well as two current freight-only right-of-ways owned by Norfolk Southern Railroad. ... Nickname: Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love endure Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: , Country Commonwealth County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government  - Mayor John F. Street (D) Area  - City 369. ... Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... , Reading (IPA:) is the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania and the center of the Greater Reading Area. ... A taxi serving as a bus Public transport comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. ...


Mount Joy Observation Tower

Mount Joy Observation Tower
Mount Joy Observation Tower

Atop Mount Joy, the highest elevation in the main park area, stood a steel observation tower. After a long climb up the steps, visitors were rewarded with a panoramic view of the Schuylkill and Great Valleys. The tower was closed in the 1980s due to deterioration, liability concerns, and the surrounding trees outgrowing the platform. The tower has since been removed. It was purchased by developer Don Neilson and moved to Potter county PA [citation needed.] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 482 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (824 × 1024 pixel, file size: 183 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Originally from en. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 482 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (824 × 1024 pixel, file size: 183 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Originally from en. ...


Trails

There are numerous trails within the park, such as the Valley Creek Trail and the River Trail, and other trails that run through the park, including the Horse Shoe Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail. The Horse Shoe Trail is a trail that runs from the western edge of Valley Forge National Historical Park westward toward Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where it ends at the Appalachian Trail. ...


Modern problems

Ranger in Continental Army uniform explaining Revolutionary War artillery

As a park in an increasingly urbanized area, Valley Forge faces problems including traffic, urban sprawl, and an overpopulation of white tail deer. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 558 pixelsFull resolution (1650 × 1150 pixel, file size: 583 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 558 pixelsFull resolution (1650 × 1150 pixel, file size: 583 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Urban sprawl (also: suburban sprawl) is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. ... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 Subspecies Odocoileus virginianus clavium Odocoileus virginianus leucurus Odocoileus virginianus virginianus The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far...


Port Kennedy Road (PA Route 23), a heavily-traveled two lane commuter road, passes through the park. Efforts to divert the traffic have thus far been unsuccessful, owing to existing traffic volume on alternate routes. Other alternatives include putting the road into a tunnel. Pennsylvania Route 23 (PA 23) is an 80 mile long state highway located in southern Pennsylvania. ...


In 2001, a privately-held 62-acre tract of land within the authorized park boundaries was offered for sale. When the Park Service was unable to purchase it, it was sold to Toll Brothers, a real estate development company, for $2.5 million. It took a grass roots campaign to get the Federal Government to purchase the land from developer two years later, for $7.5 million.[8] Toll Brothers is a Horsham, PA based company and the largest builder of luxury homes and luxury communities in the United States. ... Grassroots democracy is the political processes which are driven by groups of ordinary citizens, as opposed to larger organisations or wealthy individuals with concentrated vested interests in particular policies. ... ...


An overpopulation of white tail deer has resulted in "changes in the species composition, abundance, and distribution of native plant communities and associated wildlife" in the park. In 2006 the National Park Service announced its intention to develop an approach to deer management that would "support long-term protection, preservation, and restoration of native vegetation and other natural resources within the park."[9] Hunting is expressly prohibited by the legislation that created the park, and action by Congress would be required before it could be sanctioned.[10] Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 Subspecies Odocoileus virginianus clavium Odocoileus virginianus leucurus Odocoileus virginianus virginianus The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far... “Hunter” redirects here. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...


The park also includes the site of the Ehret Magnesia Company, a former manufacturer of asbestos-insulated pipes. Pre-existing dolostone quarries were subsequently backfilled with asbestos-containing slurry waste materials. Those areas of the park are closed to visitors and an effort is underway at permanent remediation. For other uses, see Asbestos (disambiguation). ... Dolostone is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. ...


See also

Founded in 1949, the Freedoms Foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historic Park, and sits on ground that was once part of General Washingtons encampment. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...

References

  1. ^ a b Records of the VALLEY FORGE PARK COMMISSION. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.
  2. ^ http://www.nps.gov/vafo/historyculture/chapel.htm
  3. ^ CHAPTER FIVE: The Churches at Valley Forge. Valley Forge National Historic Park. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.
  4. ^ World of Scouting Museum
  5. ^ http://www.revolutionaryday.com/usroute202/valleyforge/default.htm
  6. ^ Petersen, Nancy. "A new view of Valley Forge", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 3, 2007. 
  7. ^ Train Station
  8. ^ Toll Bros: History, Land. . . and Battles. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.
  9. ^ White-tailed Deer Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, PA. Retrieved on 2006-11-1.
  10. ^ Valley Forge park sets deer hearing. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.


 

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