Valley Forge: History In My Backyard

It is definitely true that your environment shapes you as a person. Growing up, I was only minutes away from Valley Forge National Historic Park in Pennsylvania, the location of the American Continental Army's military camp during the winter of 1777–1778. When we moved to Philadelphia in Winter 1966, Valley Forge was one of the first places my family visited.

Here, my father attempts to get my attention in front of one of the reconstructed cabins that dot the park. Too late; even at the age of 2, I was thoroughly ensconced in the wonder of this historic structure.



Every spring, we would typically visit Valley Forge to see the blooming of the Dogwoods. The beautiful blooms were a welcome sign that winter was over.



I loved it when my dad would take me to the park, sketchbook and markers in hand.



Zooming in, I can see that I was attempting to draw a nearby statue of George Washington.



The statue is still there today:



During high school, the park was the perfect place to hang out with friends. Picnics, frisbee tossing...what a beautiful setting.





This vintage June 1956 image shows Washington's Headquarters; it was a bit more civilized than the crude cabins that the soldiers had to stay in.



Flashing forward to the present, here's how his Headquarters looks today:





See more vintage & current Valley Forge, Pennsylvania photos on my Valley Forge web page.

Traveling Thursdays: Valley Forge

234 years ago, George Washington and his troops weathered the cold by camping in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Only about 1/3 of the soldiers had shoes, and many of their feet were leaving bloody footprints. Though construction of more than a thousand huts provided shelter, they did little to help with malnourishment, inadequate clothing, and the spread of disease and sickness.

Can you imagine spending the winter in one of these?





Washington's Headquarters is definitely a bit nicer:





What a kitchen!



The site of the encampment became a Pennsylvania state park in 1893. Today, the park features historical and recreated buildings and structures, memorials, and a newly renovated visitor center. A chapel was built in 1903 as a memorial to Washington. An adjoining carillon of 58 bells represents all U.S. states and territories. It resides in a tower built by the Daughters of the American Revolution.







Nearby is the National Memorial Arch, designed by Paul Philippe Cret, as a simplified version of the Triumphal Arch of Titus in Rome. Dedication ceremonies were conducted on June 19, 1917. It bears this inscription:

Naked and starving as they are
We cannot enough admire
The incomparable Patience and Fidelity
of the Soldiery
–George Washington





Even away from Disneyland, I still love the details:



See more Valley Forge photos on my Valley Forge web page.