Valley Forge National Historical Park Travel Guide

 Belsaita Says:  Valley Forge is a great place to enjoy Nature. For me, Europan city girl, such open spaces were just... amazing (I've no words!!) The park has19.5 miles of designated hiking trails. In addition, hiking is permitted in most open areas of the park. The 6.6 mile Joseph Plumb... 

 Belsaita Says:  No battles were fought at Valley Forge in southeastern Pennsylvania. This was a training ground for Washington's troops. Here, Washington trained his army into during the winter of 1777-78.Each tiny log cabin, heated by a small fireplace, housed 12 men. Can you imagine that... 

 Belsaita Says:  Dr. W. Herbert Burk founded the Memorial in 1903. As per their website: "The Memorial stands in remembrance of those brave men and women who have given so much to insure and maintain our freedom in America. But especially we remember those who gave so freely of their time,... 

 Belsaita Says:  Beautiful and moving sculpture, given by Stephen Heckscher, Esq., in. honor of the Mothers of the Nation and in memory of his. wife, Henrietta Brown Heckscher, who died died on childbirth on 1912. 

 mrclay2000 Says:  At Stop #2 on the auto tour is the defensive line of the Muhlenberg Brigade, where today stand several reconstructed huts that effectively show the primitive shelters that protected our troops (or some fraction thereof) during the harsh winter. In season, park personnel in... 

 keida84 Says:  A simplified version of the Triumphal Arch of Titus in Rome, the Valley Forge National Memorial Arch signifies the entrance of Washinton's Continental Army into Valley Forge.It was designed by Paul Cret, a University of Pennsylvannia professor. It was dedicated on June 19,... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Von Steuben offered his services to Washington in order to train the troops and to instill a regular military discipline into the ranks. In the center of the Valley Forge auto loop is the Grand Parade ground where von Steuben did his drilling. His commemorative statue stands... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Though there was no action here during the conflict, the colonial troops set up prudent batteries to guard against a sudden move by the British troops quartered in nearby Philadelphia. Single cannon and rows of guns appear in various places throughout the park, such as Stops... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  One of the neatest structures within the park is the former home of Isaac Potts, commandeered during the 1777 winter by Washington for his headquarters. Constructed of stone in two stories with a single prominent chimney, the house seems a perfect prototype for rural... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Erected in 1917, the Memorial Arch is the most considerable monument at Valley Forge. Commemorating the "patience and fidelity" of the soldiers who wintered here in 1777, there is no more fitting memorial to our fallen heroes throughout the state of Pennsylvania (save the... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  "Mad" Anthony Wayne (as he became known) was one of Washington's more stalwart lieutenants, and while not as successful in his address or campaigns as Nathaniel Greene, Wayne deserves credit for his staunch support and energy during the Revolution. At Valley Forge, this... 

 keida84 Says:  A lovely 300 year old home in Valley Forge. Built prior to 1720 by an original Welsh settler the house was completed in 1791. Title deeds can be traced back to William Penn in 1681. Their most asked question, "Did George Washington sleep here?" You'll have to go to The Great... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Apart from the iron foundry (of which some remnants supposedly remain), there are other period structures that receive virtually no attention to the average visitor. It is true that deer (estimated to run close to 1,300) overrun the open fields within the park, but for... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Some of the structures within the Valley Forge boundaries were directly related to the encampments, the planning or the soldiers' lives during the Winter of 1777-8. Some of these include a covered bridge and an iron foundry, but also a few homes of the period such as the... 

 mrclay2000 Says:  Most military parks in the United States are full of monuments and memorials to commemorate the soldiers involved. Near the Memorial Arch at Valley Forge is a twin stand of columns mounted by flying eagles, which, without serving any commemorative purpose, help to beautify...