Visitor Center, Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA. George Washington on his horse.
“On December 19, 1777, more than 12,000 soldiers and hundreds of civilians marched in Valley Forge. They began to build what would become the fourth largest city in America, with 1,500 log huts and two miles of fortifications. Lasting six months, the encampment was as diverse as any city. Residents were free and enslaved, wealthy and impoverished, speakers of several languages, and followers of several religions.”
Valley Forge, in the wooded hills and open fields a few miles west of the city of Philadelphia, is now a National Historical Park. On a beautiful fall day in October, I visited Valley Forge with my husband and daughter. I was reminded of what I had learned in school about the American War of Independence but discovered a lot more.
Map posted along trail.
We started at the Visitor Center where we got maps for our self-guided tour. The park comprises more than 400 acres and is crisscrossed by 35 miles of hiking and biking trails. One can also do an auto tour on the10-mile road through the park, with 9 stops along the way. Stop #5, on the opposite side of the park from the Visitor Center, is the house that was used as George Washington’s headquarters.
After looking at the displays in the Visitor Center, we climbed the stairs to the theater level where we watched an introductory film about the history of Valley Forge. In the film we saw re-enactors dramatizing the events of that cold, wet winter of 1777-1778 when the results of the war hung in the balance, as well as commentary about the events of that winter.
Replicas of log housing used by soldiers at Valley Forge.
Outside the theater we followed the Joseph Plumb Martin trail into the park to the site of Muhlenberg’s Brigade (Stop #2), where a series of log huts reproduced the living conditions the soldiers experienced that winter. Inside each hut were informational displays.
A small fireplace was the only source of warmth inside the log shelters.
Our visit was on a pleasant fall day, but it is hard to imagine that the small huts would provide much comfort in the midst of winter.
Cannon mounted in redoubt, facing east toward Philadelphia.
Nearby a fortified defense called a redoubt was embedded at the top of a hill. Gaps in the earthen wall were provided for cannons. Sharp sticks protruding outward to deter attack. (Several other reconstructed redoubts are located throughout the park.)
Exterior of redoubt.
From the redoubt we followed a path back to our car parked near the Visitor Center and did the rest of our visit by road.
Numerous markers along the road honored various military leaders and participants in the Revolutionary War.
National Historical Monument.
The largest monument in the park is the National Memorial Arch.
Fall leaves at Valley Forge.
In our morning’s visit to Valley Forge we did not have time to visit every monument or explore all the trails, but we got a good taste of the landscape that is the background for one of the most critical times in American history.
Valley Forge National Historical Park is located at 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. There is no entrance fee to visit the park.
For more information go to www.nps.gov/vafo