Valley Forge, PA

We had wanted to see Valley Forge for sometime and I had been looking for campgrounds close.  I could never find anything and then realized it was only 70 miles from Hershey.  So on our last day, we packed a picnic lunch and took off.

Our first stop was the main Visitor Center.  They have a good short film, and extensive displays.  We picked up a map and took the driving tour.  Didn’t realize that it was so big.  They have different stops along the route with ample parking for cars. 

Washington choose to winter at Valley Forge because of its close proximity to Philadelphia.  Only 20 miles away, it was close enough to put pressure on the British but far enough way to prevent a surprise attack.  Valley Forge got its name from the iron forge built along Valley Creek.  Washington refers to it as ‘Valley of the Forge’.
Upon arrival, the men started to build huts.  There are several on them all around the park.  Each brigade had its own area.  


Each of these huts slept 12 men.  It wasn’t the cold or hunger that killed many of the men…it was disease.   Most common were influenza, typhoid and dysentery.  Most died in the spring months when supplies were more abundant. 










Washington rented this house from Issac Potts who was a local ironmaster.
Unlike the British, Washington paid 100 pounds for the use of the house for the winter. 
There were several rooms where his aides worked with him.  Upstairs there were 2 bedrooms.  The attic was used for the servants.  The small attached building was the kitchen.







In February, Baron von Steuben arrived and started a training program for the men that would help them become a more proficient army.  The men worked hard at this and Valley Forge became the place where the men gained a new sense of purpose that helped sustain them through the remainder of the war.






This monument commemorates the “patience and fidelity” of the soldiers who wintered at Valley Forge.















Small marker for the “Unknown Soldiers”

It was a good day.