Valley Forge National Historical Park facts for kids

Valley Forge National Historical Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
U.S. National Historical Park
The National Memorial Arch at the park
Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Montgomery County and Chester County, Pennsylvania
Nearest city	King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Area	3,466 acres (1,403 ha)
Visitation	1,645,298 (2022)
Website	Valley Forge National Historical Park
NRHP reference No.	66000657
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHLD	January 20, 1961
Designated NHP	State Park: 1893 National Historical Park: July 4, 1976

Valley Forge National Historical Park is a special place where the Continental Army spent a tough winter during the American Revolutionary War. This happened from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. Today, the National Park Service takes care of this site. They help people learn about the history of the Valley Forge encampment.

The park has old buildings, recreated army camp structures, memorials, and museums. It also offers fun activities. The park covers about 3,500 acres (1,416 hectares). Over 1.2 million people visit it every year. Visitors can see restored historic buildings and reconstructed log huts where soldiers lived. There are also monuments from the states where the soldiers came from.

At the visitor center, you can find a museum with real items from the past. You can also learn about the American Revolution and the Valley Forge camp. Park rangers offer programs and tours, including walking and trolley rides, at certain times of the year. The park also has 26 miles (42 kilometers) of trails for hiking and biking. These trails connect to a bigger system of paths. You can also enjoy watching wildlife, fishing, and boating on the nearby Schuylkill River.

The Winter Camp at Valley Forge

An illustration of Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge

About 12,000 soldiers from the Continental Army stayed at Valley Forge. Their leader was General George Washington. They were there from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. Washington chose this spot because it was between the Second Continental Congress (the government at the time) in York and important supply areas in Reading. It was also close to Philadelphia, which was the capital. The British had taken over Philadelphia after a battle.

The winter at Valley Forge was one of the hardest times for the Continental Army during the war. But it was also a time for them to get stronger and learn new skills. The soldiers and officers faced many challenges together. They also received professional military training from Baron Friedrich von Steuben. This training is seen as a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. It helped the Thirteen Colonies win their independence and create the United States.

How Valley Forge Became a Park

Valley Forge first became a state park in Pennsylvania in 1893. The Valley Forge Park Commission was created to "preserve, improve, and maintain as a public park the site on which General George Washington's army encamped at Valley Forge." The area around Washington's headquarters was chosen for the park. Over the years, the park's management changed hands within the state government.

In 1961, Valley Forge was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical site. In 1966, it was added to the first list of the National Register of Historic Places. The area covered by these listings is larger than the original state park. It includes four historic houses where officers like the Marquis de Lafayette stayed.

In 1976, Pennsylvania gave the park to the nation as a gift. This was to celebrate the United States Bicentennial (200 years since the country was founded). On July 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed a law. This law made Valley Forge the 283rd unit of the National Park System. It also set aside money for important facilities.

Before this, in 1878, a group called the Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge was formed. Their goal was to save and protect General Washington’s Headquarters and the land around it. A big event was held on June 19, 1878. This was 100 years after Washington’s Army left Valley Forge.

What You Can See and Do

Visitor Center

A park ranger in a Continental Army uniform explaining Revolutionary War artillery

The park's Visitor Center

The park's visitor center has a museum. It shows items found during digs at the park. There's also an interactive list of Continental soldiers who camped at Valley Forge. Park rangers lead programs and tell stories. You can also find a photo gallery, an information desk, and a store for books and souvenirs. Bus tours of the park and bike rentals are available during certain seasons. An 18-minute film called "Valley Forge: A Winter Encampment" is shown in the park's theater.

Headquarters Buildings

Washington's Headquarters

A main attraction at the park is the restored colonial home. General George Washington used this house as his headquarters during the encampment. The area around the headquarters was improved in 2009. This included restoring the old Valley Forge train station into an information center. New guided tours and exhibits were added. The historic landscape was also brought back to how it looked in the past. You can also see the quarters (homes) of other Continental Army generals in the park. These include Huntington, Varnum, Lord Stirling, Lafayette, and Knox.

Reconstructed Works and Buildings

A recreation of a cabin where soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge

All around the park, you can see reconstructed log cabins. These are like the ones soldiers lived in during the encampment. You can also see earthworks, which were dirt walls built for defense. These include four redoubts (small forts) and the ditch for the Inner Line Defenses. There's also a reconstructed abatis, which was a barrier made of sharpened tree branches. The British burned the original forges (places where metal was worked) on Valley Creek three months before Washington's army arrived. Neither the Upper Forge nor the Lower Forge has been rebuilt.

Washington Memorial Chapel

The Washington Memorial Chapel and the National Patriots Bell Tower carillon are on a hill in the middle of the park. The chapel is a real Episcopal Church. It was built to honor Washington. The bell tower holds the Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Rolls. These lists name those who served in the Revolutionary War.

Memorial Markers

The National Memorial Arch

The National Memorial Arch is a large monument at the southern part of the park. It is dedicated "to the officers and private soldiers of the Continental Army December 19, 1777 – June 19, 1778." Congress asked for it to be built in 1910, and it was finished in 1917. It has a famous quote from George Washington about how strong and loyal his army was:

The road leading to the arch has large memorial stones for each of the army brigades that camped there. After crossing Gulph Road at the arch, the road goes past the Pennsylvania Columns and a statue of Anthony Wayne on a horse. More brigade stones line Port Kennedy Road.

Trails for Fun and Exploration

Welcome sign on the Schuylkill River Trail

There are 26 miles (42 kilometers) of trails for hiking and biking inside the park. Some popular ones are the Valley Creek Trail and the River Trail. The main trail is the Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, which goes around 8.7 miles (14 kilometers) of the park. Parts of bigger regional trails also go through the park. These include the Horse Shoe Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail.

Recreation and Activities

The many trails at Valley Forge are great for activities like jogging, walking, and biking. You can also go horseback riding or canoeing/kayaking. There are three picnic areas in the park. Park Rangers, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms, are at the Muhlenburg Brigade Huts and Washington's Headquarters. They are ready to tell visitors about the historical events that happened there. The Valley Forge 5-Mile Revolutionary Run is also held in the park every April.

Valley Forge Train Station

The Valley Forge Train Station is close to Washington's Headquarters. It was finished in 1911 by the Reading Railroad. Until the 1950s, people traveling by train from Philadelphia, which is 23.7 miles (38.1 kilometers) away, would arrive here. The station was restored in 2009. Now, it's a museum and information center. It helps visitors learn more about Washington's Headquarters and the village of Valley Forge. The station is built from the same type of stone as Washington's Headquarters.

Challenges the Park Faces Today

An open field in the park

In 2001, a 62-acre (25-hectare) piece of land inside the park boundaries was put up for sale by a private owner. A company bought it for $2.5 million. Two years later, the U.S. government bought it from them for $7.5 million.

In 2007, a non-profit group bought 78 acres (32 hectares) of land within the park. They planned to build a conference center, hotel, shops, campground, and museum there. However, a group of people and the National Parks Conservation Association disagreed with the plans. They took legal action. In the end, everyone agreed that the National Park Service would keep the land. In return, the non-profit group received property in Philadelphia. They built the Museum of the American Revolution there instead.

The park also has too many white-tailed deer. This has caused "changes in the types of plants, how many there are, and where they grow." It also affects other wildlife. In 2008, the National Park Service shared a plan to manage the deer. The goal was to protect and restore the native plants and other natural resources in the park. Hunting is not allowed by the law that created the park. A new law from Congress would be needed to allow it.

Images for kids

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  Mount Joy Observation Tower, which was removed from the park in the 1980s.

Gallery

See also

• Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge
• List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvaniapt:Vale Forge