Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

The visitor center was helpful. It wasn't crowded this time of year.

George Washington brought his men to Valley Forge to encamp during the winter months of 1777 and 1778. He arrived with 12,000 men and by spring, 6,000 died of various illnesses. During that winter we signed an alliance with France. Moral was boosted, more supplies arrived at camp, and troops arrived from other encampments which increased the Continental army to 20,000 men. Washington selected this sight because it was 25 mile from Philadelphia which was occupied by British troops. Valley Forge is high ground, a plateau with a river and creeks giving him a good vantage point in the event they were attacked. They weren't. The war lasted five more years.



These are the kinds of cabins the troops built to stay in during the snow, wind, rain and cold of that memorable winter. Each state provided their troops with food and supplies.

The crude cabin accommodations.



The is the house that George Washington and his wife Martha stayed in. Martha came and stayed with George in every encampment during the eight year Revolutionary War.