Philadelphia & Valley Forge

We arrived in Philadelphia at the KOA campground about 26 miles outside the city. It was one of the few around this area. This is our first experience at a KOA and though the campground is very nice - it is way too expensive. We had made the reservations on-line and asked for a large open site. When we got here, they had us on a short site surrounded by trees. They did move us but had to put us on a full hook-up site which increased the price still further. We'll stay until Saturday and then head on to somewhere else. Needless to say, we will stay away from KOA's in the future, unless we have absolutely no other choice.

We drove into the city of Philadelphia. Once we were able to find a parking space that would accomodate the truck, we headed off to the Pennsylvania State House, better known as "Independence Hall". Here, during the blistering summer of 1776, 56 courageous men risked their lives, their fortune, and their sacred honor and defied the King of England. Eleven years later, representatives from 12 states gathered to shape the U.S. Constitution, finally creating one unified nation. The guided tour begins in the courtroom where lawyers from opposing sides shared tables and law books. George Washington's "rising sun" chair dominates the Assembly Room which is arranged today as it was during the Constitutional Convention.
A separate brick building houses the original draft of the Constitution which was typeset and then changes were made by writing in the columns until a final version was drafted and hand printed.

After leaving Independence Hall, we headed around the corner and across Chestnut street to the pavilion that encases the famed Liberty Bell. The Bell was first heard in 1753 atop the Pennsylvania State House. The Liberty Bell's famous gap - often called a crack - is really the result of an attempt to fix the thin crack that destroyed the Bell's tone. The exact date of the crack is unknown but believed to have been between 1817 and 1846. The repair work dates to 1846. However, it failed when, as the Bell rang for George Washington's birthday anniversary, the original crack reappeared and lengthened. It zig-zagged up toward the top of the Bell, silencing it forever. Though it no longer rings, its voice has never been stilled. Its inscription, "Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof" is still prophetic and its crack is a reminder that liberty is not perfect.

To get the flavor of the city as it was when Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, William Penn, and Thomas Jefferson, just to name a few, were here we took an audio walk of the historic district. We viewed the Todd House where Lawyer John Todd and Dolley Payne Todd lived from 1791 to 1793, when Todd died of Yellow Fever. Dolley later married congressman and future President, James Madison. The house depicts middle-class life in Philadelphia in the 18th century.The original size of the house was only up to the front door or 1/3 of what you see now. We viewed Carpenters' Hall which was a building erected between 1770 and 1774 by the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia. The First Continental Congress met here in 1774.

All this walking made us very hungry and we were told not to miss having one of the Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches, so we found one of the many street vendors and bought a sandwich and drink.Back to the tour, we walked many, many blocks and looked at many of the historical buildings, museums and grave sites. William Penn had developed this city around five squares, each with its own unique personality. After visiting Betsy Ross's House and taking a walk down Elfreth's Alley, which has quaint brick homes that line the nation's oldest, continuously inhabited street,we headed over to Christ Church burial ground to take a picture of Benjamin Franklin's gravestone.


By this time, we were bushed and decided it was time to head out of the big city and back to the campground. Tomorrow is another day and we've got Valley Forge scheduled for a visit.

We woke up Thursday to some cloudy skies but decided to go ahead to Valley Forge anyway. Valley Forge commemorates the resolve and endurance of Washington's Continental Army, who emerged from their brutal winter there (1777-78) and overcame several defeats (Battle of Brandywine, White Horse, and Germantown) to secure a victory over the British. Valley Forge received its name from the iron forge built along Valley Creek in the 1740's. By the time of the Revolution, a sawmill and gristmill had been added, making the place an important supply base for the Americans. The British destroyed the forge and mills in 1777, and only ruins remained at the time of the encampment.

The Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge on December 19, 1777. Immediate orders were issued to properly house the troops in huts called the Muhlenberg Huts. Each hut could sleep twelve men, with a fireplace and small community area. Supplies were few, food was limited, and many of the troops were sick. General Washington sent a nine page letter to the Continental Congress requesting assistance. Amidst the cold and snow, the troops started building their winter homes or huts. The hardships of the encampment claimed the lives of approximately one in ten, nearly all from disease. Contrary to public belief, Valley Forge was not the coldest winter encampment during the American War for Independence. However a lack of provisions and suitable clothing caused the soldiers hardship. In his letters to Congress, Washington would somewhat exaggerate the suffering of the army in order to spur some action. In late 1777, the daily rations included 1 1/4 lbs. of Beef or 1 lb. salt fish or 1 lb. pork, 1 1/4 lbs. soft bread or flour or 1 lb. hard bread. Meal substitutions were peas, beans or rice and each man got 2 oz. of whiskey or rum. The Continental Army matured at Valley Forge. Training under Baron von Steuben went far in creating a unified force. The alliance with France provided much needed supplies and international recognition but the army would have to endure another five years before the war finally ended.

The National Memorial Arch is the dominant feature of the park, was dedicated in 1917, and commemorates the "patience and fidelity" of the soldiers who wintered at Valley Forge in 1777-78.The focal point of camp activities was the Isaac Potts House which became Washington's Headquarters.Here, he and his staff of approximate 20 aides set up camp. He used one of the downstairs rooms as his office and meeting place.This is the actual house, though the furniture is not. It was quite moving to know that you were walking up the same steps, using the same bannisters and George and Martha Washington did during this time. At the beginning of the encampment, fifty guards protected General Washington, his baggage, valuable papers, and Martha, when she came to visit. To be in the life guard, as the troops called it, one originally had to be a property-owning, native-born Virginian. It was assumed such men would be loyal to Washington.

The Washington Chapel is located on private property within the park and hosts an active congregation. This church commemorates George Washington's service to his country.

That pretty much concludes the tour of Valley Forge. We felt very fortunate to be able to enjoy this experience and learn a bit more about our history. Once we got home, we decided to cook out on the grill and enjoy the beautiful weather by eating out. McKenzie earned her dog biscuits by keeping a constant vigil on the table until we were ready to sit down.

Friday will be a day of catching up, cleaning, laundry, etc., and just getting in some much needed rest. We've been going full speed for several weeks now. Saturday, we'll be heading to the Poconos to get some much needed rest for a few days before starting our New York City experience. Hope you've enjoyed Philadelphia and can better understand and appreciate what happened at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was not the darkest hour of the Revolutionary War; it is a place where an already accomplished group of professionals stood their ground, honed their craft, and thwarted one of the major British offensives of the war.

Until our next blog, take care of yourself and each other! See you in New York City!!!!!!