Valley Forge development decried
Sunday, August 31st, 2008
In late 1777, Gen. George Washington and several thousand of his beleaguered troops fled from Philadelphia, which had been taken over by the British, and trudged 20 miles west to nurse their wounds and try to stay warm during the winter.
Besides seeking sanctuary for the winter of 1777-78, Gen. Washington wanted to put his forces between the enemy and the Continental Congress, which had fled 90 miles west to York.
Today, the colonial army’s winter encampment is a well-known, 3,500-acre national historical park. It remains a peaceful, wooded retreat, which is remarkable because it sits near the noisy Pennsylvania Turnpike and is just a couple miles from the sprawling, shopper-filled King of Prussia mall.
Valley Forge also is close to the traffic-clogged Schuylkill Expressway, a major artery leading to Philadelphia and its tourist attractions and sports arenas.
The Revolution Center is now going it alone, however, on a project combining a three-story museum for its Revolutionary War artifacts with a four-story conference center with up to 99 rooms for overnight lodging, a restaurant, walking trails and paved parking lots.
Thomas M. Daly, Revolution Center president, said his group dates back to 1918, when it was founded as the Valley Forge Historical Society. Over the years it has collected many important historical artifacts, such as a preserved tent that Gen. Washington slept in during the Revolutionary War.
Through this project, said Mr. Daly, “We are going to be telling the story of the people who sacrificed their lives and fortunes to found this country. This is an important additional element for heritage tourism.”
The development is planned for 78 acres of what for decades was farmland land the Revolution Center bought last year from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The land, which is now just grass and trees, borders on, and is virtually surrounded on all sides by, the national park.
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