Valley Forge and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
After a long winter, it was time to take the camper out on a test run before we go cross country for seven weeks this summer. Luckily, Spring arrived in early April and we were able to un-winterize the camper in time for a Easter weekend get away to Philadelphia.
Valley Forge
We got up on a Friday morning and drove the 4 hrs from our place to Valley Forge. I like to go to the visitor center first to get a map, talk to the a NP Ranger, and get my passport book stamped.
What is a passport book? Every unit of the National Park service has a stamp that marks the location and date of visit. I like to get the stamp to mark the places we've visited. Hopefully some day I will get them all!!!
Now, back to Valley Forge. What I remembered from my 4th grade PA History class with Mr. Evancheck, the American Revolution soldiers were there in the winter and they all froze and died of starvation. Hmmm, well. I think I got it partially right but had to read up to see where my memory failed me.
George Washington and the 12,000 soldiers of the Continental Army did camp here the winter of 1777-1778 because it was within a day's ride of of Philadelphia, which was occupied by the British. They were accompanied by an additional 400 women and children. The army built 1,500 log huts and 2 miles of fortifications. During the winter, they did suffer many hardships including a lack of supplies, hunger, and diseases like typhoid and influenza. Disease killed almost 2,000 people that winter.
It was at Valley Forge that the soldiers trained and were ready to pursue the British when they left Philadelphia in June of 1778, after a French alliance with the Continental Army was secured.
Valley Forge reminded us of Gettysburg, except no battle actually took place here. We did the self guided driving tour, a 10 mile loop, through the park stopping at various points of interest along the way. We also had the camper in tow and the pups with us so we didn't stay long, about 2 hrs total.
Our campground was very close to Valley Forge but about an hour east of Philadelphia, we drove in and spent the day in the city. Note: Brodey and I whole-heartedly agree that we are not city people! One day was plenty to see all that we wanted to see in Philly.
First stop was the visitor center where I got all kinds of passport stamps and picked up our tickets to tour Independence Hall. The tickets were free but I was able to book them several weeks in advance, and it was a good thing I did, because at 10 AM the NP Ranger was distributing tickets for 4:30 tours.
We then visited Independence Hall by entering the East Wing, where we met our NP Park Ranger who lead our tour. He gave us a brief history lesson before leading us into the first floor of Independence Hall. The building itself was constructed in 1732 to be the Pennsylvania State House. It was loaned to the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. We first entered the Court Room of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, traveled through the Long Gallery, and arrived in the Assembly Room, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.
After Independence Hall, we visited Old City Hall, which was built as the City Hall of Philadelphia, the building was used by the U.S. Supreme Court from 1791 until 1800, when the Federal Government was moved to Washington, D.C.
Thus ended our two day get away to Philadelphia, PA. Next stop.....St. Louis, Missouri to kick off our Mid-West Summer Vacation! Stay tuned for June! And be sure to enter your email address in the sign up box to get notified of all our summer travels!
What is a passport book? Every unit of the National Park service has a stamp that marks the location and date of visit. I like to get the stamp to mark the places we've visited. Hopefully some day I will get them all!!!
Now, back to Valley Forge. What I remembered from my 4th grade PA History class with Mr. Evancheck, the American Revolution soldiers were there in the winter and they all froze and died of starvation. Hmmm, well. I think I got it partially right but had to read up to see where my memory failed me.
George Washington and the 12,000 soldiers of the Continental Army did camp here the winter of 1777-1778 because it was within a day's ride of of Philadelphia, which was occupied by the British. They were accompanied by an additional 400 women and children. The army built 1,500 log huts and 2 miles of fortifications. During the winter, they did suffer many hardships including a lack of supplies, hunger, and diseases like typhoid and influenza. Disease killed almost 2,000 people that winter.
Valley Forge reminded us of Gettysburg, except no battle actually took place here. We did the self guided driving tour, a 10 mile loop, through the park stopping at various points of interest along the way. We also had the camper in tow and the pups with us so we didn't stay long, about 2 hrs total.
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| Driving the 10 mile park loop! |
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| Perfect Addition to this statue of George Washington. |
George Washington House, which was rented to him while he stayed at Valley Forge.
Philadelphia, PA
Independence National Historic Park
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| Very rainy start to our day. |
First stop was the visitor center where I got all kinds of passport stamps and picked up our tickets to tour Independence Hall. The tickets were free but I was able to book them several weeks in advance, and it was a good thing I did, because at 10 AM the NP Ranger was distributing tickets for 4:30 tours.
Independence Square
After going through security, we first visited The Great Essentials Exhibit in the West Wing, which held original documents of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. We were able to talk to a very nice Park Ranger. She told us that there were printed copies of the Declaration of Independence that were distributed to members of Congress and various cities. Most were lost but many are still around. The most recent copy found was from a gentleman who bought a frame at a yard sale. Behind the picture was one of these printed copies, which he later sold for over four million dollars!
We then visited Independence Hall by entering the East Wing, where we met our NP Park Ranger who lead our tour. He gave us a brief history lesson before leading us into the first floor of Independence Hall. The building itself was constructed in 1732 to be the Pennsylvania State House. It was loaned to the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. We first entered the Court Room of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, traveled through the Long Gallery, and arrived in the Assembly Room, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.
After Independence Hall, we visited Old City Hall, which was built as the City Hall of Philadelphia, the building was used by the U.S. Supreme Court from 1791 until 1800, when the Federal Government was moved to Washington, D.C.
Liberty Bell
Between the Visitor Center and Independence Square is the Liberty Bell Center. No tickets necessary but you do have to wait in line and, again, go through security to enter. We had a rousing game of "Guess the Wait Time" officiated by Doug's phone timer. I guessed 1 hour, Brodey guessed 20 min. Well, Brodey won, I suck at games.
We entered the Liberty Bell Center, which is a museum in its own right, and the Liberty Bell is at the back with a beautiful wall of glass framing Independence Hall. My PA History let me down this time because I was completely wrong in how long it was housed in Independence Hall and how many times it rang before it cracked. Good thing I am a Biology teacher and not Social Studies!!
Originally called The State House Bell, it was installed in 1751, and was used to call law makers to their meetings and the townspeople together to hear the reading of the news. It didn't actually crack until the 1840's, probably because of 90 years of use. The large crack today was actually a repair of the bell in 1846. That repair failed and another crack formed and the bell was retired.
Ben Franklin Court
Ben Franklin Court houses the Ben Franklin museum (fee to enter), a mental "ghost" structural outline of where his house once stood, the B. Free Franklin Post Office, and the Franklin Court Printing Office.
To kick off National Park week, the museum was free and hosted a live Bald Eagle in the court yard. Brodey found this extremely interesting. Dunovan loved visiting the Printing Office best. (My nature vs. city kids)
Christ Church and Christ Church Burial Ground
Christ Church is an official component of Independence National Historical Park but is still an active church and is a privately managed historical site. Founded in 1695, it has hosted members of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution, and other important historical figures in American History: George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, John Penn, Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, and Francis Hopkinson.
Christ Church also owns the Christ Church Burial Ground located several blocks away from the church. Benjamin Franklin is buried here.
Christ Church also owns the Christ Church Burial Ground located several blocks away from the church. Benjamin Franklin is buried here.
Betsy Ross House
Not a part of the NP System, this historic site is located within Old City of Philadelphia. Betsy Ross and her husband actually never owned this home but rented it. They actually worked as upholsterers. She was commissioned by the Continental Army to sew the first American Flag, thus immortalizing her forever in American History.
Reading Terminal Market
Want to visit one of the oldest markets in the United States? Reading Terminal Market is the place to go. About a 20 minute walk from the Historic District, this very crowded market hosts anything from fresh vegetables and the famous Philly Steak and Cheese sandwiches, to whoopee pies and ice cream. We were all completely overwhelmed with the wall to wall crowds and didn't get to see 1/3 of the Market before we escaped after we ate lunch. I would not recommend on a holiday weekend but another time, when it isn't so busy, would be cool.
Rocky Statue and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Yo Adrian!! What is a trip to Philly without a visit to see Rocky. Dunovan, who has inherited the movie junkie gene from me, wouldn't let us leave the city without visiting "the second most famous movie filming location in the world." We stood in line to see the Rocky Statue, which was created for the movie Rocky III and donated to the city by Stallone after filming was completed. Be sure to watch Dunovan run the stairs to recreate the scene from Rocky. Note: he is a mean director and it took us about 4 takes before we got it to his satisfaction.
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