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Historic Valley Forge & Montco: One Day Itinerary

George Washington spent six months in Valley Forge, but you only have one day to explore the rich history he left behind. Montgomery County is home to not only Valley Forge National Historical Park, but other sites that played an important role in the American Revolution including those that served as Army hospitals, sites of skirmishes, and buildings that were once used as Washington's Headquarters. 

Morning

Any tour of Montgomery County's Revolutionary War sites has to begin at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Multiple options are available for tours, including self-guided audio tours, ranger-led walking tours, trolley tours and bicycle tours. Here are several can't-miss sites.

 

Valley Forge Park Visitor Center Header

VALLEY FORGE VISITORS CENTER

Open daily, the Visitor Center provides the perfect jumping off point for your tour. Talk to a park ranger, get a map, and check out the museum exhibits, including a life-sized model of George Washington riding a horse!

Summer Programming - Washington's Headquarters

WASHINGTON'S HEADQUARTERS

The small two-story stone building is one of the most-visited areas of the park, open daily from March through December and weekends in January and February.

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MUHLENBERG BRIGADE HUTS

The reconstructed huts show what daily life was like in camp as the soldiers fought disease, starvation and weather.

Valley Forge Arch

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARCH

Standing tall above the rest of the park, the Arch is a tribute to Washington's arrival in Valley Forge and is modeled after triumphal monuments of ancient Rome.

Afternoon

A visit to the park will take most of the morning. With a stop for lunch, that means you only have time for one more stop in the afternoon. Here are a few options:

Exterior of Dewees Tavern

HISTORIC TRAPPE

Distance: 10 Miles

About: Historic Trappe is home to three Revolutionary War-era sites open for visitors: the Dewees Tavern, the Muhlenberg House, and the Speaker's House. With period furnishings, the Muhlenberg House exhibits what life was like for the families of Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg and his son General Peter Muhlenberg. All locations are open to the public.

Where to Eat: The Trappe Tavern

Attractions - Presidential Montco - Pennypacker

PENNYPACKER MILLS

Distance: 15 Miles

About: Site of a temporary encampment before and after the Battle of Germantown, Pennypacker Mills is open to the public as a museum and living history site, with a collection of artifacts from its most famous resident, Governor Samuel Pennypacker.

Where to Eat: Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain

Attractions - Presidential Montco - Peter Wentz

PETER WENTZ FARMSTEAD

Distance: 10 Miles

About: Peter Wentz established his farm on the property in 1744, but it was in 1778 that the estate became part of American history, twice serving as George Washington's headquarters. The property is open for tours, with events celebrating early American farm life. 

Where to Eat: The Farmer's Daughter Bar & Restaurant

Hope Lodge

HOPE LODGE

Distance: 15 Miles

About: Before arriving in Valley Forge, the Continental Army spent six weeks in the fields surrounding Hope Lodge, a time known as the Whitemarsh Encampment. The property is open select dates for tours and the encampment is re-enacted every year in early November.

Where to Eat: Dave & Buster's Plymouth Meeting

Haunted Montco - PAOLI BATTLEFIELD HISTORICAL PARK

PAOLI BATTLEFIELD HISTORICAL PARK

Distance: 7 Miles

About: On September 20, 1777, the British surprised a retreating American army with a quick, decisive attack. The battlefield has been preserved as a 40-acre public park with a memorial to the 53 soldiers who lost their lives in the battle.

Where to Eat: Historic General Warren Restaurant