Valley Forge Park to Commemorate 1777 Arrival of Continental Army Tonight

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The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board will celebrate the Dec. 19 “March-in” event at Valley Forge National Historical Park.

The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board will celebrate the Dec. 19 “March-in” event at Valley Forge National Historical Park by encouraging Revolutionary War buffs to get out into the rest of Montgomery County and discover the key role our area played.

Collected as a series of customizable itineraries (encompassing everything from a multi-day stay to only a few hours), the VFTCB’s Patriot Trails information tracks the movements of the Continental Army under General George Washington.

The March-in program at Valley Forge, a cornerstone location for Patriot Trails, remembers a cold December day in 1777 when the army – already feeling the impact of weather and a lack of supplies –hunkered down for the winter.

The six months there were transformative.

Washington’s troops came to Valley Forge not exactly screaming cohesiveness. Hailing from 13 separate colonies, they had numerous different ways of marching in formation, of loading and firing, even of dealing with housing and sanitation issues. They were also tired, sick, underfed, and outgunned.

By the time they left the following June, thanks to the rigorous training time and some much-needed funding from France, they were a unified fighting force.

The 6 PM event today at Valley Forge National Historical Park includes:

  • 18th Century Music, featuring festive carols and dancing
  • Meet General Washington, who, embodied by expert Dean Malissa, will speak on the trials and tribulations of our quest for independence
  • American Heritage Chocolate samplings, demonstrating an 18th century hot chocolate recipe
  • Performances by the Freedom High School Fife and Drum Corps
  • Candle-lit ranger-led walks along the ¼-mile along the Joseph Plumb Martin Trail
  • Tours of the Muhlenberg Brigade Hut Area
  • Visits to the new Fort John Moore/Redoubt #2, a recreated earthen defensive structure built to protect the encampment against a possible British attack

The VFTCB’s Patriot Trails information is being presented to attendees by way of a newly designed brochure. Online, the content benefits from a new VFTCB website, which will be wholly redesigned and relaunched on December 14.

The website also has hotel recommendations that are convenient to any of the Patriot Trails locations, facilitating a multi-day visit.

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