Montgomery County’s history is deep and significant, but it’s not stagnant. Five historical sites — recommended by the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board’s Justine Garbarino — work continually to remain vibrant, engaging, and worthy of visits by tourists and locals.

Valley Forge National Historical Park

King of Prussia

If there’s one spot Montgomery County is known for the world over, it’s Valley Forge National Historical Park. Forever associated with the harsh 1777–1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army, the park has many more treasures than just the historic ones. Its 3,500 acres hold monuments, meadows, woodlands, trails, informational programs, concerts, reenactments, and community events.

Pennypacker Mills

Schwenksville

Pennypacker Mills is a historic site at which life in the 1900s is recreated. Its mansion is fully furnished with antiques collected by former Pennsylvania Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker, reflecting his interests in early Pennsylvania history, German and Dutch settlers, native Americans, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War.

Peter Wentz Farmstead

Lansdale

Peter Wentz Farmstead is a historic home once owned by Peter and Rosanna Wentz in 1744. It was used during the fall of 1777 as a temporary headquarters for General George Washington and his staff. The house has been restored to the era when it served as Washington’s headquarters. The farm buildings, livestock, and kitchen garden represent early Pennsylvania German farming practices.

Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown

Built in 1752 for the Potts family, the home showcases the elegance of early Georgian architecture and tells the history of successful ironmaster John Potts, his wife Ruth, their 13 children, and the paid, indentured, and enslaved people who lived and labored here.

Schwenkfelder Library

Pennsburg

The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center offers visitors of all ages ways to learn about the Schwenkfelders, a Protestant group heavily persecuted in Europe that immigrated here in the early 1700s seeking religious freedom. In the museum, visitors will see looms and lathes, paintings and plows, chests and cider presses — all various household furnishings and farm tools from the 1700s through the early 1900s.

To Find More

Full details on these historical sites are available through the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board.

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Although it’s best seen in person, this video tour of Pottsgrove Manor serves as worthy enticement to go.