NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Foundation Document

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Pennsylvania December 2018

Signatures

11-26-2018
Foundation Document

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authorized park boundary

 VALLEY FORGE 

NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

PERKIOMEN

CREEK

SCHUYLKILL RIVER

Valley Creek

To Phoenixville

Ferry Lane

Country Club 

 Road 

Valley Forge Road 

Valley Park Road 

Village of

Valley Forge

Post Office

River Trail

Parking Area

Perkiomen Trail

(Oaks to

Green Lane)

Pawlings

Road

John James

Audubon

Center at

Mill Grove

Audubon Loop Trail

Pottstown Expressway

Egypt Road

Audubon Road

To Norristown 

and Lansdale

Rittenhouse Road

Trooper Road

Schuylkill River Trail (Valley Forge to 

Valley Forge Road

Eastbound

exit only First Avenue

Exit 

Valley Forge

North Gulph Road

North Gulph Road

Pe

Schuylkill Expressway

Tollgate

Plaza 

Pennsylvania

Ric

Turnpike

hards Road 

Thomas Road

Gulph Road

To Harrisburg To Paoli

Yellow Springs Road

 MOUNT MISERY

Pawling Farm was one of 

the Continental Army commissaries 

and the major campsite of the 

army after the troops shifted to 

outlying locations on June 9, 1778.

Barn Boat launch

NORFOLK & SOUTHERN

Betzwood

Picnic Area

County Line Road 

Gulph Road

Patriots of

African Descent 

Monument

Chapel Cabin Shop

Maurice Stephens

House (not open to public)

Washington

Memorial

Chapel

Varnum’s

Picnic Area

open seasonally Redoubt

 1

Varnum’s

Quarters open seasonally

Muhlenberg

Brigade

Steuben

Statue

historic trace

GRAND PARADE Redan

Theater

Park Administration

one-way

Ranger

Station

Redoubt 2

Redan

Redoubt Redan

North Outer Line Drive one-way

National

Memorial Arch

Begin

one-way

Pennsylvania

Columns

South Outer Line Drive

Wayne’s

Woods

Wayne

Statue Baptist Road

Wilson Road

one-way

End

one-way

J.P. Martin

 Trail 

Redoubt 3

Artillery

Park

Knox’s Quarters

(not open to public)

Lafayette’s Quarters (not open to public)

Lord Stirling’s

Quarters (not open to public)

P. C. Knox Estate

(Library)

Covered Bridge

(1865)

Height limit: 10’6”

Weight limit: 27 Tons

Valley Creek Road

East Inner Line Dr

End

one-way

South Inner Line Dr

MOUNT JOY

Soldiers of

New Jersey

Monument

Redoubt

 4

one-way

North

nI ner Line Dr

one-way

one-way

West Inner Line Dr

David Potts House

Accessibility

dropoff

(no parking)

Valley Forge Station Begin visit to

Washington’s

Headquarters

here.

Washington’s

Headquarters

River Trail

Entra

Tu

Visitor Center

North

0

0

0.1

0.1

Washington’s troops arrived 

December 19, 1777, over Gulph 

Road from Gulph Mills, southeast

of Valley Forge.

Trails shown are only a few of 

the park’s 26 miles of trails. 

Please pick up a full trail map 

at the visitor center or on the 

park website.

Food service

Encampment

Tour stop 

Follow these signs

for the self-guiding

Encampment Tour.

Restrooms

(wheelchair-accessible)

Wheelchair-accessible

Picnic area

1

Trail

Historic trace (road)

Railroad

Visitor parking

Reconstructed hut

Encampment Tour
Valley Forge National Historical Park

Contents

Mission of the National Park Service 1

Introduction 2

Part 1: Core Components .

Brief Description of the Park 3

Park Purpose 5

Park Significance 6

Fundamental Resources and Values 

Other Important Resources and Values  

Interpretive Themes 10

Part 2: Dynamic Components 12

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments  .

Special Mandates 12

Administrative Commitments 12

Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 13

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values .

Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values  .

Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 43

Planning and Data Needs 45

Part 3: Contributors 49

Valley Forge National Historical Park 49

NPS Northeast Region 49

Other NPS Staff .

Partners 49

Photo Credits .

Appendixes .

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Legislative Acts for 

Valley Forge National Historical Park .
Foundation Document
1

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Mission of the National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources 

and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this 

and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the 

benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this 

country and the world.

The NPS core values are a framework in which the National Park Service accomplishes its 

mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, the National 

Park Service pursues its mission. The NPS core values are:

· Shared stewardship: We share a commitment to resource stewardship with the global 

preservation community.

· Excellence: We strive continually to learn and improve so that we may achieve the 

highest ideals of public service.

· Integrity: We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another.

· Tradition: We are proud of it; we learn from it; we are not bound by it.

· Respect: We embrace each other’s differences so that we may enrich the well-being 

of everyone.

The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. While numerous 

national park system units were created prior to 1916, it was not until August 25, 1916, that 

President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act formally establishing 

the National Park Service.

The national park system continues to grow and comprises more than 400 park units covering 

more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, 

Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These units include, but are not limited to, national parks, 

monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, 

recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. The variety and diversity 

of park units throughout the nation require a strong commitment to resource stewardship 

and management to ensure both the protection and enjoyment of these resources for 

future generations.

The arrowhead was authorized as the 

official National Park Service emblem 

by the Secretary of the Interior on 

July 20, 1951. The sequoia tree and 

bison represent vegetation and wildlife, 

the mountains and water represent 

scenic and recreational values, and the 

arrowhead represents historical and 

archeological values.
Foundation Document

2

Introduction

Every unit of the national park system will have a foundational document to provide 

basic guidance for planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and 

management. The core components of a foundation document include a brief description 

of the park as well as the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, 

other important resources and values, and interpretive themes. The foundation document 

also includes special mandates and administrative commitments, an assessment of planning 

and data needs that identifies planning issues, planning products to be developed, and the 

associated studies and data required for park planning. Along with the core components, the 

assessment provides a focus for park planning activities and establishes a baseline from which 

planning documents are developed.

A primary benefit of developing a foundation document is the opportunity to integrate and 

coordinate all kinds and levels of planning from a single, shared understanding of what is 

most important about the park. The process of developing a foundation document begins 

with gathering and integrating information about the park. Next, this information is refined 

and focused to determine what the most important attributes of the park are. The process 

of preparing a foundation document aids park managers, staff, and the public in identifying 

and clearly stating in one document the essential information that is necessary for park 

management to consider when determining future planning efforts, outlining key planning 

issues, and protecting resources and values that are integral to park purpose and identity.

While not included in this document, a park atlas is also part of a foundation project. The 

atlas is a series of maps compiled from available geographic information system (GIS) data 

on natural and cultural resources, visitor use patterns, facilities, and other topics. It serves 

as a GIS-based support tool for planning and park operations. The atlas is published as a 

(hard copy) paper product and as geospatial data for use in a web mapping environment. 

The park atlas for Valley Forge National Historical Park can be accessed online at: 

http://insideparkatlas.nps.gov/.
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Valley Forge National Historical Park

Part 1: Core Components

The core components of a foundation document include a brief description of the park, park 

purpose, significance statements, fundamental resources and values, other important resources 

and values, and interpretive themes. These components are core because they typically do 

not change over time. Core components are expected to be used in future planning and 

management efforts.

Brief Description of the Park

Valley Forge National Historical Park encompasses much of the site of the 1777–78 winter 

encampment of General George Washington’s Continental Army. Often called the “most 

celebrated encampment,” the story of Valley Forge was first honored and interpreted in the 

early 19th century when what might have been an otherwise dreary recounting of suffering 

and survival was transformed into an inspiring story of triumph through sacrifice. The story 

has appealed to successive generations of Americans ever since, and 1.9 million visitors were 

attracted to the park in 2015. 

Valley Forge was established as Pennsylvania’s first state park in 1893. In 1975, the 

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorized the transfer of the park (by then a national historic 

landmark) to the federal government. On July 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford established Valley 

Forge National Historical Park with a mandate to “preserve and commemorate . . . the heroic 

suffering, hardship, and determination and resolve of . . . Washington’s Continental Army.”

Valley Forge is in southeastern Pennsylvania, 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia and situated 

in a rapidly growing edge city. The park comprises 3,452 acres, of which approximately 270 

acres are nonfederal, including inholdings, roads, and utilities. It protects many significant 

cultural resources, including cultural landscapes, historic buildings and structures, monuments, 

archeological sites, and archives and collections. As suburban sprawl increasingly covers 

the land around Valley Forge, the park increases in value as a refuge for plants and animals. 

Supporting more than 1,000 species of flora and fauna, habitats within the park include mixed 

oak and tulip poplar forests, tall grass meadows, wetlands, and waterways.
Foundation Document

4

In addition to its important cultural and natural resources, the park offers visitors interpretive 

programming; self-guided walking and driving tours; and exhibits at the visitor center, 

Washington’s Headquarters, Varnum’s Quarters, and the Muhlenberg Brigade. Many regional 

visitors appreciate the park as a place of recreation and renewal, and approximately 80% of its 

visitors enjoy the park while walking, biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and picnicking.

When citizens joined together in the 1870s to protect Valley Forge, their common vision 

was the preservation of a significant and meaningful place that had inspired the Continental 

Army—a place that continued to inspire Americans a century later. Since the park’s founding, 

citizens have come together numerous times to advocate for it and to protect its important 

resources. The tradition of citizen stewardship continues every day as park volunteers 

and partners participate in the ongoing work of preservation and interpretation. Each of 

these stewards shares the vision of the park as a meaningful place of inspiration, refuge, 

commemoration, recreation, and pleasure.

The region has changed markedly since the Continental Army departed in 1778. It now is fully 

developed and one of the most traffic-choked areas in the state. The build-out of the region has 

left the park as one of the region’s few large natural areas, heightening its value as open space 

for the Philadelphia region. Valley Forge has served as a recreational destination for almost 100 

years, long before its establishment as a national park. Although not included in its legislated 

purpose, recreation is the predominant use of the park. Local and regional residents use the 

park for recreational activities ranging from hiking to sledding, from corporate picnics to 

teaching kids to ride bicycles. Many residents use the park on a daily basis for dog walking or 

jogging, as a preferred commuting route, or just as a quiet spot to eat lunch while on break from 

a nearby office park. The park functions as the “back yard” for the community.

Being the community’s back yard brings both opportunities and challenges. Large numbers of 

regional residents with decades of memories and connections care enormously about the park 

and translate this passion into stewardship through volunteerism, membership in the friends 

group, or a desire to learn more about the park’s history and national significance. The more 

than one million recreational users represent an important audience for the park. Meeting 

these visitors “where they are” to provide meaningful historical and natural interpretation at 

times and in forms that are attractive and convenient is crucial to the park’s future relevance. 
5

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Valley Forge National Historical Par

conserves and interprets the land and 

resources associated with the storied 

1777–78 winter encampment of General 

George Washington and the Continental 

Army. The park commemorates the sacrifices 

and achievements of the Valley Forge 

experience, and it provides opportunities 

for enhanced understanding of the 

encampment’s legacy for the inspiration 

and benefit of the people. 

Park Purpose

The purpose statement identifies the specific reason for establishment of a particular park. The 

purpose statement for Valley Forge National Historical Park was drafted through a careful 

analysis of its enabling legislation and the legislative history that influenced its development. 

The park was established when the enabling legislation adopted by Congress was signed into 

law on July 4, 1976 (see appendix A for enabling legislation and legislative acts). The purpose 

statement lays the foundation for understanding what is most important about the park.
Foundation Document

6

Park Significance

Significance statements express why a park’s resources and values are important enough to 

merit designation as a unit of the national park system. These statements are linked to the 

purpose of Valley Forge National Historical Park and are supported by data, research, and 

consensus. Statements of significance describe the distinctive nature of the park and why an 

area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. They focus on the 

most important resources and values that will assist in park planning and management.

The following significance statements have been identified for Valley Forge National Historical 

Park. (Please note that the sequence of the statements does not reflect the level of significance.)

1. The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army 

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win the 

Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes, 

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links 

to a defining event in our nation’s history.

2. The history and mythology of Valley Forge evoke the spirit of patriotism and 

independence and represent the resolve and perseverance of the Continental Army. 

Valley Forge truly is a citizen’s park—created by citizens to preserve a significant and 

meaningful place that had inspired the Continental Army a century earlier. The park’s 

inspirational quality continues to move us a century later. Since the park’s founding, 

citizens have come together many times to advocate for it and to protect its important 

resources from threats. The tradition of citizen stewardship continues today. 

3. As the world around Valley Forge is more densely developed, the park is increasingly 

significant as open space—a beautiful and valued place for relaxation, personal 

renewal, and pleasure and a natural area that supports a healthy ecosystem for 

animals and plants. 
7

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Fundamental Resources and Values

Fundamental resources and values (FRVs) are those features, systems, processes, experiences, 

stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to warrant primary consideration 

during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose 

of the park and maintaining its significance. Fundamental resources and values are closely 

related to a park’s legislative purpose and are more specific than significance statements.

Fundamental resources and values help focus planning and management efforts on what is 

truly significant about the park. One of the most important responsibilities of NPS managers 

is to ensure the conservation and public enjoyment of those qualities that are essential 

(fundamental) to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. If 

fundamental resources and values are allowed to deteriorate, the park purpose and/or 

significance could be jeopardized.

The following fundamental resources and values have been identified for Valley Forge National 

Historical Park:

· Encampment Landscape. The encampment landscape retains integrity of landform, 

topography, views, and aspect, including Mounts Joy and Misery and the Grand Parade; 

natural systems and features, including the Schuylkill River, Valley Creek, and numerous 

springs; circulation elements; pre-encampment settlement patterns, including parts of 

some farm clusters and remnants of the once-thriving iron forge industry; and military 

adaptations made to support the encampment and fortify the position, including parts 

of the inner and outer line defenses known as the Triangle of Defense, known sites of 

earthen forts and road systems, and various buildings and structures used for officers’ 

quarters, storage, or livestock.

· Encampment-Era Historic Structures. Sixteen historic structures have been 

identified as standing, in whole or in part, at the time of the encampment. Two of these, 

Washington’s Headquarters and the house attributed as General Steuben’s Quarters, 

are individually designated as national historic landmarks. The encampment-era 

structures are primarily domestic with a few associated outbuildings.

· Encampment-Era Archeological Resources. These archeological resources 

include the material remains, sites, and remnants of earthen structures shaped by the 

encampment of the Continental Army and are of the highest significance for the park 

because they represent the richest material memory left from the participants. These 

resources tell us about the lifeways, foodways, military regimen, and social behavior of the 

Continental Army soldier. Scientifically, they are priceless and of immeasurable value.

· Commemorative Landscape. Overlaying the encampment’s terrain is a web of scenic 

drives, memorial allées of trees, 40 monuments and markers, designed scenic vistas, 

and other intentional gestures intended by 19th- and early 20th-century park designers 

to honor the encampment through beauty and the evocation of a sense of patriotism 

and awe.

· Revolutionary War Militaria Collection. The 1,500-item Neumann Collection, 

comprising firearms, edged weapons, military accouterments, and accessories, is 

an integral part of the park’s interpretive effort and illuminates the everyday life of 

the soldier. This internationally renowned collection is the largest publicly owned 

collection of Revolutionary War artifacts. 

· Encampment Archival Collections. Park archival collections contain rare and 

unique items specific to the encampment at Valley Forge. The most significant archival 

collection at the park, the John F. Reed Manuscript Collection, contains rare 18thcentury manuscripts, broadsides, pamphlets, books, and artifacts. In this collection 

is the well-known letter written at Valley Forge by General George Washington to the 

Continental Congress on December 23, 1777.
Foundation Document

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· The Valley Forge Story and Myth. The encampment is one of the most famous 

episodes of the American Revolution. The significance of the encampment lies both 

in its fact-based history of leadership, perseverance, and transformation and also 

in its storied myth. The mythical narrative is important in its own right because it 

reveals something about our character in the heroic way we wish the Revolution to be 

remembered— an inspiring story of triumph through sacrifice. 

· A Tradition of Stewardship. Valley Forge National Historical Park embraces the belief 

that the mission is maximized and the message amplified through collaborative efforts 

of many park partners. The foundation of many visitor experiences and park initiatives 

is the result of work with three formal partners and the vital working relationships 

with other partners including local schools and universities, youth groups, cultural and 

natural resource agencies, public health and safety groups, businesses, and volunteers. 

All find meaning in their service and make important contributions to the work of 

protecting the park.

· Valley Creek. Valley Creek once powered the forge that gave Valley Forge its name and 

it flows by Washington’s Headquarters before joining the Schuylkill River. Today it is 

a state-designated Exceptional Value Waterway and a Class A Wild Trout Fishery—an 

astonishing survival in this heavily developed area. It is both an essential component in 

the historic landscape and a regionally important habitat.

· Meadows. The park’s 1,500 acres of meadow, the largest contiguous grasslands in the 

region, provide increasingly rare and essential habitat for native species. Their rough 

and open nature also mimics the agricultural landscape that was the scene of the 

encampment.

· Personal Renewal. Since its 1893 founding as a state park, Valley Forge has been 

valued as a place of rest and relaxation, a quiet place to connect with nature. Each 

visitor shares the vision of the park as a beautiful place of inspiration, refuge, 

commemoration, and pleasure. 
9

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Other Important Resources and Values 

Valley Forge National Historical Park contains other resources and values that are not 

fundamental to the purpose of the park and may be unrelated to its significance, but are 

important to consider in planning processes. These are referred to as “other important 

resources and values” (OIRV). These resources and values have been selected because they 

are important in the operation and management of the park and warrant special consideration 

in park planning.

The following other important resources and values have been identified for Valley Forge 

National Historical Park:

· Pre- and Post-Encampment Archeological Resources. The archeological heritage 

of Valley Forge National Historical Park is vast and significant. The park’s archeological 

resources document every major period of its occupation and are essential to a full 

appreciation and interpretation of its rich history. Although the park’s archeological 

sites span more than 8,500 years of human history, the largest group of archeological 

items in the collections date from the 19th and early 20th centuries. 

· Library Collection and Archival Records. The park’s library collection is one of 

the largest in the National Park Service and contains books and periodicals on the 

American Revolutionary War with an emphasis on the Valley Forge Encampment. 

Materials, including rare books, cover the political, social, and industrial history of the 

area, and numerous NPS studies and reports describe the resources, administration, 

and history of the park. Archival records produced in the day-to-day management of 

Valley Forge by the Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge (1878–1893), 

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1893–1977), and the National Park Service (1977–

present) are invaluable in today’s management of park cultural and natural resources.

· Post-Encampment Cultural Landscapes and Historic Structures. History did 

not stand still after the encampment, and the park is a palimpsest of later industrial, 

agricultural, and transportation cultural landscapes. Former country estates comprise 

historic designed and vernacular landscapes. More 

than 60 post-encampment historic structures include 

farmhouses, estate dwellings, small village residences, 

barns, and sundry outbuildings that have state and 

local significance. 

· Suite of Interrelated Biological Resources. Forests, 

grasslands, and wetlands cover about two-thirds 

of Valley Forge and, as the park’s major terrestrial 

ecosystems, provide foraging opportunities, breeding 

habitat, and shelter for a wide variety of native 

wildlife species. 

· Recreational Activities. Recreation is a prominent 

and even historic use of the park. For more than 150 

years, residents of the region have come to Valley 

Forge to enjoy an outing in a beautiful and historic 

place. Walking, fishing, riding horses, baseball, 

boating, and picnicking were early uses. Today, 

recreation also includes hiking, biking, sledding, 

photography, and wildlife watching. Many residents 

use the park on a daily basis for dog walking or 

jogging, as a preferred commuting route, or just as a 

quiet spot to eat lunch while on break from a nearby 

office park. The park functions as the back yard for the 

community and contributes to health and wellness.
Foundation Document

10

Interpretive Themes

Interpretive themes are often described as the key stories or concepts that visitors should 

understand after visiting a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts 

communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes are derived from, and should reflect, 

park purpose, significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete 

when it provides the structure necessary for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to 

explore and relate to all park significance statements and fundamental and other important 

resources and values.

Interpretive themes are an organizational tool that reveal and clarify meaning, concepts, 

contexts, and values represented by park resources. Sound themes are accurate and reflect 

current scholarship and science. They encourage exploration of the context in which events 

or natural processes occurred and the effects of those events and processes. Interpretive 

themes go beyond a mere description of the event or process to foster multiple opportunities 

to experience and consider the park and its resources. These themes help explain why a park 

story is relevant to people who may otherwise be unaware of connections they have to an 

event, time, or place associated with the park.

The following interpretive themes have been identified for Valley Forge National 

Historical Park:

· The American Revolution and Valley Forge. The American Revolution created the 

United States. Although today we regard it as the embodiment of the values and ideals 

of the American people, the historic record reveals a rich story of people divided by 

geography, culture, and class and torn by internal strife and uncertainty. The Valley 

Forge Encampment represents a microcosm of the American Revolution, with its range 

of people and personalities, and reflects the conflicts, complexities, and contradictions 

inherent in the American Revolution and the War for Independence.

Individual motivations and decisions about involvement in the revolution ranged from 

the ideals of the Enlightenment, loyalty, and religious conviction to practical issues such 

as daily survival, the promise of freedom, and a secure economic future. The stories of 

the military and civilian participants of the Philadelphia Campaign and the Valley Forge 

Encampment reflect a spectrum of motivations and actions.

How did the colonists defeat the most powerful empire in the world? As the War 

for Independence progressed, George Washington’s strategy focused on staying in 

the game—holding the army together and turning it into an effective fighting force. 

By placing the encampment at Valley Forge so close to the main British Army in 

Philadelphia, the commander-in-chief cleverly chose a strategic position that allowed 

him to monitor the British from a safe distance. He used the encampment to refine and 

reform the organizations and systems necessary to support and professionalize the 

Continental Army.

More than any other factor, it was George Washington’s character, leadership skills, 

political savvy, and personal integrity that were the basis for the cohesion of the 

army and ultimate victory of the American cause. At Valley Forge, Washington faced 

severe challenges to his leadership and organization yet assumed and retained the 

responsibility to hold the army together.

The revolution forged an American identity that united both individuals and states 

around the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, despite the tensions 

inherent in subordinating individual liberties and state interests to common goals 

and the common good. Despite the deprivation, disagreements, and intrigues over 

leadership and the uncertainty of the outcome, a stronger, more disciplined, better 

organized, and professional national army emerged from the encampment with a 

renewed sense of confidence and identity.
11

Valley Forge National Historical Park

· Natural Resources Stewardship. Although the landscape of Valley Forge presents 

a pastoral appearance, the landscape and its natural resources have been devastated 

numerous times by the effects of war, industry, and agriculture. The landscape’s 

recovery reflects the resilience of its resources and the significance of this place to 

generations of Americans. 

Citizens have sought to preserve Valley Forge since the mid-19th century. Each 

generation has assumed the responsibility to actively defend this ground and has 

redefined the meaning of commemoration. The landscape of the park reflects 

the imprint of each of these ideas, including reconstruction, beautification, active 

recreation, and naturalization. 

The park protects a variety of habitat types, each of which supports an impressive 

diversity of native wildlife. The definition of “natural” conditions in this highly 

developed region is problematic, however, and the preservation of biotic and abiotic 

resources at Valley Forge is a conflict between protection and use of resources, a 

conflict that goes far beyond the boundary of the park.
Foundation Document

12

Part 2: Dynamic Components

The dynamic components of a foundation document include special mandates and 

administrative commitments and an assessment of planning and data needs. These components 

are dynamic because they will change over time. New special mandates can be established and 

new administrative commitments made. As conditions and trends of fundamental and other 

important resources and values change over time, the analysis of planning and data needs will 

need to be revisited and revised, along with key issues. Therefore, this part of the foundation 

document will be updated accordingly.

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 

Many management decisions for a park unit are directed or influenced by special mandates and 

administrative commitments with other federal agencies, state and local governments, utility 

companies, partnering organizations, and other entities. Special mandates are requirements 

specific to a park that must be fulfilled. Mandates can be expressed in enabling legislation, 

in separate legislation following the establishment of the park, or through a judicial process. 

They may expand on park purpose or introduce elements unrelated to the purpose of the 

park. Administrative commitments are, in general, agreements that have been reached through 

formal, documented processes, often through memorandums of agreement. Examples include 

easements, rights-of-way, arrangements for emergency service responses, etc. Special mandates 

and administrative commitments can support, in many cases, a network of partnerships 

that help fulfill the objectives of the park and facilitate working relationships with other 

organizations. They are an essential component of managing and planning for Valley Forge 

National Historical Park.

Special Mandates

· Pennsylvania Act No. 53, July 30, 1975, authorized the transfer of Valley Forge State 

Park to the federal government. It contains a provision (section 5) that the park land will 

revert to the commonwealth if the “premises are no longer used for recreational and 

historical purposes.”

· Valley Forge is one of eight sites in the United States where the flag may be flown both 

day and night (Public Law 94-53, 89 Stat. 259).

Administrative Commitments

· Numerous rights-of-way, rights-of-way permits, and licenses for sanitary sewer, 

transcontinental and local natural gas lines, power lines, and regional water lines 

cross the park.

· Fourteen miles of state roadways, maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of 

Transportation, traverse the park. When Valley Forge State Park was transferred to the 

federal government, the roadways were not excluded from the transfer. As a result, the 

federal government owns the underlying land, and the commonwealth holds a right-ofway permit for the pavement that extends the width of the cartway. There is no right-ofway beyond the cartway.

· The park leases three structures and related curtilage, including the Valley Forge Post 

Office leased to the U.S. Postal Service, the David Walker Farm leased to the Montessori 

Children’s House of Valley Forge, and the Philander Chase Knox House leased to Total 

Rental, Inc., and Columbia Station Enterprises.

· The Montgomery County Office of Public Safety provides law enforcement rangers 

with communication capabilities through the Montgomery County 911 system. The 

park has an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for snow 

removal on County Line Road. 
13

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Assessment of Planning and Data Needs

Once the core components of part 1 of the foundation document have been identified, it is 

important to gather and evaluate existing information about the park’s fundamental and other 

important resources and values, and develop a full assessment of the park’s planning and 

data needs. The assessment of planning and data needs section presents planning issues, the 

planning projects that will address these issues, and the associated information requirements 

for planning, such as resource inventories and data collection, including GIS data.

There are three sections in the assessment of planning and data needs:

1. analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values

2. identification of key issues and associated planning and data needs

3. identification of planning and data needs (including spatial mapping 

activities or GIS maps)

The analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values and identification of key 

issues leads up to and supports the identification of planning and data collection needs.

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values

The fundamental resource or value analysis table includes current conditions, potential threats 

and opportunities, planning and data needs, and selected laws and NPS policies related to 

management of the identified resource or value.
Foundation Document

14

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment Landscape

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The encampment was a temporary military overlay on an existing agricultural and 

industrial landscape that in turn had been built on a web of natural features. The

encampment landscape is present primarily as terrain—the Triangle of Defense that 

comprised the valley of the Grand Parade, the rises on which the Outer Line of Defense 

was constructed, Mount Joy to the west, and the Schuylkill River to the north

• The encampment landscape is not necessarily legible to a visitor without interpretation

• The most prominent feature—the Grand Parade—is impaired by the presence of quarries 

that were opened when the land was still privately owned; by a modern road—County 

Line Road—that cuts through the center; and by stands of trees that have grown up 

around these modern features

Trends

• Rehabilitation of quarried areas continues and when completed will represent the terrain 

present during the encampment

• The park accommodates recreation and is increasingly managed to promote biodiversity 

while still respecting the character-defining features of the encampment landscape

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Erosion resulting from inadequate stormwater management upstream of park

• More frequent and intense storms that damage structures, monuments, and earthworks 

and erode original landforms

• Visitor overuse leading to loss of earthworks and archeological resources

• Vegetation growing over and through defensive earthworks structures and causing loss of 

integrity

Opportunities

• Work with partners and upstream jurisdictions on stormwater control

• Complete asbestos release site remediation and reopen much of historic Grand Parade to 

public use

• Remove 20th-century tree stands to rehabilitate historic size and extent of Grand Parade

Establish new mown trails to provide access to area and improve scenic views

• Continue partnership with local contractors to remediate abandoned 19th-century 

quarries that impair Grand Parade

• Remove County Line Road when remediation projects are completed, and regrade terrain 

to its original contour

• Interpret landform and its history and significance

• Restore historic views among the redoubts built on high points of encampment to help 

visitors understand strategic use of terrain

• Train park staff to recognize, understand, and preserve these cultural resources

Data and/or GIS Needs • Archeological overview and assessment of eastern part of park (beginning 2017)

Planning Needs • None identified
Valley Forge National Historical Park

15

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment Landscape

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Antiquities Act of 1906

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.3.5.2) “Cultural Landscap

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology 

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with 

Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes
Foundation Document

16

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment-Era Historic Structures

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Sixteen historic structures have been identified as standing, in whole or in part, at the 

time of the encampment. The structures are primarily domestic with a few associated

outbuildings. Two of the structures—Washington’s Headquarters and the house attributed

as General Steuben’s quarters—are individually designated as national historic landmarks

• The condition of the structures ranges from good to poor, in order as listed below. The

key determinant of condition is whether the structure is in use and therefore eligible for 

most sources of NPS funding for ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, or restoration

· George Washington’s Headquarters

· General Varnum’s Quarters

· Lafayette’s Quarters

· Steuben Memorial Information Center

· Mordecai Moore House

· Potts Stable

· Washington’s Headquarters Spring House

· Potts Barn 

· David Potts House

· Maurice Stephens Spring House

· General Knox’s Quarters

· Stirling’s Quarters

· Stirling’s Quarters Spring House

· Horse-Shoe Trail South House

· Pawling House

· Meadow Grove Spring House 

• Barriers to accessibility exist

Trends

• Over the last decade, progress has been made on stabilizing most of the structures to 

ensure their survival. One structure, the Meadow Grove Spring House, is beyond repai
Valley Forge National Historical Park

17

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment-Era Historic Structures

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Not all historic structures have programmatic or operational uses, and these are empty

Deterioration and potential loss because of water infiltration, mold and mildew, and other 

conditions are typical of unoccupied structures

• Washington’s Headquarters is subject to flooding, particularly as storms become more 

frequent and more intense

• More frequent and more intense storms, hotter and more humid summers, and colder 

winters contribute to deterioration of the masonry and carpentry of historic structures

• Unoccupied buildings are threatened by break-ins and by issues that go unseen such as 

leaking roofs, the development of mold, and deterioration of walls and woodwork

• Vandalism, including arson

Opportunities

• A large number of historic structures have been identified as suitable for leasing. Leasing

provides sustainable uses and an alternative source of funding to bring the structures 

to good condition and maintain that condition. Prior to consideration for leasing, many

candidate structures need extensive work including on such fundamentals as floors and 

utilities

• The skilled volunteer program for repairs and upkeep could be expanded

• As structures are rehabilitated, their accessibility, either through architectural modifications 

or by use of media, could be improved

• Meadow Grove Spring House could be managed as a ruin

Data and/or GIS Needs • List of Classified Structures (update)

Planning Needs

• Historic structure report for Potts Barn

• Historic structure report for Horse-Shoe Trail South

• Marketing / leasing assessment and plan for park structures

• Self-evaluation and transition plan for accessibility

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
Foundation Document

18

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment-Era Archeological Resources 

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Encampment-era archeological resources include the sites and structures shaped by the 

encampment of the Continental Army

• These resources are of the highest significance for the park because they represent 

the richest material memory left from the participants. They tell us about the lifeways,

foodways, military regimen, and social behavior of the Continental Army soldier

Scientifically, they are priceless and of immeasurable value

• The encampment lasted for six months and involved heavy use of the land. A century of

research and/or compliance work demonstrates that a remarkable archeological record 

was left behind

• All known sites are in the park GIS databases. Ninety-six percent of sites are in good

condition

Trends

• All sites in the Archeological Sites Management and Information System (ASMIS) database 

have been assessed, but the assessments are more than five years old
Valley Forge National Historical Park

19

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment-Era Archeological Resources 

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Only approximately 50% of the park has been intensively researched through an 

archeological overview and assessment

• Recently acquired properties (Pawling Farm and Waggonseller Farm) have not been 

surveyed and are vulnerable to inadvertent loss

• Original earthworks and charcoal hearths on Mount Joy and Mount Misery are threatened 

by unmanaged tree growth and uprooting and by off-trail recreational use

• Archeological resources, particularly those adjacent to Valley Creek, are vulnerable to 

erosion resulting from more intense, more frequent storms

• Archeological resources can be lost to treasure hunters

Opportunities

• Archeological overview and assessment for the South Side (programmed for FY 17), 

which would include most of the remaining surveyed area of the park

• Expand education and interpretation for visitors about effects of off-trail use

• Clear trees from historic earthworks

• Train park staff to recognize, understand, and preserve these cultural resources

• Work with partners and upstream jurisdictions on stormwater control

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Archeological overview and assessment for the recently acquired Pawling and 

Waggonseller Farms (update of North Side overview and assessment)

• Convert GIS data to national Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems standards

• Update ASMIS including database updates, and reestablish inspection rotation

• Complete investigation of archeological resources at Woodford’s Brigade

• Reconcile parkwide GIS datasets (e.g., internal ASMIS, state, Park Atlas tiles, place

Planning Needs • None identified

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978

• Antiquities Act of 1906

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• Executive Order 13007, “Indian Sacred Sites”

• “Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections” (36 CFR 79)

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources”

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology 

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation
Foundation Document

20

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Commemorative Landscape

Related Significance 

Statements

• The history and mythology of Valley Forge evoke the spirit of patriotism and 

independence and represent the resolve and perseverance of the Continental Army. Valley

Forge truly is a citizen’s park—created by citizens to preserve a significant and meaningful 

place that had inspired the Continental Army a century earlier. The park’s inspirational

quality continues to move us a century later. Since the park’s founding, citizens have

come together many times to advocate for it and to protect its important resources from 

threats. The tradition of citizen stewardship continues toda

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Overlaying the terrain of the encampment is a web of scenic drives, memorial groves of 

trees, 40 monuments and markers, designed scenic vistas, and other gestures intended 

by 19th- and early 20th-century park designers to honor the encampment through their 

beauty and the evocation of a sense of patriotism and awe

• The park preserves cultural landscapes from a series of overlapping historic periods 

spanning almost three centuries. After the encampment, the development of the site

as a commemorative park is the most prominent feature in the site’s cultural landscape 

history. From the 1890s through the 1940s, park designers developed a landscape whose

scenic beauty was intended to honor the encampment and evoke feelings of pride and 

patriotism. Long views, scenic drives, monuments and markers, groves and allées of

trees, and the removal of most post-encampment structures were devices used in the 

composition

• The commemorative landscape is in good but declining condition

Trends

• Commemorative plantings are being lost to age, pests, and disease

• Small-scale features such as masonry walls, iron gates and fences, stone paved areas, and 

small outbuildings are being lost due to lack of maintenance

• The park accommodates recreation and is increasingly managed to promote biodiversity 

while still respecting the character-defining features of the encampment landscape

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Loss of century-old trees, which is destroying the integrity of groves and allées

• Erosion resulting from inadequate stormwater management upstream of the park and 

visitor overuse

• New and emerging pests and diseases impacting commemorative plantings

• Increasing number of severe storms destroying the park’s majestic trees

• Continued deterioration of two major monuments, the National Memorial Arch and the 

Pennsylvania Columns

• Development beyond park boundary encroaching on park’s viewshed

• Pollution from vehicle exhaust, coal-fired power plants, and other sources contributing 

to deterioration of park monuments and commemorative features through acid rain and 

exposure to sulfur dioxide gas

• Challenge of preserving small-scale features such as historic fences, walls, water features, 

and paving because such types of features do not score well in the NPS competitive 

system for project funding

Opportunities

• Work with partners and upstream jurisdictions on stormwater control

• Institute preventive treatment for emerald ash borer on 75 ash trees selected by the park 

as important

• Continue management of overbrowsing by white-tailed deer (begun in 2009), which is 

enabling forest regeneration

• Train park staff to recognize, understand, and preserve these cultural resources

• Expand interpretation for visitors that supports an understanding and appreciation of 

commemorative features
Valley Forge National Historical Park

21

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Commemorative Landscape

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified

Planning Needs • Engineering report and treatment plan for National Memorial Arch

• Engineering report and treatment plan for Pennsylvania Columns

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.3.5.2) “Cultural Landscap

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation
Foundation Document

22

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Revolutionary War Militaria Collection 

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The 1,500-item Neumann Collection comprises firearms, edged weapons, military 

accouterments, and accessories. It is an integral part of the park’s interpretive effort and

illuminates the everyday life of the soldier

• The collection is well housed and is in good condition

• A small proportion of the collection is on display in the visitor center gallery, but most of it 

can be viewed only by appointment. The more fragile items are occasionally displayed in

small exhibits

Trends

• A new visitor center exhibit is being designed that will feature more of the collection and 

present a more compelling interpretation of the encampment and the military, the camp 

followers, and the local citizens

• The internet is being used to reach a larger audience

• Museum-quality cabinetry is being installed in which each item has a dedicated storage 

space when it is not on display

• The collections management plan needs to be updated because it was predicated on 

establishment of a shared partner facility that is no longer a viable option

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Leather artifacts were treated with Thymol in the 1980s, and there currently is not a 

person or group willing to handle the needed conservation/removal

• The vault storage capacity is almost at its maximum

• There is no separate research area, and researchers must work in the storage area

Although precautionary measures are taken to ensure security, the situation is not ideal

Opportunities

• Continue design of new visitor center exhibits that allow more of the collection to be 

on display

• Continue development of virtual museum exhibit

• Reach out to universities and colleges to encourage academic study of collection

• Expand awareness of collection by continuing to lend items to other museums for 

temporary exhibition

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified
Valley Forge National Historical Park

23

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Revolutionary War Militaria Collection 

Planning Needs • Collections management plan (update)

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Antiquities Act of 1906

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Museum Properties Management Act of 1955, as amended

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• “Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections” (36 CFR 79)

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.1) “Research

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§8.10) “Natural and Cultural Studies, Research, and

Collection Activities”

• Director’s Order 24: NPS Museum Collections Management

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• NPS Museum Handbook, parts I, II, and III
Foundation Document

24

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Encampment Archival Collections 

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Park archival collections contain rare and unique items specific to the encampment at 

Valley Forge

• The most significant archival collection, the John F. Reed Manuscript Collection, contains

rare 18th-century manuscripts, broadsides, pamphlets, books, and artifacts including 

the well-known letter written at Valley Forge by General George Washington to the 

Continental Congress on December 23, 1777

Trends

• Use of the internet to disseminate information in encampment-period documents is 

increasing

• Threats to documents once handled by researchers are being diminished by the use of 

scanned and transcribed documents

• Encampment documents have been rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes that are 

stored in museum-quality cabinets

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Early conservation methods that were used to treat a few documents are now known to 

be damaging

Opportunities

• Continue design of new visitor center exhibits that allow more of the collection to be 

on display

• Continue development of virtual museum exhibit

• Continue use of digitization to send documents to researchers

• Encourage donations for conservation of documents to correct previous damaging 

treatments

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified

Planning Needs • None identified

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Museum Properties Management Act of 1955, as amended

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.1) “Research

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§8.10) “Natural and Cultural Studies, Research, and

Collection Activities”

• Director’s Order 24: NPS Museum Collections Management

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• NPS Museum Handbook, parts I, II, and III
Valley Forge National Historical Park

25

Fundamental 

Resource or Value The Valley Forge Story and Myth 

Related Significance 

Statements

• The legendary six-month 1777–78 winter encampment of the Continental Army took 

place at Valley Forge. Here, under General George Washington’s leadership, the army

was transformed into a cohesive and disciplined fighting force that went on to win 

the Revolutionary War and secure independence for America. The historic landscapes,

structures, objects, archeology, and natural resources at Valley Forge are tangible links to a 

defining event in our nation’s history

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The story of the encampment is one of the most famous episodes of the American 

Revolution. Its significance lies both in its fact-based history of leadership and

transformation and in its storied myth of the coldest winter

• The mythical narrative is important because it reveals something about our national 

character in the heroic way we wish the revolution to be remembered. It is an inspiring

story of triumph through sacrifice. Although we value the myth, it could overshadow

elements of the story that would be more relevant to today’s visitors

• There are surprising stories about the diversity of the encampment’s participants

Participants included young white men as well as children, old men, recent immigrants 

who spoke little or no English, women, free and enslaved African Americans, American 

Indians, and the civilians who owned the lands and houses where the encampment 

took place. The range of motivations for staying or leaving, cooperating or not, was

vast. Although it is important not to lose sight of the fundamental triumph of the

encampment, it also is important to note that the outcome was not inevitable or easy and 

that the drama of the encampment was in the choices each individual had to make

Trends

• Visitors increasingly want to know how the history and stories of the encampment are 

relevant to their own lives

• Visitors who come to the park primarily for recreation indicate that, although they want 

to know more about the history of Valley Forge, traditional ranger programs are not 

relevant or convenient

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• An intellectual and emotional connection to this fundamental value is essential if visitors 

and the community are to continue to understand, appreciate, and advocate for park 

resources

Opportunities

• Tell encampment stories in engaging ways that reflect the full range of people, 

motivations, and choices

• Provide nontraditional interpretation to visitors who are in the park primarily for 

recreation

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Special history study on minority and enslaved populations present during the 

encampment

• Special history study on civilian populations present during the encampment

Planning Needs • Long-range interpretive plan (update)

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• None identified

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 7) “Interpretation and Education”

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education
Foundation Document

26

Fundamental 

Resource or Value A Tradition of Stewardship 

Related Significance 

Statements

• The history and mythology of Valley Forge evoke the spirit of patriotism and 

independence and represent the resolve and perseverance of the Continental Army. Valley

Forge truly is a citizen’s park—created by citizens to preserve a significant and meaningful 

place that had inspired the Continental Army a century earlier. The park’s inspirational

quality continues to move us a century later. Since the park’s founding, citizens have

come together many times to advocate for it and to protect its important resources from 

threats. The tradition of citizen stewardship continues toda

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Valley Forge National Historical Park embraces the belief that the park mission is 

maximized and the message amplified through the collaborative efforts of many park 

partners. The many visitor experiences and park initiatives are the result of work with

three formal partners and working relationships with other partners including local 

schools and universities, youth groups, cultural and natural resource agencies, public 

health and safety groups, and businesses. All find meaning in their service and provide

important contributions to the work of protecting the park and its mission

Trends

• A dedicated staff position for volunteer management was established in 2005 and 

recently expanded to include youth engagement. With few exceptions, the number of

individual volunteers and the number of hours served has increased each year, and Valley 

Forge National Historical Park is recognized for its outstanding volunteer program

• In FY 2015, 1,148 individuals volunteered at the park and provided 23,921 hours of 

service. By mid-year FY 2016, the park was on track to increase both number

• The park’s general management plan (2007) calls for a stewardship element to be added 

to each staff person’s performance plan. This has been accomplished for approximately

50% of staff from all divisions

• The park received the 2010 George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer 

Program in the National Park System in recognition of its commitment to fully integrating 

volunteerism and stewardship in the park

• The park is actively sought as a destination for Volunteers-in-Parks opportunities. An

average of 10–15 individual applications for service and 1–5 group inquiries (e.g.

corporate, faith, and civic) are received each month through www.volunteer.g

• A recent assessment of the Volunteers-in-Parks program enumerates more than 50 

distinct opportunities for service at Valley Forge. These opportunities are diverse and allow

for short- and long-term volunteers of all ages and group configurations. The assessment

also lists an additional 16 opportunities that could be developed to help fulfill the park’s 

stewardship goals
Valley Forge National Historical Park

27

Fundamental 

Resource or Value A Tradition of Stewardship 

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• The park has approximately 175 regularly scheduled volunteers, most of whom are over 

the age of 50. Outreach generally is not engaging younger or more diverse people, and

stewardship will falter if each new generation and the entire community are not actively 

recruited and engaged

• The State of Pennsylvania recently enacted more restrictive laws for volunteers who work 

with juveniles. Some national parks are requiring full background checks for existing

volunteers because of pressures stemming from liability with minors

Opportunities

• The recent (2015) assessment of the park’s volunteer program established new goals 

and areas for growth, including continuing to task more staff with roles in fostering 

stewardship, creating a program to encourage volunteers in leadership and skill 

development, and focusing outreach on nontraditional communities

• A supervisory park ranger position has been established in the park’s Interpretation and 

Education division. This person works closely with the Volunteer and Youth Program

Coordinator and has increased the park’s capacity to conduct educational programs both 

on- and off-site

• In 2015, one of the park’s three primary partners, The Valley Forge Park Alliance, hired an 

executive director whose role is enhanced outreach and fundraising. This added capacity

has enabled connections with community organizations and businesses that are providing 

valuable counsel, manpower, and potential funding

• The park’s volunteer program could benefit from the excellent volunteer management 

expertise and dynamic volunteer programs in the greater Philadelphia region

• Consider how local transportation planning initiatives such as the Southeastern 

Pennsylvania Transportation Authority King of Prussia Rail Project could present new 

opportunities and populations to engage. For example, this rail project anticipates an

increase of King of Prussia’s current residential population by 33%–47% in 20 years

• Collaborate with Urban Fellows to improve regional engagement of underserved youth 

and populations

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Evaluate effectiveness of existing cooperatively managed volunteers through The Valley 

Forge Park Alliance and The Montgomery County Tourism and Convention Bureau

Planning Needs • None identified

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• None identified

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education

• Director’s Order 7: Volunteers in Parks

• Director’s Order 26: Youth Programs
Foundation Document

28

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Valley Creek

Related Significance 

Statements

• As the world around Valley Forge is more densely developed, the park is increasingly 

significant as open space—a beautiful and valued place for relaxation, personal renewal, 

and pleasure and a natural area that supports a healthy ecosystem for animals and plants

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Valley Creek once powered the forge that gave Valley Forge its name. Today, Valley Creek

is a state-designated Exceptional Value Waterway and a Class A Wild Trout Fishery—

an astonishing story of survival in this heavily developed area. It is both an essential

component of the historic landscape and a regionally important habitat

• The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania lists Valley Creek as “impaired” because of urban 

runoff for siltation and water flow variability and the presence of polychlorinated 

biphenyls (PCBs). Fishing is limited to catch and release because of the PCB

contamination

• Uncontrolled rate and volume changes because of upstream development also negatively 

affect the Valley Creek’s temperature, bed, and banks

• The park’s Natural Resource Condition Assessment (2014) rates the stream’s overall water 

chemistry as “Good” based on a synthesis of water chemistry measurements: dissolved 

oxygen, pH, temperature, alkalinity, specific conductivity, phosphorous, nitrate/nitrite, 

sulfate, ammonia, and chloride

• Monitoring of macroinvertebrate communities by numerous agencies provides another 

indicator of stream water quality, and, based on a 2014 summary of measurements and 

indices of integrity, the stream is in moderate condition

• In 2002, an average aggregate score for stream habitat of 124.8 indicated the stream was

in moderate condition

Trends

• Generally, the condition of Valley Creek is considered stable and unchanging

• Water chemistry parameters are declining because of upstream development

• Citizens’ awareness of water quality and the protection of Valley Creek is generally 

increasing

• Valley Creek is an increasingly popular fishing location

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• The biggest threats to the stream’s integrity are the addition of impervious surface area 

within the watershed and uncontrolled stormwater

• Inadequate management of stormwater generated from impervious surfaces upstream of 

the park and associated pollutants

• More frequent, more intense storms producing a higher rate and volume of stormwater

• Presence of invasive species such as rusty crayfish and other possible invaders from the 

Schuylkill River

• Proposed expansion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, if not designed to meet state law and 

best management practices, adding unacceptable pollutants and higher rate and volume 

of stormwater to Valley Creek

• Inadequate permeable areas upstream to recharge groundwater

• Increased runoff and lack of forested buffers are causing an increase in stream 

temperature that threatens cold-water-adapted species

• Sewer and water lines adjacent to or across the creek causing streambank erosion, 

streambed degradation, and destruction of riparian areas when the lines are repaired 

or replaced
Valley Forge National Historical Park

29

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Valley Creek

Threats and 

Opportunities

Opportunities

• The condition of Valley Creek is highly dependent on upstream activities beyond the 

park boundary, and partnerships are essential in managing stream quality. The park

will continue to work with interest groups, upstream municipalities, and Pennsylvania 

Department of Environmental Protection to ensure application and enforcement of 

protective measures

• Maintain funding for U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge and sediment curve da

• Target key upstream areas for increased or improved buffers

• Increase public interpretation of the value of and threats to Valley Creek

• Promote volunteer work dedicated to stream protection, including establishment and 

maintenance of vegetated buffers in and upstream of park; regular inspection of the 

length of Valley Creek; and hand removal of exotic invasive crayfish

• Encourage fishermen to serve as advocates for Valley Creek as a rare fishing opportunity

• Educate upstream land managers (e.g., homeowner associations, corporate parks) an

municipalities on best management practices

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Continue temperature collection throughout watershed using HOBO data loggers, analyze 

data, and evaluate study design

• Continue regular Mid-Atlantic Network sonde data collection and analysis and analyze 

current sonde data to capture summer lows

• Comprehensive macroinvertebrate data collection and analysis strategy

• Comprehensive water quality monitoring strategy

• Identify major upstream stormwater input locations for targeted best management 

practices

• Investigation of effects of potential removal of dam on Valley Creek

Planning Needs • Washington’s Headquarters floodplain rehabilitation plan (underway 2017)

• Mitigation plan for potential dam removal on Valley Creek

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Clean Water Act of 1972

• Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974, as amended

• Lacey Act, as amended

• Migratory Bird Treaty Act

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

• National Invasive Species Act

• Executive Order 11990, “Protection of Wetlands”

• Executive Order 13112, “Invasive Species”

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources”

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§1.6) “Cooperative Conservation Beyond Park

Boundaries”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.1) “General Management Concepts

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.1.4) “Partnership

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.4.1) “General Principles for Managing Biologica

Resources”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.7.2) “Weather and Climat

• Director’s Order 77: Natural Resource Protection

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77
Foundation Document

30

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Meadows 

Related Significance 

Statements

• As the world around Valley Forge is more densely developed, the park is increasingly 

significant as open space—a beautiful and valued place for relaxation, personal renewal, 

and pleasure and a natural area that supports a healthy ecosystem for animals and plants

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The park’s 1,300 acres of meadow, the largest contiguous grasslands in the region, 

provide increasingly rare and essential habitat for native species. The rough and open

nature of the meadows mimics the agricultural landscape that was the scene of the 

encampment

• Beginning in 1995, the meadows were established by the cessation of regular, close 

mowing. Areas formerly maintained as lawn now are mowed approximately once a yea

Numerous native vegetative species have established themselves and are promoted

• Patch size is relatively large and can support more diversity and grass as well as interior 

species that are rare in this region

Trends

• The meadows are increasingly dominated by nonnative species and are considered to 

have poor native plant diversity

• Methods to improve native diversity and various management techniques are being tested 

to inform development of a meadow management plan (underway)

• Grassland breeding bird diversity is considered to be relatively good, but a trend has not 

been discerned. Rare meadow species are documented more frequently (e.g., short-ear

owl, rough legged hawk, horned larks)

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• The proportion of exotic invasive species has increased, and invasive species continue to 

degrade habitat, particularly for ground-nesting birds

• The occasional failure to annually mow an area results in increases in invasive species, the 

mitigation of which requires major management efforts

Opportunities

• Completed meadow management plan, which will establish goals and measures for 

species diversity and provide guidance for sustainable management of the meadows

• Develop partnerships with land management agencies for seed collection and storage 

(such as currently underway with Fort Indiantown Gap). This reserve seed bank could be

important for preserving local genetic ecotypes

• Reintroduce extirpated, critically imperiled species (regal fritillary butterfly)

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Long-term monitoring of butterflies and other pollinators as indicators of meadow 

conditions

• Long-term monitoring of meadows to evaluate efficacy of the meadow 

management plan.

• Invasive plant mapping update; most recent data more than 10 years old
Valley Forge National Historical Park

31

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Meadows 

Planning Needs • Meadow management plan / Grand Parade trail plan (underway as of 2017)

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Clean Air Act of 1977 

• Clean Water Act of 1972

• Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

• Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended

• Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974

• Lacey Act, as amended

• Migratory Bird Treaty Act

• National Invasive Species Act

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

• Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009

• Executive Order 13112, “Invasive Species”

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources”

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.1) “General Management Concepts

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.4.1) “General Principles for Managing Biologica

Resources”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.7.2) “Weather and Climat

• Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management

• NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77
Foundation Document

32

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Personal Renewal 

Related Significance 

Statement

• As the world around Valley Forge is more densely developed, the park is increasingly 

significant as open space—a beautiful and valued place for relaxation, personal renewal, 

and pleasure and a natural area that supports a healthy ecosystem for animals and plants

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Since its founding in 1893, Valley Forge has been valued as a place of rest and relaxation, 

a quiet place to feel a connection with nature. Many visitors experience the park as a

place of inspiration, refuge, commemoration, and pleasure. Public involvement over the

last two decades consistently shows that these are the characteristics most valued by park 

visitors from the region

• Large open areas with long views, wooded areas that provide a sense of enclosure, and 

the opportunity to view wildlife are classic values enjoyed by visitors

• Barriers to accessibility are present for older trails and facilities

Trends

• Highest visitation is from recreational visitors and is increasing

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• The park is surrounded by urban development and major highways, and the contrast 

felt when entering the park is important. Noise penetrates most areas, however, and

development and poorly controlled lighting are increasingly visible

• State roads crossing the park bring high volumes of traffic and noise that are inconsistent 

with park values

Opportunities

• Continue to work with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to complete the Route 

422 congestion mitigation projects

• Work with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on traffic calming on Route 23; 

relocation of North Gulph Road to the edge of the park; and closure of County Line Road

• Continue to work with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to extend a 

passenger train to the park, thus reducing the need for visitors to drive to the park

• Continue to work with the five adjacent municipalities to manage visual effects of 

development

• Incorporate universal design during rehabilitation of facilities

Data and/or GIS Needs • Detailed visitor use survey and analysis

Planning Needs • Complete North Gulph Road relocation plan and County Line Road closure plan

• Self-evaluation and transition plan for accessibility

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968

• “Audio disturbances” (36 CFR 2.12

• “Accessibility Guidelines” (36 CFR 1191.1

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.9) “Soundscape Management

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.3.1.7) “Cultural Soundscape Manageme

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 8) “Use of the Parks”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§8.2.3) “Use of Motorized Equipmen

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 9) “Park Facilities”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 10) “Commercial Visitor Services”

• Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service 

Programs and Services

• Director’s Order 47: Soundscape Preservation and Noise Management
Valley Forge National Historical Park

33

Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 

Other Important 

Resource or Value Pre- and Post-Encampment Archeological Resources 

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The archeological heritage of Valley Forge National Historical Park is vast and significant

The park’s archeological resources document every major period of its occupation and 

are essential to a full appreciation and interpretation of the park’s rich history. Park

archeological sites span 8,500 years of human history, the largest number of archeology 

items dating from the 18th and early 20th centuries (approximately 175,000 items). There

are 341 archeological sites listed in the Archeological Sites Management and Information 

System (ASMIS), of which 17 have been determined eligible for inclusion in the National 

Register of Historic Places

• All known sites are in the park GIS databases. Ninety-six percent of sites are in good

condition

Trends

• None identified

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Only approximately 50% of the park has been intensively researched through an 

archeological overview and assessment

• The recently acquired Waggonseller Farm and Pawling Farm properties have not been 

assessed for archeological resources

• Archeological resources may be lost because of erosion from more intense and more 

frequent storms

• Archeological resources may be lost to treasure hunters

Opportunities

• Archeological overview and assessment for the eastern part of the park (scheduled for FY 

2018) will cover most of the remaining unsurveyed area of the park

• Education and interpretation for visitors about the effects of off-trail use

• Train park staff to recognize, understand, and preserve cultural resources

• Continue to work with partners and upstream jurisdictions on stormwater control

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Archeological overview and assessment of eastern part of park (scheduled for FY 2018)

• Archeological overview and assessment for the recently acquired Pawling and 

Waggonseller Farms (update to North Side overview and assessment)

• Identify and map specific sites of all charcoal hearths

• Convert GIS data to national Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems 

standards

• Update ASMIS including database updates, and reestablish inspection rotation

• Complete investigation of archeological resources at Woodford’s Brigade

• Reconcile parkwide GIS datasets (e.g., internal ASMIS, state, Park Atlas tiles, Places, et

Planning Needs • None identified
Foundation Document

34

Other Important 

Resource or Value Pre- and Post-Encampment Archeological Resources 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV

• American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978

• Antiquities Act of 1906

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• Executive Order 13007, “Indian Sacred Sites”

• “Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections” (36 CFR 79)

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology 

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation
Valley Forge National Historical Park

35

Other Important 

Resource or Value Library Collection and Archival Records 

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The park’s library collection is one of the largest in the National Park Service and contains 

more than 8,000 books and scholarly periodicals related to the American Revolutionary 

War, with an emphasis on the Valley Forge Encampment. Materials, including rare books,

cover the political, social, and industrial history of the area, and numerous NPS studies 

and reports describe the resources, administration, and history of the park. Archival

records produced in the day-to-day management of Valley Forge by the Centennial and 

Memorial Association of Valley Forge (1878–1893), the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

(1893–1977), and the National Park Service (1977–present) are invaluable in managing 

the park’s cultural and natural resources

• The library collection is little used by either the staff or the public

• The library collection is kept in a historic building without adequate fire suppression and 

environmental conditioning, and moisture leads to frequent outbreaks of mildew

• Part of the archival collection (oversized maps and blueprints) is stored in the basement 

level of the administration building. Security and environmental conditions are adequat

• Eighteenth-century documents and maps as well as management records are stored in a 

secure vault that has a fire suppression system

• The cataloged part of the archival collection that includes 19th and 20th century materials 

and management records is stored in a secure vault that has a fire suppression system

• Although the backlog of cataloging has been reduced by 25%, a backlog remains

Trends

• Recent funding has contributed to reduction of the archival backlog

• Acquisition of museum-quality cabinets and storage materials has improved 

preservation efforts

• Scanning of documents allows for greater access and reduces the direct handling that can 

lead to artifact loss

• The archive continues to grow as management records are created
Foundation Document

36

Other Important 

Resource or Value Library Collection and Archival Records 

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Institutional knowledge is lost as staff retire

• Lack of adequate environmental conditioning in storage area increases the possibility of 

artifact damage/loss

Opportunities

• Transition new and retiring staff to ensure institutional knowledge is retained

• Consider regional storage consolidation to help address deficiencies in storage conditions

• Continue digitization of records

• Continue electronic cataloging of library materials to allow remote access through 

interlibrary loans

• Outreach to universities and colleges to encourage academic study of the archives 

documents and use of the library

• Continue to expand awareness of online library catalog and interlibrary loan availability

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified

Planning Needs • Collections storage plan

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV

• Museum Properties Management Act of 1955, as amended

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.2) “Studies and Collections

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§5.1) “Research

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§8.10) “Natural and Cultural Studies, Research, and

Collection Activities”

• Director’s Order 24: NPS Museum Collections Management

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• NPS Museum Handbook, parts I, II, and III
Valley Forge National Historical Park

37

Other Important 

Resource or Value Post-Encampment Cultural Landscapes and Historic Structures 

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• The park is a palimpsest of post-encampment industrial, agricultural, and transportation 

cultural landscapes. Former country estates comprise historic designed and vernacular

landscapes

• The Village of Valley Forge cultural landscape comprises the late 19th-century elements of 

this former rural industrial town. Extensive demolition in the early 20th century resulted

in gap-teeth in the central part of the village. Most small-scale elements, such as walls,

remain but need rehabilitation

• The Valley Forge Farms cultural landscape comprises the early 20th-century country estate 

of Philander Chase Knox. Most features are extant and are gradually being rehabilitated

or restored

• The Port Kennedy cultural landscape comprises the scattered 19th-century remnants of a 

former canal and quarrying town. Most of the structures were demolished by the middle

of the 20th century, and those that remain are unoccupied and in poor condition. Modern

roadways limit its legibility as a component landscape, and there likely is not enough 

integrity remaining for this landscape to be national register-eligible

• The Walnut Hill cultural landscape comprises a 19th-century farm. Most of the structures

and landscape elements are deteriorated, although the landscape still is legible as a 

component

• Barriers to accessibility are present within all cultural landscapes and most historic 

structures

Trends

• Evaluation of the condition of post-encampment structures continues, and options to 

stabilize, repurpose, or demolish these structures are being actively pursued

• Leasing of post-encampment-era structures improves the park’s ability to maintain and 

preserve these resources

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Lack of maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation funding threatens the survival of these 

structures

• Unoccupied buildings are threatened by break-ins and unseen issues such as leaking 

roofs, mold, and deterioration of walls and woodwork

• Vandalism, including arson, threatens structures

Opportunities

• As structures are rehabilitated, accessibility measures are incorporated, either through 

architectural means or through media

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified

Planning Needs

• Cultural landscape treatment plan for Walnut Hill and Pawling Farms

• Cultural landscape inventory and treatment plan for Waggonseller Farm

• Self-evaluation and transition plan for accessibility
Foundation Document

38

Other Important 

Resource or Value Post-Encampment Cultural Landscapes and Historic Structures 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV

• Antiquities Act of 1906

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974

• Historic Sites Act of 1935

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment”

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800)

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 5) “Cultural Resource Management”

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with 

Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
Valley Forge National Historical Park

39

Other Important 

Resource or Value Suite of Interrelated Biological Resources 

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Forests, grasslands, and wetlands cover about two-thirds of Valley Forge, comprise the 

park’s major terrestrial ecosystems, and provide foraging opportunities, breeding habitat, 

and shelter for a wide variety of native wildlife species

• Wetlands at Valley Forge support the greatest diversity of reptile and amphibian species in 

the park and provide a critical stopover for migratory species

• The poor condition of the forest is a result of many years of an overabundant deer 

population, a problem that is now being addressed

• These interrelated habitats are increasingly recognized as an essential part of the park’s 

visitor experience

Trends

• Overall, conditions for wildlife habitat are improving as management goals continue to 

focus on biodiversity and ecosystem integrity

• Management plans focused on managing land for habitat either are complete or are 

being developed

• Regular documentation of newly seen native species indicates both improving habitat 

conditions and improving wildlife monitoring systems

• Forest condition, though still poor, is improving since implementation of the deer 

management plan / environmental impact statement

• Implementation of the meadow management plan (in development) will help meet the 

park’s biodiversity objectives and reflects the significance of the park’s grasslands and 

meadows on regional ecological health

• Mapping of invasive plants in park forests is underway

• Coyotes will likely become a management concern in the future, and understanding 

population dynamics will be critical to making an informed decision about management

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• Invasive species and other pests and pathogens are a constant threat to native diversity

• Projected increases in temperature and precipitation as well as projected increases in 

frequency and intensity of storm events threaten parkwide natural systems

• Compromised regional air quality threatens the health of park ecosystems and visitors

Pollutants such as ozone, mercury, sulfur, and nitrogen can injure sensitive species, alter 

soil and water chemistry, reduce forest regeneration, impede natural nutrient cycling, and 

affect human health

• Valley Forge is home to a number of regionally rare wildlife that are attractive to poachers 

because of their value on the black market

• Subsidized, unregulated mesopredators (raccoons, skunks, and fox) often become 

habituated to humans and survive on humans’ trash. Because these predators no longer

need to actively hunt for food, they have ‘time’ to kill far more small mammals, birds, 

reptiles, and amphibians than needed for their survival. Thus, if unchecked by larger

predators, they can have a major effect on small vertebrate populations

• Park neighbors are expanding their properties into the park by mowing larger lawns, 

mowing paths through fields, and building fences and walls and even small sheds and 

structures on park property

• Off-trail use is an ongoing problem, and a network of unauthorized ‘social’ trails weaves 

through park forests and, in some cases, directly through sensitive habitats such as 

wetlands

Opportunities

• Citizen science programs to monitor wildlife and provide early detection of new 

nonnative species

• Educational programs to engage recreational users in natural resource interpretation, 

protection, and conservation
Foundation Document

40

Other Important 

Resource or Value Suite of Interrelated Biological Resources 

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Map invasive plants in park forests (ongoing)

• Map invasive plants in meadows (update; data more than 10 years old)

• Map priority species and significant resource areas to inform future 

management planning

• Updated deer sighting index and monitoring protocol

• Coyote population survey

• Vegetation map including rare, threatened, and endangered species (update; current map 

more than 10 years old)

• Cave and karst inventory including associated species

• Develop long-term wetland monitoring program

• Climate change vulnerability assessment (scheduled for 2019)

Planning Needs • Cave and karst management plan

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV

• Clean Air Act of 1977

• Clean Water Act of 1972

• Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

• Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended

• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) of 1947

• Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974, as amended

• Lacey Act, as amended

• Migratory Bird Treaty Act

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

• National Invasive Species Act

• Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009

• Executive Order 13112, “Invasive Species”

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources”

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§1.4) “Cooperative Conservation Beyond Park

Boundaries”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.1) “General Management Concepts

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.4.1) “General Principles for Managing Biologica

Resources”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (§4.7.2) “Weather and Climat

• Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management

• NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77
Valley Forge National Historical Park

41

Other Important 

Resource or Value Recreational Activities 

Current Conditions

and Trends

Conditions

• Recreation is a prominent and historic use of the park. Regional residents have come to

Valley Forge for more than 150 years to enjoy an outing in a beautiful and historic place

Walking, fishing, riding horses, baseball, boating, and picnicking were early uses. Today,

recreation also includes hiking and biking on 26 miles of official trails, sledding, corporate 

picnics, photography, and wildlife watching. Many residents use the park on a daily basis

for dog walking, jogging, as a preferred commuting route, or just as a quiet spot to 

eat lunch while on break from a nearby office park. The park is the “back yard” for the

community and, as such, contributes to health and wellness

• The park works with neighboring municipalities to increase trail connections so that more 

people can arrive on foot or by bike. The regional Schuylkill River Trail runs through the

park; connections are almost completed to the regional Schuylkill River West Trail and the 

Chester Valley Trails; and planning for additional local links is proceeding

• Although this relatively passive recreation is consistent with the purposes for which the 

park was established, there is consistent pressure to expand recreational uses, particularly 

large events that are not related to the park’s resources or significance

• Numerous social trails, particularly on the park’s north side, damage cultural and natural 

resources. Expanded public engagement and enforcement is needed to manage these

trails, including appropriate signage, authorized trails and obliteration of social trails that 

damage resources

Trends

• There is increasing pressure to allow large, organized recreational activities that 

are not related to the purpose for which the park was established and that would 

pose unacceptable resource and visitor impacts and unsustainable requirements for 

staff support

• Grand Parade Trail plan scheduled to be completed 2018 will develop trail access to 

significant and newly restored cultural landscapes associated with the encampment

Threats and 

Opportunities

Threats

• None identified

Opportunities

• Education and outreach to recreational users to engage them as park advocates

• Continue to work with the manager and staff of an REI store that opened on the 

boundary of the park in 2016 to plan joint volunteer projects

• Work with major medical centers near the park to promote the health benefits of outdoor 

recreation and connections with nature

• Organization of various mown trail segments into a full Grand Parade Trail will provide 

new experiences and interpretation of cultural and natural resource themes
Foundation Document

42

Other Important 

Resource or Value Recreational Activities 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Detailed survey on recreational use

Planning Needs • Meadow management plan / Grand Parade trail plan

• Management plan for the park’s North Side

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968

• NPS Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• “Accessibility Guidelines” (36 CFR 1191.1

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders)

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 7) “Interpretation and Education”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 8) “Use of the Parks”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 9) “Park Facilities”

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (chapter 10) “Commercial Visitor Services”

• Director’s Order 6: Interpretation and Education

• Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service 

Programs and Services

• NPS Transportation Planning Guidebook
43

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs

This section considers key issues to be addressed in planning and management and therefore 

takes a broader view over the primary focus of part 1. A key issue focuses on a question that is 

important for a park. Key issues often raise questions regarding park purpose and significance 

and fundamental and other important resources and values. For example, a key issue may 

pertain to the potential for a fundamental or other important resource or value in a park to be 

detrimentally affected by discretionary management decisions. A key issue may also address 

crucial questions that are not directly related to purpose and significance, but that still affect 

them indirectly. Usually, a key issue is one that a future planning effort or data collection needs 

to address and requires a decision by NPS managers.

The following are key issues for Valley Forge National Historical Park and the associated 

planning and data needs to address them:

· Continuing the Tradition of Stewardship for a Treasured Place. The park was 

founded by citizen stewards, and at key times throughout the park’s history citizens 

have come forward to advocate for it. Fostering and enhancing the tradition of citizen 

stewardship, partnership, and volunteerism is a park priority and takes ample time from 

an agile and experienced staff.

- Associated planning and data needs: Evaluate effectiveness of existing cooperatively 

managed volunteers through The Valley Forge Park Alliance and The Montgomery 

County Tourism and Convention Bureau

· Ensuring Relevance/Engaging Communities. The story of Valley Forge speaks to 

all Americans but not necessarily in ways and words that all understand. The challenge 

is to meet all visitors “where they are” in ways that are meaningful to them. The park 

also benefits from the interest of the densely populated surrounding communities and 

park staff need to ensure that there is a continual conversation about the park’s history, 

resources, and issues.

- Associated planning and data needs: Detailed visitor use survey and analysis, longrange interpretive plan (update)
Foundation Document

44

· Improving the Condition of Natural and Cultural Resources. The park’s setting 

in a densely developed, edge-city places significant pressure on natural and cultural 

resources. Partnerships and continuous outreach help address many of these issues.

- Associated planning and data needs: Deer sighting index and monitoring 

protocol (update)

· Caring for Aging Facilities. There is “nothing new” in the park, and many of the 

park’s old buildings, roads, trails, and aging utilities need attention. Better prioritization, 

hard looks at uses, and taking advantage of new authority to lease buildings offer 

potential to meet park needs, at least at a minimal level.

- Associated planning and data needs: Marketing / leasing assessment and plan for 

park structures, self-evaluation and transition plan for accessibility

· Supporting Organizational Capacity. In a time of accelerated change, the park’s 

shrinking financial resources must be used where the needs are greatest. Staff need 

training, support, and skills to operate in a complex environment.

- Associated planning and data needs: None identified

· A Management Approach and Identity for the Park’s North Side. The land north 

of the Schuylkill River makes up 25% of the park; however, although it was a vital part 

of the encampment, it never received the commemorative landscape treatment that 

characterizes the south side. Few visitors other than local residents use this part of 

the park, and it is not generally recognized as part of the national park. What are the 

appropriate uses of this land and its resources, and what might a 21st-century park 

look like?

- Associated planning and data needs: Management plan for the park’s North Side, 

cultural landscape treatment plan for Walnut Hill and Pawling Farms

· Protecting Key Resources from Poorly Controlled Stormwater. Most park surface 

waters originate well beyond park boundaries. Valley Creek, a high-quality spring-fed 

stream, is fed by a 23-square-mile watershed, and the park lies at the bottom of this 

watershed. As the watershed upstream is increasingly developed and as climate change 

brings more frequent, more intense storms, the increased rate, volume, and water 

pollution degrade natural and cultural resources in the park. 

- Associated planning and data needs: Climate change vulnerability assessment, 

comprehensive water quality monitoring strategy, identify major upstream 

stormwater input locations for targeted best management practices
45

Valley Forge National Historical Park

· Impact of Nonnative, Invasive Species. Nonnative invasive species represent the 

single biggest threat to natural resources and associated biodiversity in the park. 

Without active suppression efforts, these species would overrun park resources and 

dramatically reduce native biodiversity. Park staff, partners, and visitors are all actively 

involved in efforts to manage invasive species in ways that are practical and effective and 

that ensure the greatest possible survivorship of native wildlife. 

- Associated planning and data needs: Meadow management plan / Grand Parade trail 

plan, long-term monitoring of meadows, map invasive plants in meadows

· Controlling Traffic Congestion. Valley Forge was a strategic location for General 

Washington, and it remains a strategic location for transportation, commerce, 

and industry. The park is located in one of the most heavily trafficked regions in 

Pennsylvania, and most of the historic roads in the park are open to through-traffic 

and carry thousands of commuters each day. The choked condition of the roads 

surrounding the park makes park roads attractive as alternative routes. These “walls 

of traffic” effectively cut off certain areas of the park from the core and conflict with 

bicyclists and slow-driving visitors who want to see the park.

- Associated planning and data needs: Complete North Gulph Road relocation plan 

and County Line Road closure plan, detailed survey on recreational use

· Potential Impacts of Climate Change. Most of Valley Forge’s fundamental resources 

and values are subject to the threats posed by climate change. As the park’s mean 

annual temperature continues to rise by as much as +0.7°F per decade, as the number 

of days with maximum temperatures exceeding 95°F increases by 12–15 days per year, 

and as the annual number of days with heavy rainfall (>1 inch) increases by as much 

as 15% and the number of days between rain events increases, the resiliency of the 

park’s resources and the ability to continue to convey the park’s fundamental values 

will be challenged. A parkwide climate change vulnerability assessment would establish 

the scope of these threats and identify specific resources (or groups of resources) that 

require the development of feasible and actionable responses to improve their ability 

to adapt to climate change. Climate change considerations will be incorporated into 

all planning efforts throughout the park, and the park will continue to implement its 

Climate Friendly Action Plan. 

- Associated planning and data needs: Climate change vulnerability assessment

Planning and Data Needs

To maintain connection to the core elements of the foundation and the importance of these 

core foundation elements, the planning and data needs listed here are directly related to 

protecting fundamental resources and values, park significance, and park purpose, as well 

as addressing key issues. To successfully undertake a planning effort, information from 

sources such as inventories, studies, research activities, and analyses may be required to 

provide adequate knowledge of park resources and visitor information. Such information 

sources have been identified as data needs. Geospatial mapping tasks and products are 

included in data needs.

Items considered of the utmost importance were identified as high priority, and other items 

identified, but not rising to the level of high priority, were listed as either medium- or lowpriority needs. These priorities inform park management efforts to secure funding and support 

for planning projects.
Foundation Document

46

Related 

to an FRV, 

OIRV, or 

Key Issue?

Planning Needs Priority 

(H, M, L) Notes

FRV, Key 

Issue

Marketing / leasing assessment and 

plan for park structures

H Leasing of the park’s many unoccupied structures is 

considered a primary means to invest in their future

FRV Engineering report and treatment 

plan for National Memorial Arch

H This major monument shows signs of deterioration

FRV Engineering report and treatment 

plan for Pennsylvania Columns

H This major monument shows signs of deterioration

FRV, Key 

Issue

Long-range interpretive plan 

(update)

H This updated plan would incorporate new 

scholarship, new stories and themes, and new 

methods of interpretation

FRV Washington’s Headquarters 

floodplain rehabilitation plan

H This study and plan would investigate the potential 

for returning some degree of floodplain capacity to 

an area that was filled with demolition debris

FRV, OIRV, 

Key Issue

Self-evaluation and transition plan 

for accessibility

H This plan would evaluate facilities, services, activities, 

and programs to identify barriers to full accessibility 

and set priorities, timelines, and strategies for 

implementation of accessibility measures

FRV Collections management plan 

(update)

H This plan would replace the existing plan, which 

was predicated on a shared partner facility and is no 

longer viable

FRV, OIRV Meadow management plan / Grand 

Parade trail plan 

H The plan would set management objectives and 

detail options for achieving them, as well as provide 

for public access. Programmed to be completed in

2017

Key Issue Complete North Gulph Road 

relocation plan and County Line 

Road closure plan

H Plan will identify and evaluate alternatives for rerouting existing commuter traffic off park roads

FRV Historic Structure Report for HorseShoe Trail SouthH N/A

OIRV, Key 

Issue

Cultural landscape treatment plan 

for Walnut Hill and Pawling Farms

M This recently acquired area of the park needs careful 

analysis, decisions, and guidance for its management

OIRV Collections storage plan M The plan would provide strategy for secure and 

environmentally stable storage of all elements of the 

collection

OIRV, Key 

Issue

Management plan for the park’s 

North Side

M This integrated plan would address management 

of cultural and natural resources, visitor use, and 

sustainability for 25% of the park

FRV Mitigation plan for potential dam 

removal on Valley Creek

L N/A

OIRV Cultural landscape inventory and 

treatment plan for Waggonseller 

Farm

L This recently acquired area of the park needs careful 

analysis, decisions, and guidance for its management

OIRV Cave and karst management plan L N/A

Planning Needs – Where A Decision-Making Process Is Needed
Valley Forge National Historical Park

47

Related 

to an FRV, 

OIRV, or 

Key Issue?

Data and GIS Needs Priority 

(H, M, L) Notes

FRV Historic structure report for Potts 

Barn

H This report would clarify treatment and potential reuse 

for this encampment-era structure

FRV, OIRV List of Classified Structures (update) H This database of historic structures needs to be revised 

following acceptance of the update to the park’s National 

Register of Historic Places nomination in late 2016

FRV, OIRV Archeological overview and 

assessment of eastern part of park

H This overview and assessment of the major remaining 

part of the park not covered by basic archeological 

research Is scheduled to begin in 2017

FRV, OIRV Convert GIS data to national 

Cultural Resources Geographic 

Information Systems standards

H The two most basic aspects of GIS data are location 

and attributes/metadata. The accuracy of these aspects

of the data is fundamental to the data having scientific 

value and general usability. CRGIS standardization

would give the data the value and meaning necessary 

for all who might use it

FRV, OIRV Update ASMIS including database 

updates, and reestablish inspection 

rotation

H ASMIS data are products of the initial stage of research 

prior to all ground-disturbing projects undertaken at 

the park. It is essential that these data are up-to-date

and accurate

FRV Long-term monitoring of butterflies 

and other pollinators

H Butterfly populations are an important indicator species 

in monitoring meadow health

OIRV Vegetation map including rare, 

threatened, and endangered species 

(update)

H Current version is more than 10 years old

OIRV Coyote population survey H Baseline data are needed to manage populations

FRV Continue regular Mid-Atlantic 

Network sonde data collection and 

analysis and analyze current sonde 

data to capture summer lows

H Monitoring data needed to understand changes in 

water quality in Valley Creek

FRV Continue temperature collection 

throughout watershed using HOBO 

data loggers, analyze data, and 

evaluate study design

H Monitoring data needed to understand changes in 

temperature throughout the watershed

FRV Comprehensive macroinvertebrate 

data collection and analysis strategy

H Data needed to monitor the health of Valley Creek

FRV, Key 

Issue

Comprehensive water quality 

monitoring strategy

H Strategy needed to provide comprehensive 

understanding of the Valley Creek watershed

FRV, OIRV Archeological overview and 

assessment for the recently acquired 

Pawling and Waggonseller Farms

M Survey will provide baseline information for the 

management of archeological resources and 

complement existing parkwide overview

OIRV Identification and mapping of all 

charcoal hearths

M These archeological features are associated with 

the charcoal making that fed the Valley Forge. Their

locations are mostly unknown and unprotected

FRV, Key 

Issue

Detailed visitor use survey and 

analysis

M A science-based survey and analysis are fundamental to 

future planning

OIRV, Key 

Issue

Deer sighting index and monitoring 

protocol (update)

M Needed to evaluate effectiveness of the deer 

management program

Data Needs – Where Information Is Needed Before Decisions Can Be Made
Foundation Document

48

Related 

to an FRV, 

OIRV, or 

Key Issue?

Data and GIS Needs Priority 

(H, M, L) Notes

FRV, OIRV Reconcile parkwide GIS datasets M The spatial components of resource datasets were 

developed separately and do not align with the 

parkwide GIS

FRV, OIRV Complete investigation of 

archeological resources at 

Woodford’s Brigade

M Documentary research and initial fieldwork were 

completed in FY 2015. Final fieldwork and completion

of the report are yet to be done

FRV, Key 

Issue

Long-term monitoring of meadows M Meadow monitoring will be critical to adaptive 

management of park meadows following adoption of 

the meadow management plan

OIRV, Key 

Issue

Climate change vulnerability 

assessment

M Study will establish the scope of climate threats and 

identify specific resources (or groups of resources) that 

require the development of feasible and actionable 

responses to improve their ability to adapt to climate 

change

FRV Special history study on minority 

and enslaved populations present 

during the encampment

M This study would inform development of interpretive 

materials addressing minority and enslaved populations 

at the encampment

FRV Special history study on civilian 

population present during the 

encampment

M This study would inform development of interpretive 

materials addressing the civilian population at the 

encampment

FRV, OIRV Map invasive plants in meadows 

(update)

M This data would inform management of invasive 

species

OIRV, Key 

Issue

Map invasive plants in park forests 

(ongoing)

M Data will quantify the types and extent of invasive 

plants in the forested sections of the park

OIRV Detailed survey on recreational use M Data will quantify the types and extent of recreational 

activities in the park

FRV, Key 

Issue

Identify major upstream stormwater 

input locations for targeted best 

management practices

M Survey will identify loci of significant upstream 

stormwater inputs into Valley Creek

OIRV Cave and karst inventory L A basic understanding of cave and karst resources 

and associated fauna is needed to properly manage 

geological resources. This information would inform a

cave and karst management plan

OIRV Develop long-term wetland 

monitoring program

L These data would help identify impacts from stressors

FRV Investigation of effects of potential 

removal of dam on Valley Creek

L Removal of this dam would allow removal of a large 

amount of silt that impairs the floodplain; however, it 

could enable exotic invasive species to infest Valley Creek

FRV, Key 

Issue

Evaluate effectiveness of existing 

cooperatively managed volunteers 

through The Valley Forge Park Alliance and The Montgomery County 

Tourism and Convention Bureau

L Study will identify current use of volunteer program 

and align their activities with management goals

OIRV Map priority species and significant 

resource areas to inform future 

management planning

L Data needed to manage priority species

Data Needs – Where Information Is Needed Before Decisions Can Be Made
49

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Part 3: Contributors

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Deirdre Gibson, Chief of Planning and Resource Management

Kate Hammond, Superintendent (former)

Steven Sims, Superintendent

Khiet Luong, Volunteer and Youth Engagement Coordinator

Patrick Madden, Business Manager

Dona McDermott, Archivist

Jennifer McMenamin, Facility Manager

Amy Ruhe, Natural Resource Manager

Kate Jensen, Ecologist

Rhonda Shier, Chief of Interpretation and Education (former)

Paul Stephens, Historical Architect

John Turck, Archeologist

Michael Valora, Chief of Visitor and Resource Protection

NPS Northeast Region

Allen Cooper, Program Lead, Park Planning and Special Studies

Other NPS Staff

Mindy Burke, Contract Editor, Denver Service Center – Planning Division

Pam Holtman, Quality Assurance Coordinator, WASO Park Planning and Special Studies

Nancy Shock, Foundation Coordinator, Denver Service Center – Planning Division

Judith Stoeser, Contract Editor (former), Denver Service Center – Planning Division

John Paul Jones, Visual Information Specialist, Denver Service Center – Planning Division

Partners

Anne Kelley, The Encampment Store

Daria Fink, The Encampment Store

Kirsten Tallman, The Valley Force Tourism and Convention Bureau

Don Naimoli, President, The Valley Forge Park Alliance (former)

Photo Credits

A special thank-you to the photographers who have generously provided permission for 

use of their work of Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Pages: 3, 13 © Bill Moses. Used by permission.

Pages: 6 (top left, top right, bottom right), 15, 18 (bottom right), 21, 23, 31 © MJ Ticcino. 

Used by permission.

Page: 30 © Kayann Cassidy. Used by permission.

Page: 38 © Michelle Alton. Used by permission.
Foundation Document

50

Appendixes

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Legislative Acts for 

Valley Forge National Historical Park
51

Valley Forge National Historical Park
Foundation Document

52

113 STAT. 1298 PUBLIC LAW 106–86—OCT. 31, 1999

Public Law 106–86

106th Congress

An Act

To authorize appropriations for the protection of Paoli and Brandywine Battlefields

in Pennsylvania, to authorize the Valley Forge Museum of the American Revolution

at Valley Forge National Historical Park, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pennsylvania Battlefields Protection Act of 1999’’.

TITLE I—PAOLI AND BRANDYWINE

BATTLEFIELDS

SEC. 101. PAOLI BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION.

(a) PAOLI BATTLEFIELD.—The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) is authorized to provide funds

to the borough of Malvern, Pennsylvania, for the acquisition of

the area known as the ‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’, located in the borough

of Malvern, Pennsylvania, as generally depicted on the map entitled

‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’ numbered 80,000 and dated April 1999 (referred

to in this title as the ‘‘Paoli Battlefield’’). The map shall be on

file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices

of the National Park Service.

(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the

borough of Malvern, Pennsylvania, for the management by the

borough of the Paoli Battlefield. The Secretary may provide technical assistance to the borough of Malvern to assure the preservation and interpretation of the Paoli Battlefield’s resources.

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized

to be appropriated $1,250,000 to carry out this section. Such funds

shall be expended in the ratio of one dollar of Federal funds for

each dollar of funds contributed by non-Federal sources. Any funds

provided by the Secretary shall be subject to an agreement that

provides for the protection of the Paoli Battlefield’s resources.

SEC. 102. BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION.

(a) BRANDYWINE BATTLEFIELD.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to provide

funds to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or the Brandywine Conservancy,

for the acquisition, protection, and preservation of land in an

area generally known as the Meetinghouse Road Corridor,

16 USC 410aa

note.

Pennsylvania

Battlefields

Protection Act of

1999.

Oct. 31, 1999

[H.R. 659]

53

Valley Forge National Historical Park

PUBLIC LAW 106–86—OCT. 31, 1999 113 STAT. 1299

located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as depicted on a

map entitled ‘‘Brandywine Battlefield—Meetinghouse Road Corridor’’, numbered 80,000 and dated April 1999 (referred to

in this title as the ‘‘Brandywine Battlefield’’). The map shall

be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate

offices of the National Park Service.

(2) WILLING SELLERS OR DONORS.—Lands and interests in

land may be acquired pursuant to this section only with the

consent of the owner thereof.

(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the

same entity that is provided funds under subsection (a) for the

management by the entity of the Brandywine Battlefield. The Secretary may also provide technical assistance to the entity to assure

the preservation and interpretation of the Brandywine Battlefield’s

resources.

(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized

to be appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out this section. Such funds

shall be expended in the ratio of one dollar of Federal funds for

each dollar of funds contributed by non-Federal sources. Any funds

provided by the Secretary shall be subject to an agreement that

provides for the protection of the Brandywine Battlefield’s resources.

TITLE II—VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL

HISTORICAL PARK

SEC. 201. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this title is to authorize the Secretary of the

Interior to enter into an agreement with the Valley Forge Historical

Society (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Society’’), to construct and

operate a museum within the boundary of Valley Forge National

Historical Park in cooperation with the Secretary.

SEC. 202. VALLEY FORGE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

AUTHORIZATION.

(a) AGREEMENT AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of the Interior,

in administering the Valley Forge National Historical Park, is

authorized to enter into an agreement under appropriate terms

and conditions with the Society to facilitate the planning, construction, and operation of the Valley Forge Museum of the American

Revolution on Federal land within the boundary of Valley Forge

National Historical Park.

(b) CONTENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREEMENT.—An agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall—

(1) authorize the Society to develop and operate the

museum pursuant to plans developed by the Secretary and

to provide at the museum appropriate and necessary programs

and services to visitors to Valley Forge National Historical

Park related to the story of Valley Forge and the American

Revolution;

(2) only be carried out in a manner consistent with the

General Management Plan and other plans for the preservation

and interpretation of the resources and values of Valley Forge

National Historical Park;

(3) authorize the Secretary to undertake at the museum

activities related to the management of Valley Forge National

16 USC 410aa

note.

16 USC 410aa

note.

Foundation Document

54

113 STAT. 1300 PUBLIC LAW 106–86—OCT. 31, 1999

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 659:

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106–139 (Comm. on Resources).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 145 (1999):

June 22, considered and passed House.

Oct. 14, considered and passed Senate, amended.

Oct. 18, House concurred in Senate amendment.

Æ

Historical Park, including, but not limited to, provision of appropriate visitor information and interpretive facilities and programs related to Valley Forge National Historical Park;

(4) authorize the Society, acting as a private nonprofit

organization, to engage in activities appropriate for operation

of the museum that may include, but are not limited to,

charging appropriate fees, conducting events, and selling merchandise, tickets, and food to visitors to the museum;

(5) provide that the Society’s revenues from the museum’s

facilities and services shall be used to offset the expenses

of the museum’s operation; and

(6) authorize the Society to occupy the museum so constructed for the term specified in the Agreement and subject

to the following terms and conditions:

(A) The conveyance by the Society to the United States

of all right, title, and interest in the museum to be constructed at Valley Forge National Historical Park.

(B) The Society’s right to occupy and use the museum

shall be for the exhibition, preservation, and interpretation

of artifacts associated with the Valley Forge story and

the American Revolution, to enhance the visitor experience

of Valley Forge National Historical Park, and to conduct

appropriately related activities of the Society consistent

with its mission and with the purposes for which the Valley

Forge National Historical Park was established. Such right

shall not be transferred or conveyed without the express

consent of the Secretary.

(C) Any other terms and conditions the Secretary determines to be necessary.

SEC. 203. PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION.

Nothing in this title authorizes the Secretary or the Society

to take any actions in derogation of the preservation and protection

of the values and resources of Valley Forge National Historical

Park. An agreement entered into under section 202 shall be construed and implemented in light of the high public value and

integrity of the Valley Forge National Historical Park and the

National Park System.

Approved October 31, 1999.

16 USC 410aa

note.


Foundation Document • Valley Forge National Historical Park

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR