The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-08
Valley Forge.

Valley forge is manufacturing
place, and there is constant hum of
machinery from the paper, flour and
wooden mills. The neat little houses of
the factory hands are gay with flowers
and vines, while the handsome resi-
dence of the mill-owner tower CASTLE
like above them Past all these dwell
ings, at the end of the street, stands the
old-fashioned stone edifce hallowed by
Washington's presence.
1t is a plain, somewhat contracted
looking house, this Valley Forge shrine,
after the usual type Of ancient Pennsyl-
vania homesteads, with queer roof
over the door, without either posts or
pillars shaped like the sounding boards in
old-time churches. The small paned
windows are long, and end in low, deep
window seats that could be sat in with
ease; but they are not cushioned, or
made the most of in any way. The en-
trance door opens in halves, and two
broad flat stones lead to it.
Nothing has been changed in the old
house since Washington left it, with the
exception of paper and paint but it
strikes the visitor as decidedly bare
looking, and by no means attractive as
place of residence. The admission fee
of ten cents is appropriated by the Gen.
tennial Committee for the furnishing
fund, their intention being to furnish
the back room or the ground floor,
known as Washington's private Office,
with articles gathered here and there of
the date Of Washington's residence, and
and as nearly as possible fac-simile of
those in use at the period, the original
furniture having slipped away down the
back stairs of time without leaving a
trace behind.
AS vet, however, nothing has been
accomplished, and very little OF interest
is to be seen in the way of relics. The
back room is the chief point of interest;
and one of the deep window seats is
box, the lid of which is labelled "Wash-
ington's private papers, "l777, this recep
tacle having probably been made to
avoid surprises.
We are also shown revolutionary
cannon ball, the old anvil used in shoe
ing the horses of Washington and his
troops, and an ancient fireplace with
''backs and iambs" The iron back of
another fireplace is unexpectedly dis
played outside Of an entrance door
which opens into a narrow passage.
This back, of German manufacture,
is quite a work of art, and evidently in
tended as a representation of the mira
Gle in Cana of Galilee, the queer figures
and water jars being supplemented by a
German inscription, in which the words
"Wasser" and "Wein" are quite dis
tlnct, also the reference to John, H. Ill.
The most noticeable article of furni-
ture in the room Is an sold clock on the
STAIR" which seems its legitimate place.
1t was not used, however, by Washing
ton, having been imported from England
by the grandfather of the present VEN
cradle occupant.
The old Potts mansion has been pur
chased by the Centennial and Memorial
Association, and in the deed of trust
CAc SiOuiiu oCioiiShS W ~ 10 S"ic Auiiy
estimated at two acres and eight perches.
The long, low stone barn that stretches
across large portion of one side is
rough and plain-the same in appear
ance as when Washington stabbed his
horses there. Art has done little for
the immediate surroundings, except to
introduce the impsrtinent whlz of fac
tory opposite.
A portion of the old entrenchments,
which are some little distance off, still
remains, and in the woods near by were
the miserable barracks where the Con-
tinental army nearly froze and starved
during the hard Winter of l777-7S.-
Ella Rodman Church, in Harper's Mag
azine for April.