Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-04-08
Valley Forge.

Valley Forge is manufacturing place,
and there is constant hum of mAchin.
cry from the paper, flour and wooden
mills. The neat little houses of the fac
tory hands are gay with flowers and
vines, while the handsome residence OF
the mill-owner towers castle-like above
them. Past all these dwellings,, at the
end of the street, stands the old fashioned
stone edifice hallowed by Washington's
presence.
1t is q 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-boar in old
time churches. The small-paned win
dows 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
entrance door opens in halves, and two
broad fiat 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
a place of residence The admission
fee of ten cents is appropriated by the
Centennial Committee for the furnishing
fund, their intention being to furnish the
back room on the ground floor, known
as Washington's private office, with
articles gathered here and there OF the
date of Washington's residence, and as
nearly as possible fac-simile of those
in use at the period, the original furni-
ture having slipped away down the back
stairs of time without leaving q trace
behind.
As yet, however, nothing has been
accomplished, and very little 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 labeled Washing
toms private papers, HIP this recep-
tacle having probably been made to
avoid surprises.
We are also shown a Revolutionary
cannon ball, the old anvil used in shoe
ing the horses of Washington and his
troops, and an ancient fireplace with
" backs and jambs." The iron back of
another fireplace is unexpectedly dis
played outside of an entrance door
which opens into q narrow passage.
This back, of German manufacture, is
quite a work of art, and evidently in
tended as q representation of the mira
Gle in Cana of Galilee, the queer figures
and water jars being supplemented by
German inscription, in which the words
" Wasser'' and "Wein" are quite dis
tinct, also the reference to John H.,
Ill.
The most noticeable article of furni-
ture in the room is An s'old clock on the |
stair, +" which seems its legitimate place.
It was not used, however, by Washing
ton, having been imported from Eng
land by the grandfather of the present
occupant in 1884.
The old Potts mansion has been pur-
chased by the Centennial and Memorial
and in the deed of trust the
ground belonging to it is carefully esti-
mated 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 impertinent whiz OF the |
factory opposite.
A portion of the old intrenchments,
which are some little distance off, still |
remains, and in the woods near by were
The miserable barracks where the Gen.
,inental Army nearly froze and starved
Turing the hard winter of 1777-7S.-l
Ella Rodnaan Church, ia Harper's Mag
zzine for AprI. .e :.