Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-08
VALLEY FORGE.

III, Ro,lman Church, In lisrpers Magazine for April
Valley Forge is manufacturing
place, and there is constant hum OF
machinery from the paper, -four, and
woollen mills. The neat little houses
of the factory 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 a plain, somewhat contracted
looking house, this Valley Forge shrine,
after the usual type of ancient Penn
sylvania homesteads, with a 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
entrance 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 attract
i've as a place of residence. The ad-
mission fee of ten cents is appropriated
bv the Centennial Committee for the
furnishing fund, their intention being
to furnish the back room on the
ground.hoor, known as Washington's
private office, with articles gathered
here and there of the date of Wash
ington's residence, and as nearly rs
possible a fac-simile of those in use at
the period, the original furniture hav-
ing slipped away down the back stairs
of time without leaving Il trace be-
hind.
As yet, however, nothing has been
accomplished, and very little of inter-
est 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 a box, the lid of which is
labelled "Washington's private papers,
1777," this receptacle having probably
been made to avoid surprises.
We are also shown a Revolutionary
cannon ball, the old anvil used in
shoeing the horses of Washington and
his troops, an ancient fireplace with
"backs and iambs." The iron back of
another fire place is Unexpectedly dis.
played outside of entrance door which
opens into a narrow passage. This
back, of German manufacture, is quite
a work of art, and evidently intended
a. a representation of the miracle 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.
tinct, also the reference to John ii, Ill.
The most noticeable article of furni.
ture in the room is an "old clock on
the STAIR" which seems its legitimate
place. 1t was not used, however, by
Washington, having been imported
from England by the grandfather OF
the present venerable occupant in 1884,
The old Potts mansion has been pur-
chased by the Centennial and Memorial
Association, and in the deed of trust
the ground belonging to it is careful
ly estimated at two acres and eight
perches. The long low stone barn
that stretches across a large portion OF
one side is rough and plain-the same
in appearance as when Washington
stabbed his horses there.