The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-03-08

HISTORIC VALLEY FORGE.
The Famous Camp Ground to bo Cut Up
Into Building Lots.

! The Famous Camp Ground to 30 Cut up
Into Building Lots.
! Announcement is made that the his
/ tric revolutionary camp-ground of VAL
ley Forge, six miles to the west in Ches-
ter County, will soon be sold by its pres
snt owners in the shape of building lots.
The tract comprises the entire site oc-
cupied by General George Washington
and tho Continental army during the
winter of 1717.S. 1t covers 100 acres Of
beautiful rolling meadow land, broken
up here and there with abrupt wooded
hills. The whole locality is rich with
patriotic mementos, and every rod of
the ground is eloquent with suggestions
of the past. In that camp, as every we'll
informed American school-boy knows,
was passed the gloomiest and saddest
period of the war for independence.
There the patriot army, ragged, half
starved, disheartened, without shoes or
blankets or proper clothing, slept at
night during the whole dreadful winter
on the bare earth, and in the daytime,
while providing firewood for their rude,
comfortless huts, left foot tracks of
blood on the frozen ground, hallowing
the very soil by the severity and heroism
of their sutferings.
Under these circumstances, therefore,
many philosophical citizens of Norris
town are regretting that any attempt
should be made to cut up the tract, and
are advocating it's purchase entire by
the State of Pennsylvania as public
park or military cemetery. The State
Legislature, however, will not meet un-
til next winter, and consequently no
such action, even if it should be deemed
expedient, can bo taken until then. In
templated division of the property and
erection of private residences thereon
will 60 forward, and thus render impos-
sible the preservation of the tract as
whole for historical and patriotic pur-
poses.
The side of the camp is but few
yards south of the SchuyllSill river and
commands an extensive view of the
lovely scenery along the course of that
stream. The old stone mansion occu-
pied as headquarters by Washington and
his personal staff fronts the station of
the Philadelphia e Reading railroad.
IL
a mile, is the spot whore Washington's
original headquarters stood, the build
ing, now removed, occupied by him early
in December, 17T7. AT stones throw
from there is the bubbling spring known
as "Washington's spring." on the right
bank of Valley creek. On the other
side of that, step below, is the site of
the old valley forge from which the
locality takes its name, built in 1757
To the southeast, few hundred yards,
extending in zigzag line approximately
north and south for quarter of
mile, are the the remains of the old in
trenchments and breastworks, still
easily distinguished by the irregular
and scattered heaps of stones and tho
uneven elevation of the greensward.
To the right of these remains are the
foundation-stones and decayed timbers
Of Fort Washington, which served as
the eastern bulwark of the camp. South
west Of this quarter of a mile farther
is the site of the headquarters used by
General Knox and the officers of
his command, and short distance
below, on the other side of Valley
creek is the site of Lafayette's head
quarters. The railroad station near
Washington's stone house, which was
then owned by Isaac Potts, is four miles
east of PhmniXville, thirty-five miles
east of Reading, and twenty-three
miles northwest of Philadelphia. Res
idents in the neighborhood still point
out to visitors the place under the old
oak tree on the left bank of Valley
creek where Washington was discovered
by Iaaac Potts on his knees in prayer,
his checks wet with tears. beseeching
the Almighty for guidance and victory
for the army irtrusted to his comma nd.
-Norristown (Pa.) Letter.