The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-03-15
IT'S THE SAME VALLEY FORCE.

IT'S THE SAME VALLEY FORGE.
Between 100000 and 2OO,OO per.
sons visit Valley Forge every year.
Everything possible has been done to
attract them. On the hills where
Washington's army suffered and bled
there are now beautifully kept maca-
dam roads and bride paths that
meander through the trees. BY train,
motor, bicycle, motorcycle and afoot
the crowds come-but always in the
spring, summer or autumn. When
snow falls, fresh marvcls Of beauty are
revealed. Only few. save the fox hum
tiers, ever see them.
Winter changes everything. Au.
tumn leaves the hills and the trees
gaunt and bare. But when the first
fall Of SLOW covers the country like a
fresh, clean garment. there is no season
Of the year when the landscape beau.
ties are eclipsed. Every few steps
new nature pictures are revealed,
while from the hills are long vistas of
rolling farm country, Immediately
white.
In many places the views do not
differ greatly from those Of that win
ter of l777.7S, when Washington and
men fought against cold and starva-
ton. An army Of ragmuffins, many
Of the troops even without shoes,
poorly and insuiiiciently nourished, it
was almost a miracle that any of those
patriots survived.
And today the mill in the back.
ground Of the picture showing Valley
Creek as it empties into the Schuykill
takes the place Of the old Potts mill,
built before the revolution. In 1851
John Potts, Quaker, built the Mount
Joy forge, an iron plant that gave
employment to many men aud teams.
Back Of the mill, almost a quarter of
a mile or SO, was this original old
forge, which gave the place its name.
When the revolution broke out, the
property, including stone house near
the creeks mouth, had passed into the
possession of Isaac Potts, a son of the
purchaser and General Washington
use,l this house for his headquarters.
Valley creek, with its beautiful
reflections, runs through the grounds
of the country home of Secretary of
State Knox. Near here was the head.
quarters of General Knox in RevOlu.
tionary times. Valley creek is espe-
cially prolific of fine views, both IL
winter and summer, and none is pref
tier than those through the trees IF the
roadway where it curves at right
angles from the direction of Secretary
knOxs home toward the Schuylkill
river. Here the effect is not unlike
that Of the Delaware Water gap.
For miles, literally, along roads and
pathways one may wander in the SHOW,
either afo0t or on horseback, winding
through old forts, intrenchments and
the like. Along the Schuylkill runs
one road which is particularly lovely,
both in winter and summer. II threads
its way along the sides Of the hills
until it reaches Fort Washington,
which oycrlooks one of the finest views
in Chester county.
There is no more historic ground in
the country than this. The very men
ton of the revolution suggests Valley
Forge, the scene Of its greatest crisis.
And the work of beautifying and i'm
proving it is continually progressing.
But recently it was that congress was
urged to pass a bill granting slOO,OOO
for the erection of suitable memorial
arches. Already a memorial chapel
and museum are under way, in addi-
lion to historic buildings that are
Is nearly as possible in
their original cOndition.-Boston Post.