Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-28
GOOD HIGHWAYS
MARK JOURNEY
TO VALLEY FORGE
Autos Find Roads Easy in
District, But the Ridge
in Upper Roxborough Is
Difficult.
BY w. o. GRIFFITH

Chairman Touring Information Committee
Philadelphia Automobile club.
There ts probably no trip in the neigh
borhood Of Philadelphia which appeals
to visitors as well as to Philadelphia
motorists more than that to Valley Forge
1t Is not generally known that the coun-
try between Philadelphia and Valley
FOrge on both sides of the Schuylkill
contains landmarks OF Revolutionary
history second in Importance only to
Valley Forge itself
1t is hard to realize while travelling
over the good roads which are to be
found all through this district that in
the early days It was a serious matter
TO get from Philadelphia to Valley Forge
lhe roads were scarcely what could now
be called dirt roads" and were UNIT
Tor travel except on horseback, during
six months of the year
a more or less "historlc" route ia
that which runs through the Park and
out Belmont avenue to Montgomery ave-
nue.. Montgomery avenue then follows
close to the line of the Old GuIpb road
which 1t finally joins at the Gulph. II
1t Is preferred to follow the actual line
or the Old Gulph road all that is nee
essary is to take the right fork beyond
the Merton Cricket Club at Haverford,
but this road is not macadamized
The Gulph. formerly known as GuIph
Mills. was the place where the powder
was made for the Revolutionary army
and the site Is marked by a stone erect
ed by the Daughters of the American
Revolution. The Guph itself is an ex
ceedingly picturesque cleft in the hills.
and in New England would be called a
notch. Runnlng through this the line
goes the Identical old Revolutionary road
past the King OF Prussia Inn and
through the village OF Port Kennedy tt.
valley Forge Park. Immediately after
leaving Port Kennedy, monuments are
to be seen In every direction marking
tne location OF different regiments, bril-
gades, redoubts, etc
Valley Forge Park itself Ia laid o,t II,
a series of roads. zigzagginE up the hill
and following the limo OF the old earth
works This can be clearly seen upon
the map.
The headquarters OF General Washing
ton is building of greater antiquity than
any other in the neighborhood and
among other Curiosities there Ia n COW
cred passage underground leading from
the building to the river and used in
early days to obtain water from the river
in case of siege by the Indians.
The return from Valley Forge should
be made back to Port Kennedy. there
crossing the river through the village OF
Audubon near which is the residence of
that famous naturalist The village Is
ancient and quaint. Continuing through
Audubon one reaches the little settle
ment OF Jeffersonvllle, where the old
Ridge road or Reading pike is Joined.
This runs through the thriving town of
Norristown directly to PHILADELPHIA by
way of Ridge avenue.
1t Is to be noted that on a hill on the
left of the road close to City Line is a.
historic marker in the form of a stone
commemoratlng a small combat
In this neghborhood, between the monu-
ment and Wissahickon Creek another
skirmish was fought The Ridge road
passes through upper Roxborough and |
the road surface becomes frankly bad,
being OF antique cobble stones of the |
most villainous kind.
Considering the amount of travel over
this road, and that 1t is the shortest way |
INTO town from the Schuylkill Valley |
towns, 1t seems to me that the least that |
,ould bo done would be to surface this
-oad with split granite blocks, similar to |
hose on the hump on Broad street. or
Else with brick. If one wishes to avoid |
his stone block a turn to the left NAV
De made at the little village OF Barren
Hill. and the run back TO town made
through Chestnut Hill, where the roads
ire excellent.
The village of Barren Hill. by the way
,oasted up to few years ago, church,
md very ugly church it was, probably
he largest Revolutionary church in this
art of the country. The furniture dated
rom the same period. and in II was a
able which was used as an operating
able in the church itself after the battle
I Germantown. Unfortunately the old
uildlng burned down, and the present
urious structure is taking its place.