Return to Valley Forge, Part 2

While exploring Washington Chapel, I came across a number of things to photograph both in and outside of the structure dedicated to our first president. I definitely didn’t capture all I wanted to, so I’ll definitely have to go again at another time.

Inside the chapel is a breathtaking sight with very detailed pews, miniature revolutionary soldier statues and colorful stained glass. The high-vaulted ceilings, like the one in Washington Chapel, are always impressive architectural features to me as well.

Also, like the tower room containing the Justice Bell, there was a sign in the chapel pertaining to fundraising efforts to maintain it.

Walking the open-air halls or standing in the courtyard, I was surrounded by beautiful Victorian Gothic stone windows. It was like exploring an old abbey somewhere in the countryside of England, rather than being in Valley Forge, PA.

This particular scene below I felt was my favorite one near the chapel because it looked so enchanting and timeless. It looked like a movie setting in which a medieval maiden awaits the return of her knight in shining armor.

Aside from the surrounding ornate windows, my favorite details within the courtyard included these two pieces below. The flower plant looks like something I would use to decorate a garden with because of the particular old look to it. The statue of the kneeling woman was a little difficult to figure out a decent angle for photographing the statue, though, but is a nice photography subject all the same.

There are definitely a lot of beautiful details at the chapel; too many to get all of them in one visit, so I know I'll have to go back another time.

Return to Valley Forge, Part 1

This past Sunday, I finally went returned to Valley Forge to photograph Washington Chapel and the tower standing next to it. For anyone who has not yet visited the chapel and tower, both are full of intricate architectural detail. Many details represent the history of the structures as well as honor our first president and the descendants of his army.

Exploring the structures was like taking a walk back in time to a few different historical eras, from medieval to Victorian Gothic Europe. That is just what I love about visiting historic sites…how they connect you with another place and time long ago. You can almost picture yourself being back in those eras as you are surrounded by old world architecture and the history being depicted.

As soon as I saw this door, a feature of the tower and seeming straight out of a medieval castle, I had to take some photos. It is not hard to imagine people dressed in medieval attire walking in and out, or past, a door such as this. Aside from not actually standing at the door of an actual medieval castle somewhere in Europe, that is.

Down a hall from the medieval door, there is a small room containing the Justice Bell and a number of surprises to go with it. Entering from the direction of the hall, you are face-to-face with fundraising efforts to maintain the tower. It might not make for a great photo; however, the protection, restoration and maintaining of historic sites are no doubt of great importance to me.

The surprise in the bell room came from looking straight upwards; the stars-and-stripes decorated ceiling with a tribute to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

There were also these two details on the wall above the hall entrance to the bell room; a well-made mosaic of Washington and a beautiful stained glass window.

The staircase leading up into the heights of the tower didn’t cross my mind until a small door opened and several visitors poured out. A warning sign accompanying the very steep, narrow winding staircase then came into view. I only went up a few steps to take the photos looking up into the staircase; not sure I would be comfortable climbing the distance in such a tight space.

I took a large number of photos of both the tower and the chapel. So I am stopping here for now, deciding to make this into two-parts about my most recent visit to the area of Valley Forge National Historic Park. This focused on the tower and its interior details, so the second part will focus on the chapel.

Valley Forge

Valley Forge National Historical Park is located within 40 miles away from home, yet still hadn’t been explored in person until earlier this summer. The idea came to mind after hearing about tours of the park via a 90-minute trolley ride which started at the visitor center. A tour guide would tell trolley passengers about the park’s revolutionary history as well as the history of particular sites along the way.

The first stop on the tour was an encampment of re-enactors near some of the park’s well-known log cabins. Here, the trolley pulled over so that riders could walk around and get a close-up view of those donning period costumes. It was very easy to feel swept back in time as re-enactors went about their revolutionary era activities.

After 15 minutes, it was time to board the trolley again and continue on to the next points of interest.

At the National Memorial Arch, the trolley took passengers slowly along a semi-circle path to allow for some photos to be taken. Then the trolley continued toward the statue of General Anthony Wayne on horseback. For those interested in local lore, a Google search on General Anthony Wayne will quickly give way to tales associated with him.

Touring Valley Forge, passengers could take in the wide variety of terrain in the park. Thick wooded areas, gentle hills, steep tree-covered slopes, grassy fields with maybe a few lone trees were among the natural surroundings which revolutionary war soldiers were once stationed near. Cannons and log cabins stood in various places throughout the tour. They seemed to have a lonely sense about them, with only the occasional deer grazing nearby in the fields.

Varnum’s Quarters was the last stop on the trolley tour. At this point, passengers could get off of the trolley and walk down a path to take a tour inside the house. Before getting too far from the trolley, there is the statue of Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben. His statue stands near a curved bench shaded from the sun and overlooks a vast field. It is a great picnic spot, and there is a designated picnic spot (Varnum’s Picnic Area) across the road behind the statue.

After learning a little bit about von Steuben’s role in the Revolutionary War, trolley passengers would then continue down the path to Varnum’s Quarters. Picture a brown and tan stone-face structure with small windows, two floors and at least one chimney. It is in a very quiet area and that only made its history feel more alive there.

Heading back to the visitor center, the trolley went past Washington Memorial chapel without making a stop there. It is definitely worth checking out on another visit to Valley Forge. The old architecture and its details make the chapel a great subject to photograph. Speaking of old architecture, just across from the visitor center is a couple of old houses not in use. So while visiting Valley Forge next time to photograph the old chapel, taking photos of the old houses will be on the agenda.

Overall, the trolley tours of Valley Forge are very much recommended to anyone who hasn’t seen the historic park set within beautiful scenery. No matter what means a visitor uses to get around and see it, Valley Forge is an American must-see. The trolley tours are a great way to ride into the past and learn about the role that Valley Forge played in America’s Revolutionary War.