| OCR Text |
Show ; Valley Forge if II Restored H $ fNDEPENDENCE day, 1001), noes' blood-stained, historic Valley Forgo restored, and not only restored, but greatly bcnutiflcd, improved nnd turned Into a public park for tho enjoyment of tho people It is a fortunate thing thnt tho timo has passed when tho pilgrim pil-grim to Valley Forgo In search of sights and relics of tho historic camp, perhaps tho most hallowed of our revolutionary romlndors, wns obliged to tramp over Holds of none too frlondly farmers nnd bo constantly annoyed an-noyed by slgna warning off trespassers. trespass-ers. Apart from which, tho fntlguo of such a trip was great, as thoro woro no roads lending over tho enmp ground and no signs marking tho way to tho historic spots, only Holds of waving grain or woodlnnds overgrown over-grown with underbrush. Consequently Consequent-ly tho hnrdost kind of Walking over tho Htoop hills waB required to vlow but a few of tho sights. Through tho untiring efforts of n number of patriotic men, all this has, been changed and tho stnto of Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania has been induced to assume and comploto n tqsk which wns first offered and refused by tho federal government, although tho undertaking undertak-ing wns clearly within itu province, as tho camp ground of Valley Forgo Is a relic which should belong not only to Pennsylvania, but to tho entire nation, as ovory patriotic American must wish for its preservation nnd would fool proud in being part owner. Hut whether by Pennsylvania or tho national government, it must bo nt lenst gratifying to tho nation to learn that tho neglect of a contury hns been atoned for, and under tho nblo and enthusiastic direction of tho Valley Forgo Park commission, a work of almost al-most Incalculable historical valuo has been done on tho blunk holghts above tho Schuylkill, to which Washington's barefoot army crawled when tho defeat de-feat of Germantown loft them no other rofugo. Fort Washington nnd Fort Huntington Hunting-ton have boon restored. An iron tower tow-er 105 foot in height for observation purposos is being finished on Mount Joy, and from this tower not only a blrdsoyo vlow of tho entire camp ground and beautiful surrounding country can be had, but also Philadelphia, Philadel-phia, 20 miles distant, can bo mndo out, A beautiful commomorntlvb chapel of tho Episcopal church has been built on tho spot whore Washington, Wash-ington, In his direst hour of distress, knelt in prayer. The headquarters of tho commander in tho Isaac Potts house havo boon purchased, completely complete-ly restored nud turned into a revolutionary revolu-tionary musouni. Roads have been built which nuvko possiblo quick communication com-munication botween all points of tho park, bosides which, lawns and flower beds have been laid out and planted and oven a guard house has been built to further heighten tho park effect. |
