So I did what every good home educating Momma would do - I called my Mom and asked if she wanted to tag along today. She did, and conveniently she is right on our way! We packed up the kids stuff (they are staying a few days at my mom and dads') and jumped in the van and headed out. It is only about an hour from my parents house and so simple to get to. It's like a hop, skip and a jump and your there.
At the Visitor's Center we looked at interesting items from the 1770's, bought muskets and a pistol in the gift shop (I also bought a couple of books - shocking, I know) then we went to watch a 15 minute movie about the encampment at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777. It was hard and rough on the men, but they used the time wisely - they had great leadership - and made themselves into a real army.
We then drove the 10 mile circuit around the encampment. We saw cabins - reproductions as all the real ones were either torn apart by local farmers who wanted to use the wood after the army left or they rotted out. We saw the Memorial Arch, we saw General Anthony Wayne on his horse - it's an amazingly huge bronze statue. We saw the house where General Washington and his men stayed, we saw a memorial chapel.
Kyle said "I didn't think that Valley Forge would be fun, but it turned out to be really fun!"
You couldn't ask for anything more....
photos courtesy of Rachel Rabe
5 comments:
Fun on an April day! (Maybe not so much on a February one all those years ago.) They look as if they're loving musket practice!
You are MY kind of Mommy! I love to visit places like this. If it's historical, I'm there. My girls claim that we have seen every log cabin east of the Mississippi.
That looks like great fun! I love historic field trips...they are the best! And the gift shops at such places make me weak in the knees. (Does Valley Forge have a museum shop?) They are usually full of games and craft kits and cookbooks and household items of historical interest. And did I say books?!
That looks like a fun time! I'm sure your kids were thankful they got to go on a field trip rather than clean! :)
What a fabulous experience. Yesterday I asked Erin what she was reading about. She said it was General Washington and his insistence on Sunday Church... that they would take their arms in case of emergency but they went!
Love that last photo. :)
Blessings, Debbie
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