Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge, also known as the Isaac Potts House, is a historic house that served as General George Washington's headquarters at

Valley Forge Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphia to escape the ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. The building, which still stands, is one of the centerpieces of

Valley Forge National Historical Park Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, taking place from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. The National Park Service preserves the site a ...

Southeastern Pennsylvania The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan region on the East Coast of the United States that comprises and surrounds Philadelphia, the List of United States cities by population, sixth most populous city in the nation ...

. The house was built about 1773, and Washington made it his headquarters during the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

encampment between December 1777 and June 1778. The restored building is part of the Valley Forge National Historical Park and is open to the public. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1972. and The house is located in Upper Merion Township.

Description and history

Washington's Valley Forge Headquarters stands between

Pennsylvania Route 23 Pennsylvania Route 23 (PA 23) is an state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The route begins at PA 441 in Marietta and heads east to U.S. Route 1 (US 1) at City Avenue on the border of Lower Merion Township and Philadelphia. PA 23 begins ...

and the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It f ...

near the center of Valley Forge National Historical Park. It is a three-story stone structure with a full cellar, three bays wide, with a side gable roof. A single-story ell extends to the left. The main entrance is in the left-most bay, sheltered by a gabled hood. There is a secondary entrance on the right end wall. The gable ends have pent roofs below, and circular windows in the gable center. The interior is decorated with period 18th-century furnishings and artifacts related to George Washington. The house was built 1768–70 by Isaac Potts, a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

who operated a

grist mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...

nearby. George Washington, and later his wife

Martha Martha (Hebrew: מָרְתָא‎) is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness ...

as well, occupied this house from Christmas Eve 1777 until June 18, 1778. Washington conducted the army's business in an office on the ground floor during that period. The house became part of a state park in 1893, which was given to the people of the United States by Pennsylvania in 1976. The Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge, led by Founding Regent

Anna Morris Holstein Anna Morris Holstein (, Ellis; pen name, Mrs. H.; April 9, 1824 - December 31, 1900) was an American organizational leader, American Civil War, civil war nurse, and author. From 1862 until the close of the war, Holstein was engaged in the hospita ...

, was incorporated in 1878 with the purpose of saving, acquiring, preserving General Washington's Headquarters and immediate surrounding acreage. A large Centennial event to create awareness and raise funds was held on June 19, 1878, the 100th anniversary of Washington's Army exiting Valley Forge.

References

{{authority control Military history of the United States Valley Forge National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Houses completed in 1773 Historic house museums in Pennsylvania Museums in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania American Revolutionary War museums in Pennsylvania Houses in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Valley Forge National Historical Park National Register of Historic Places in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Historic district contributing properties in Pennsylvania

Description and history

See also

References