The visitor orientation film at Valley Forge National Historical Park. This 19-minute film tells the story of the winter 1777-1778 encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington. Filmed in 2018 and 2019.
Features inspiring stories often overlooked in the main narrative of the Valley Forge encampment, including the contributions of African Americans, women, and Native Americans.
The story of the Indigenous Peoples and European colonists who lived in the Valley Forge area before the arrival of the Continental Army, the impact of the encampment on the people and the environment, and what happened after the army left.
Ranger Steve sits by the fire and shares some journal entries that were written during the Valley Forge encampment. Many people kept diaries and wrote about the hardships of the winter and processed their feelings. These writings give us a view into what it was like at Valley Forge in 1777 and 1778. Write your own story about overcoming challenges and share it with the tag #WriteOut !
Although the Continental Army benefitted from Valley Forge’s natural defenses, a lack of housing meant that soldiers had to construct their own. Learn about the different types of shelter present in the encampment, and who would have used them.
Ranger Dave discusses how statues and monuments often reflect the ideas and values of the people who build and dedicate them even more than they embody anything factual about their subjects. He tells the story of the Baron von Steuben statue in order to illustrate the idea.
Content Note: This video contains examples of WWI-era propaganda with strong imagery.
George Washington's 46th birthday took place during the Valley Forge winter encampment, which saw the General and the Continental Army facing a whole host of difficult challenges.
Park Ranger Ajena Rogers recounts her time interpreting Washington's Headquarters and her work researching the stories of the African American servant staff that supported George Washington's household during the Valley Forge encampment.
Rogers focuses on the story of Hannah Till, an enslaved pastry cook who worked for Washington, and about whom Rogers developed living history interpretive programming during the time that she worked at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
Paulette Jones and Deanna Shelton from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. discuss how their Valley Forge Alumnae Chapter worked to raise funds and erect the Patriots of African Descent Monument at Valley Forge National Historical Park in order to raise awareness of the contributions of Black Patriots during the American Revolution.
Park Ranger Ajena C. Rogers discusses her past work as a living history interpreter at Valley Forge NHP, as well as her involvement in the park’s new orientation film where she reprised her role as Hannah Till, an enslaved pastry cook within General George Washington’s household.
You can view Valley Forge: A Winter Encampment on YouTube. This vintage orientation film features footage shot in the 1970s and depicts a somewhat outdated telling of the Valley Forge story.
Last updated: March 19, 2024
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