Valley Forge

Let's just say Valley Forge and I have a past. My first visit was a class trip back in the early to mid 80s, and I remember being told about the name coming from the forge in the valley before the Revolution. I couldn't wrap my head around a time so long ago it was before 1776.About 20 years later, I returned with my young bride, just on a whim to check this place out that I vaguely remembered. She loved the hills, fields, and trees and began an interest in American history. Being a West Coast gal, it was one her first experiences visiting the places from the history books. Since it was only about a 45 minute drive from home, it became a frequent family escape. Our little daughter was a huge fan of George Washington at that time, and she loved going to the March In event, celebrating the Continental Army marching in to make camp in December. Reenactors had a fire going and were cooking a bean soup. She called it a "George Washington campfire" because that's what kids do when they're 3 or 4. We had a great time walking the Valley Creek Trail and frequently saw deer, and even heard turkeys once.
Later, I found out that my family escape had a possible family connection. Looking through the muster rolls, I found a Private Charles Goodin of the 6th PA Regiment. In the event we aren't related, I adopted him. No one can prove or disprove relation. That connection inspired me to become a volunteer at Valley Forge. I was given an official shirt, a name tag, and a binder full of info to study. They stuck me at the desk at the visitor center, where I excelled at starting the movie and answering questions like "Is this where Washington crossed the Delaware?" Having worked in retail for far too long, I was used to people asking stupid questions like "Is this register open?" or "Do you work here?", but this was a different situation. Knowing the answer (it's no, by the way), doesn't require specialized training but you have to know more than the average person. So I got to educate without being condescending. I'd tell them no, then explain how we got from crossing the Delaware and taking back all of New Jersey, then turning around a losing half of Pennsylvania to wind up at Valley Forge.
I volunteered at Valley Forge for 2 years (while working 2 jobs) before moving to the Seattle area for a decade. While I was out west, NPS renovated the area around Washington's headquarters, turning the old train station into a small museum about life in Valley Forge the village. Currently, the visitor center is being renovated, scheduled to reopen spring 2020. A temporary center is operating in the lower parking lot. If you haven't already, check out the Valley Forge NHP page.