Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: July, 1938 Volume 1 Number 4, Page 1

Editorial

Page 1

The great multitude of patriotic tourists who have visited and who will continue to visit Valley Forge in increasingly large numbers, emphasize the necessity of an artistic, fire-proof museum building, of ample proportions to house an orderly and carefully selected collection of Revolutionary relics, maps, portraits, manuscripts and reference library at this great American shrine. The present museum is housed in an old stable.

Where could there be found a better site than the elevation of the recently acquired ground thought to have been the site of the cantonments of Woodford's brigade? A building of our local white limestone or the harder dolamite like that of the lofty Bennington monument, would contrast beautifully with the grassy slope in the foreground and the deeper green of the forest above on Mount Joy.

A structure with the interior arrangements similar to that of the peerless Swedish Museum in Philadelphia, the new Historical Museum at Morristown, the smaller though neat Museum at Stony Point, or even the reconditioned Barracks at Ticonderoga; all of which contain priceless relics uncrowded, each authenticated piece displayed according to the historic worth, and all junk discarded.

It is to be feared that the stranger visiting Valley Forge commonly notes the artistic monuments and well-kept grounds but seldom carries away a comprehensive knowledge of the defensive strength of the position in detail and as a whole. A model in relief to scale similar to that in the museum at Morristown showing the defensive strength of the Morristown heights in relation to West Point, the interior of the country and the enemy's position at New York City, or that model in the open on the summit of Baum Hill near Bennington, would be a vast help, probably equal to a week's study.

Another dream of our Club is the acquisition by the Commonwealth of Mount Misery. The arguments for this are many and convincing. Its crest presents the best view of Mount Joy. The natural beauty of Mount Misery improved with driveways would relieve the congestion in the historic park, serve as a bird and game refuge, a week-end resort conveniently near a population approaching several millions of people and prevent objectionable encroachment on the beauty of the present park.