The perseverance of the soldiers at Valley Forge became a beloved American story, and long-discussed plans to commemorate their sacrifices took shape after the Civil War, when the centennials of the Declaration of Independence and the encampment renewed attention to unification and Revolutionary ideals. Preservation grew from citizen action and advocacy, driven by a shared vision of protecting a place that had inspired the Continental Army and continued to inspire Americans a century later. In 1879, a citizens’ group sold $1.00 shares to preserve the small house used by General Washington as his headquarters, and in 1893, responding to public concern about performance, the Pennsylvania legislature created a state park here and began buying the land where the soldiers had encamped. The states represented at the 1777 encampment were invited to erect commemorative monuments, and individual organizations also honored their ancestors’ contributions, including a 1911 dedication by the Daughters of the American Revolution to soldiers who died during the encampment. To honor the site’s history, the state reshaped the farming landscape into a stylized commemorative park with tour roads and monuments, removed industry, restored encampment-era buildings, and planted thousands of trees to create an evocative setting. Officials favored scenic beauty and expansive views that encouraged an emotional connection to history rather than a strictly accurate restoration of the 1777 landscape. With broad support from citizen advocates, President Gerald Ford signed legislation on July 4, 1976, making Valley Forge a national park at the Bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence, and citizen stewardship continues through volunteer and partner work in advocacy, preservation, and interpretation.
