Valley Forge Pilgrimage Explained

Valley Forge Pilgrimage and Encampment
Type:event
Owner:Cradle of Liberty Council
F-Date:February 22, 1913

The Valley Forge Pilgrimage and Encampment is the oldest annual scouting event in the world. It was first held on February 22, 1913 (George Washington's 181st birthday), and has been held every year since.[1] The event is hosted by the Cradle of Liberty Council and commemorates the soldiers of the Continental Army who braved the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. Each year more than 2,000 brave the winter chill of the Delaware Valley to participate.

History

Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was only three years old, and was sweeping the country when approximately 300 Scouts from Philadelphia and suburban Delaware and Montgomery Counties took part in the first pilgrimage.[2] Typical attendance ranged from 125 to 275 Scouts and leaders until the Great Depression. The event has been held every year, even during the Depression and World War II, though the event was then held at a reduced scale. In the early years, Scouts traveled to Valley Forge by train and foot, arriving at the Valley Forge Train Station.

The event was organized by an Episcopal priest, Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Burk of Norristown.[3] Burk had also been instrumental in building the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge. Burk continued to be involved in the planning for the annual pilgrimage for the next two decades. The term "pilgrimage" was chosen because every participating troop lined up in formation with their flags and paraded to the chapel for the memorial service for George Washington.

The first official overnight Valley Forge Encampment in connection with a pilgrimage was in 1948. Prior to that there were many unofficial camp outs on the site, as the area was relatively rural and unpopulated. General John Pershing and Daniel Carter Beard have both been featured guests. The biggest crowd was at the 1932 pilgrimage, which marked Washington's 200th birthday. An estimated 9,000 Boy Scouts from Pennsylvania and neighboring states, plus 10,000 adults and children, were on hand.[4]

Events

The event itself is divided into two parts: the Encampment, in which Scouts camp from Friday through Sunday on the Presidents' Day weekend, and the Pilgrimage which is all day Saturday. During the Pilgrimage, participants move around the Valley Forge NHP to hear volunteer interpreters from the National Park Service tell how the Continentals lived. Replicas of the original huts provide a glimpse of daily life. Conditions during the winter were poor, so the stories are also told how more than 2,000 soldiers died from typhus, dysentery, typhoid and pneumonia.

Themes

Valley Forge Historical Trail

The Valley Forge Historical Trail is a 9-mile hiking trail through the Valley Forge National Park, the elevation gain of this trail is 833 feet. The hike starts and ends at the Valley Forge Visitor's Center. Hiking this trail as needed requires the use of a map, compass, along with the skills and abilities to use them, orienteering is also required. There is little access to water on the trail, although water can be retrieved about halfway through at the train station restrooms. It is normally advised that you bring your own water along as well. [5]

The Valley Forge Historic Trail was put together by the Cradle of Liberty Boy Scout of America Council and the National Park Service. This hike is designed to offer recreation to adults and youth while providing a lesson on the history of the park. Scouts can earn a medal for completing the trail.

See also

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chapter Eight: New Uses for an Old Story . Valley Forge National Historic Park . 2006-10-30.
  2. Web site: Pilgrimage and Encampment . 2024-06-09 . Cradle of Liberty Council . en-US.
  3. Web site: Chapter Five: The Churches at Valley Forge . Valley Forge National Historic Park . 2006-10-30.
  4. Web site: Pilgrimage . Springfield (Pa.) Press . 2006-10-30.
  5. Web site: Valley Forge Historical Trail. Alltrails.

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