Valley Forge National Historical Park
Historic Landscape at Valley Forge Threatened by Commercial Development
Despite the objections of local residents, on September 6, 2007 the Lower Providence Board of Supervisors approved the "Living History Overlay District," which allows a museum and inappropriate commercial development, including a hotel and conference center, to be built on private land inside the park.
The commercial development that is permitted under the new ordinance would be built on land where units of the Continental Army were encamped at the end of the bitter winter of 1777-1778, and where General George Washington established the army's commissary operation to bring order and security to distribution of precious camp supplies, ending the starvation of the troops.
Beyond its historical value, the land in question is also priceless open space in an area that has rapidly suburbanized. As written, the ordinance would allow structures including pedestrian walkways, courtyards, and plazas to count as open space. The development could occupy more than 509,000 square feet--space equivalent to more than three Wal-Mart stores--disturbing historic parkland.
The preliminary plans, recently submitted to Lower Providence Township, include disturbing 70 percent of the historic 78-acre tract, and removing over half of the existing trees and other vegetation. If this complex is built, buildings, parking lots, and lights will interrupt once historic views from the park.
NPCA and a group of local residents have filed an appeal challenging the validity of the ordinance that paves the way for this development.
To draw attention to this threat, NPCA and local residents are holding a candlelight rally in Valley Forge National Historical Park next to the National Memorial Arch on November 16, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. Please come and show your support for the historic integrity of Valley Forge. For additional information, contact NPCA's Senior Pennsylvania Program Manager, Cinda Waldbuesser at (215) 399-4136 or cwaldbuesser@npca.org.
