The King of Prussia Historical Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Popek to the Board. This appointment fills the Director vacancy left when Chris Kaasmann moved from the area.
Yearly Archives: 2018
Backstory of Washington’s Headquarters’ June 19, 1878 Celebration
At the end of the nineteenth century, with the Valley Forge Centennial Association, Anna M. Holstein became involved in the purchase of Washington’s Headquarters. The Association sought state funding for another reason: “The money is wanted less for current expenses than to purchase Washington’s old headquarters.”
The members of the Association had already decided that the Valley Forge experience deserved not just an elaborate celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the encampment on June 19, 1878, but a lasting memorial. It was suggested that no more fitting memorial could be designated than Washington’s Headquarters, which had already stood the storms of more than one hundred years.
Washington’s Headquarters was not as architecturally impressive as many other sites associated with Washington. It was a small two-story, three-bay, gable-roofed stone Georgian structure with a floor plan similar to that of a townhouse, asymmetrical with only two small rooms per floor and a stair hall running the length of the building. Its small kitchen wing might have postdated the Revolution. Originally, it might have been built as a summer residence for the relatively wealthy eighteenth-century Potts family, who had owned considerable property and commanded the industrial operations in the valley. In the nineteenth century, Washington’s Headquarters was believed to have been built around 1760, but current thinking suggests it may have been built as late as 1773. In 1877 it belonged to Hannah Ogden.
On Washington’s Birthday 1878, the Valley Forge Centennial Association reorganized to meet their objective of purchasing Washington’s Headquarters. They changed their name to the Valley Forge Centennial and Memorial Association, resolving to appoint a lady regent to head a committee of patriotic women who would raise the funds to purchase their memorial.
For their first female regent, the Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge selected Anna Morris Holstein who had served as an army nurse during the Civil War. Most important was her reputation as a fundraiser. Anna Morris Holstein had been part of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and had already successfully raised money in Montgomery County. It was hoped that she would be able to raise funds both nationally and locally for Valley Forge’s worthy cause.
Because the modest house was so full of “precious memories,” Hannah Ogden wanted $6,000.00 for it. Mrs. Holstein and her committeewomen soon came to terms with Mrs. Ogden. It was proposed that the Centennial and Memorial Association pay Mrs. Ogden $500 on May 1, $1,000.00 on August 1, $1,500.00 on October 1, and secure a mortgage for the other $3,000.
At the end of May and the beginning of June 1878, the Centennial and Memorial Association issued invitations to their upcoming celebration on June 19, 1878 of the one hundredth anniversary of the occupation of Valley Forge by the Continental Army.
Newspapers reported that 20,000 to 30,000 people attended the celebration. The crowds arrived by every train in the morning until the little village of Valley Forge was soon overflowing. Visitors were charged ten cents admission to enter the “national shrine.”
In 1893, the area around Washington’s Headquarters was chosen as the site of the first state park of Pennsylvania “to preserve, improve, and maintain as a public park the site on which General George Washington’s army encamped at Valley Forge.”
Holstein House in June 2018 (Photo courtesy of Russell Rubert)
Moore Road History
THREATENED CLOSING SURVIVED BY MOORE ROAD YEARS AGO
By Ed Dybicz 1966
Anyone traveling West along Valley Forge Rd., or on First Avenue in Upper Merion Township, will eventually come in contact with Moore Rd.
Moore Rd. is one of the oldest roads in Upper Merion Township having been laid out in 1810.
Off Moore Rd. in Port Kennedy, is located the large Sears, Roebuck & Co., warehouse, recently constructed, a part of King of Prussia Industrial Park. A short distance below the warehouse, there is a large home owned by Alexander D. Irwin. This home, during the Revolutionary War, while the American Army encamped at Valley Forge during the Winter of 1777-78, was the Headquarters of Gen. John Peter Muhlenburg.
Twenty-eight years ago, a certain group of Upper Merion citizens wanted to close off Moore Rd., to all travel, declaring it as “useless, inconvenient and burdensome”. There were many extenuating circumstances on part of the petitioners. Upper Merion Supervisors and leading residents opposed the closing. Moore Rd. a that time stretched from Valley Forge Rd. to North Gulph Rd., a distance of 5,176 feet. . . . .
One of the main points in favor of keeping the road open was that it provided access to Valley Forge Park. Another was that Gen. Muhlenberg made his headquarters here in 1777-78 and had two redoubts erected in the vicinity, which he called Fort John Moore and Fort Mordcai Moore. . . .
Moore Rd. today, between Valley Forge Rd. and First Avenue, recently widened and repaved, is indeed an appropriate memorial to one of Upper Merion’s outstanding families whose service during the Revolutionary conflict should never be forgotten.
Read the entire article for more facts about Moore Rd. and the Irwin building.
1912 Map of Moore Rd with Muhlenberg’s Quarters
Swedesburg Resident Suggested Use of Flags in Schools
By Ed Dybicz, 28 January 1969
An Upper Merion Township man was the first to suggest that American flags be placed in all the Public Schools of the Commonwealth.
He was Richard Thomas Stewart Hallowell, of Swedesburg, who was State President of the Patriotic Order Sons of America in 1887-1888.
In 1922 a magnificent monument, a tribute to the late Mr. Hallowell, was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in Christ Swedes Church cemetery.
Richard Thomas Stewart Hallowell was born on Sept. 5, 1849 at Swedesburg. He was a member of Christ Swedes Church and served as vestryman and treasurer. He died on Aug. 14, 1908.
Hallowell was a well-known contractor and builder and erected many homes in Conshohocken, Norristown and Upper Merion.
He was National Master of Forms and Ceremonies of the P.O.S. of A. from 1879 to 1881. He was one of the original State Camp Truestee Committee to act with the Valley Forge Association to preserve Washington’s Headquarters at Valley Forge.
Hallowell was a director of the Valley Forge Centennial and Memorial Association, Patriotic Order Sons of America. he was a member of Washington Camp No. 121 of Conshohcoken and while State President instituted 112 camps from Aug. 1887 to Aug. 1888.
His suggestion to place the flag of the United States in all Public Schools of Pennsylvania was overwhelmingly adopted.
==FREE FLAG DAY EVENT==
The Bridgeport Elks Lodge No.714 Annual Flag Day Ceremony takes place this Sunday afternoon, June 10th @ Old Swedes Christ Church – 740 River Road, PA 23 – Bridgeport, PA. Beginning at 1:00pm the Elks officers present an impressive historical recount of our Nations flag. The ceremony itself takes about an hour and is a very moving tribute to the Stars and Stripes. This is a FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC event!
https://www.facebook.com/events/222587238342034/
