Troop 174
Revised April 22, 2005
Pennsylvania Troop Trip
April 29 - May 1, 2005
.___
Liberty Bell________Prayer
at Valley Forge______
Overview
We plan to go to Philadelphia and Valley Forge, PA. On Saturday,
April 30 we plan to hike all day on the "Colonial Philadelphia Tour" portion
of the BSA "Colonial Patriot Award". On Sunday, May 1 we plan to
hike the 9 mile BSA "Valley Forge Historical Trail" and complete the requirements
to earn the medal, and go to the World of Scouting Museum in Valley Forge.
Valley Forge, PA is about 160 miles from Grace Lutheran Church, and the
driving time is a minimum of 2 hours 50 minutes.
Lodging
-
Troop 174 will tent camp at the Scout
tent camping area at the Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company, 630 Valley
Forge Rd., Valley Forge, PA. Directions.
The 14 acres camping area is within one mile of the Valley Forge National
Historical Park.
Cost
-
Overview
-
Fees of $25 per person covering the campsite, all admissions, and Saturday
supper. Parking: $13 per car in Philadelphia. Additional costs
for weekend food brought from home, souvenirs, transportation, etc. to
be determined.
-
Details
-
Food
-
Bring your own food for Saturday and Sunday breakfasts and lunches.
Lunches should be quick bag lunches.
-
Saturday supper at 7:00 p.m. at Old Country Buffet in Norristown, PA.
(Cost is included in the $25 trip fee.)
-
Transportation
-
Parking in Philadelphia about $13 - 3 story parking area under Independence
Visitor Center. Bring cash to pay.
-
Follow-the-leader driving is against BSA policy. All drivers should
have all maps necessary.
-
Admission fees
-
Betsy Ross House - $2 youth, $3 adults. (Cost is included in the
$25 trip fee.)
-
National Constitution Center - $5 for 12 years old and under, $7 for 13
years old and over. (Cost is included in the $25 trip
fee.)
-
Groups:
-
$4 per person for groups of 20 or more people.
-
1 adult chaperone per 10 youth is required. The chaperone must accompany
the youth at all times. Chaperone tickets for the group are free.
-
World of Scouting Museum - $1 youth, $2 adults. (Cost is included
in the $25 trip fee.)
-
Washington's Headquarters in Valley Forge - $3 for 12 years old and older.
(Cost is included in the $25 trip fee.)
-
Lodging
-
$3 per person for the weekend. (Cost is included in the $25 trip
fee.)
-
Souvenirs
What to bring - Label everything with your name
-
Wear
-
activity uniform while traveling to and from Pennsylvania
-
activity uniform at our camp site
-
official uniform during day on Saturday and Sunday
-
Backpack or duffle bag for items listed below
-
Hot cup, labeled with your name
-
Mess kit
-
Bring your own food for Saturday and Sunday breakfasts and lunches. Lunches
should be quick bag lunches.
-
Sleeping bag
-
Sleeping pad, optional
-
Pillow, optional
-
No electronic devices (radios, Gameboys, etc.), except Walkman or radio
with headphones.
-
Personal cleanup kit - toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, small plastic bottle
of biodegradable soap, small towel and washcloth, etc.
-
Rain gear, such as a poncho
-
Clothes – dress for weather
-
Extra underwear
-
Socks
-
Liner socks
-
Hiking shorts, optional
-
Long pants
-
Well broken in hiking shoes
-
Well broken in athletic shoes
-
Flashlight with extra batteries
-
Warm jacket
-
Warm clothes to layer
-
Sunscreen
-
Hat with brim for shade
-
Folding chair or stool, optional
-
Watch
-
Camera, optional
-
Travel alarm clock for adults
-
Adults bring family radios
-
Money for admission fees, souvenirs
-
Maps and driving directions
-
Each group of scouts must bring a minimum of two compasses for the Valley
Forge Historical Trail.
Day pack items
-
Day pack
-
2 refillable water bottles labeled with your name
-
Personal first aid kit, including 8 bandaids and moleskin
-
Extra 2 pairs of socks (outer and liner) to change in the middle of the
day
-
Rain gear, such as poncho
-
Hat
-
Pair of athletic shoes, optional
-
Compass
-
Pencil or pen
-
Map - get at Visitors Center
-
Gallon sized zip lock bag labeled with your name for map
-
Weekend schedule in zip lock bag
-
Camera, optional
Label your day pack with:
-
Your first initial and last name
-
Boy Scouts Troop 174 Yorktown Heights, NY
-
Telephone number
Rules
-
Follow the "Scout Law".
-
No climbing on cannons or monuments
-
Quiet hours 11pm to 6am
-
Use the buddy system
-
Stay with your group
-
No weapons, so no pocket knife. A pocket knife may be confiscated
during the security screening.
-
Good behavior – representing troop and BSA
-
Campsite
-
Keep it clean.
-
Ground fires are allowed.
-
Clean the campsite Sunday before we leave.
Menu
-
Trail food - Bring your own from home
-
The troop will have stoves, coffee, tea, and Half-and-Half.
-
Friday
-
Supper - On your own
-
Saturday
-
Breakfast - Bring your own from home
-
Lunch - Bring your own from home
-
Supper - Old Country Buffet in Norristown, PA
-
Sunday
-
Breakfast - Bring your own from home
-
Lunch - Bring your own from home
-
Supper - On your own
Schedule
-
Friday, April 29
-
Saturday, April 30 - Historic Philadelphia
-
Drive to Philadelphia - Area
map. Directions.
Parking.
-
Today we are doing the Colonial Philadelphia Tour portion of the BSA Colonial
Patriot Award. The Colonial Philadelphia Tour is a walking tour to
29 historic points. These points are marked below with **.
-
"Entering religious shrines is not required where it may conflict with
the beliefs of your particular faith."
-
Independence National
Historical Park. Map.
-
Independence
Visitor Center
-
Open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
-
Get free park brochure and park map.
-
View "Independence," a free 30 minute film by John Huston.
-
Get your free timed ticket for Independence Hall before going through security
screening. Allow extra time to go through security screening,
which may take up to one hour on a busy day.
-
There are no rest room facilities within the secure area of the park (Liberty
Bell Center and Independence Square), so be sure to use the facilities
in the Independence Visitor Center or those located on the corner of 5th
and Chestnut Streets before entering the Liberty Bell Center. After
leaving the security screening facility you will be directed into the Liberty
Bell Center where you can enjoy exhibits explaining the history of the
Liberty Bell. Once you leave the Center, you will have a choice of either
leaving the secure area of the park (if you do you will not be permitted
to reenter without going through the security screening facility again)
or crossing the street onto Independence Square. Once on the Square
you can visit Independence Hall (with a timed ticket), the Great Essentials
Exhibit where you can see original copies of our country's founding documents,
Congress Hall, Old City Hall and Philosophical Hall.
-
** Independence
Hall
-
Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
-
Free timed tour ticket is required.
-
Constructed between 1732 and 1756 as the State House of the Province of
Pennsylvania, it is considered a fine example of Georgian architecture.
From 1775 to 1783 (except for the winter of 1777 - 1778 when Philadelphia
was occupied by the British Army) this was the meeting place for the Second
Continental Congress. It was in the Assembly Room of this building
that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental
Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4,
1776. In the same room the design of the American flag was agreed
upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the
U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. The Declaration of Independence
and U.S. Constitution were signed here. The building, inside and
out, has been restored whenever possible to its original late-18th century
appearance. Most of the furnishing are period pieces. The "rising
sun" chair used by George Washington as he presided over the Constitutional
Convention is original. The inkstand
used to sign the Declaration of Independence is original.
-
Liberty
Bell Center
-
Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
-
Video presentation and exhibits about the Liberty Bell
-
View the Liberty
Bell in a glass chamber at the south end of the Center.
-
A bell for the Pennsylvania State House was cast in 1752 in London, England,
however, it cracked soon after it arrived in Philadelphia. Local
craftsmen John Pass and John Stow recast the bell in 1753, using metal
from the English bell. Their names appear on the front of the bell,
along with the city and the date. By 1846 a thin crack began to affect
the sound of the bell. The bell was repaired in 1846 and rang for
a George Washington birthday celebration, but the bell cracked again and
has not been rung since. No one knows why the bell cracked either
time. Today, even though it no longer rings, its message of liberty
and freedom reaches people all over the world. The bell weighs about
2000 pounds. It is made of 70% copper, 25% tin, and small amounts
of lead, zinc, arsenic, gold, and silver. It hangs from what is believed
to be its original yoke, made from American elm, also known as slippery
elm.
-
On July 8, 1776 the bell rang to announce the first public reading of the
Declaration of Independence.
-
The inscription on the Liberty Bell is "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all
the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof" (Leviticus 25:10). The
old State House bell was first called the "Liberty Bell" by a group trying
to outlaw slavery. These abolitionists remembered the words on the
bell and, in the 1830s, adopted it as a symbol of their cause.
-
** Independence Square and Historic State House Row
-
** Congress
Hall
-
House Chamber open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Senate Chamber open 11:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
-
Free. Ranger-led programs are available.
-
Constructed in 1787 - 1789 as the Philadelphia County Court House, this
building served as the meeting place of the U. S. Congress from 1790 -
1800. The House of Representatives met on the main floor, while the
Senate assembled upstairs. Among the historic events that took place
here were the presidential inaugurations of George Washington (his second)
and John Adams; the establishment of the First Bank of the United States,
the Federal Mint, and the Department of the Navy; and the ratification
of Jay's Treaty with England.
-
** Old
City Hall (1789)
-
Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
-
Built as the City Hall of Philadelphia, the building was used by the U.
S. Supreme Court from the time the building was completed in 1791 until
1800 when the Federal Government was moved to Washington D. C.
-
** American Philosophical
Society - Philosophical Hall
-
Open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Allow at least 20 minutes to view exhibits.
-
Free.
-
Be sure to get a Gallery Guide on arrival.
-
To accommodate weekend visitors to Independence Hall, only the park-side
entrance of Philosophical Hall (on Independence Square) is open on Saturdays
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At these
times, museum visitors will need to go through National Park Service security
screening on Market Street between 5th and 6th Streets (in the old Liberty
Bell Pavilion), walk through the Liberty Bell Center, cross Chestnut Street,
and go behind Independence Hall and to the left to reach the park-side
entrance of Philosophical Hall.
-
On April 30 there will be no tours offered.
-
Normally advance reservations are required for groups of ten or more.
To schedule a guided tour of the current exhibition for your group or class,
please e-mail mteeling@amphilsoc.org or call 215-440-3427 during normal
business hours.
-
The American Philosophical Society (APS) was America’s first academy of
science. It was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743. Members
included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton,
Thomas Paine, Benjamin Rush, James Madison, John Marshall, Lafayette, von
Steuben, and Kosciusko.
-
Philosophical Hall, the Society’s headquarters, also housed an important
library collection and the country’s first major museum. Before there
was a Smithsonian Institution or a Library of Congress, the APS collected
everything under the sun, including documents penned by the Founding Fathers,
models of clever inventions, plants found by Lewis and Clark on America’s
western frontier, and much more. All these objects contributed to
“promoting useful knowledge among the British plantations in America,”
the mission of the APS laid out in 1743 by its founder, Benjamin Franklin.
-
A new exhibition at Philadelphia’s oldest new museum, "Treasures Revealed:
260 Years of Collecting at the American Philosophical Society", presents
highlights from this remarkable collection. Visitors will see important
documents, scientific specimens, patent models, portraits, maps, rare books
and manuscripts—as well as painter’s palettes, lantern slides, Sumatran
writing sticks and silhouettes of famous patriots from Peale’s Museum.
-
On current exhibition and not to be missed are
· Only known copy of the Declaration of Independence printed
on vellum. It is rarely on view.
· One of Gilbert Stuart’s paintings of George Washington’s portrait.
· Lewis and Clark’s journal
· Famous illustration of a slave ship
· Original battle maps of the first and last major battles of
the American Revolutionary War
· First copy machine
-
Library
-
Rare books include first editions of Newton's Principia, Franklin's
Experiments
and Observations, and Darwin's Origin of Species.
-
The Manuscript Collection includes the Benjamin Franklin Papers, the papers
of the artist Charles Willson Peale and family, and the papers of Franz
Boas, founder of modern American anthropology.
-
Special research projects such as the Society's History of Genetics Project,
The Papers of Charles Darwin, and The Papers of Benjamin Henry Latrobe
are here.
-
** Second
Bank of the United States (1819)
-
Open 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
-
Free.
-
Designed by William Strickland, this building, built between 1819 and 1824,
is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United
States.
-
The Second Bank was incorporated in 1816 and was one of the most influential
financial institutions in the world until 1832, when it became the center
of bitter controversy between bank president Nicholas Biddle and President
Andrew Jackson. The bank ceased to exist in 1836 after Jackson vetoed
the bill to renew its charter. The building continued for a short time
to house a banking institution under a Pennsylvania charter. From 1845
to 1935 the building served as the Philadelphia Customs House.
-
** New
Hall Military Museum
-
Open Wednesday - Sunday by tour only. Inquire at Visitor Center Desk.
-
The New Hall Military Museum is devoted to interpreting the role of the
military in early American history. This building is a reconstruction
of the one built by the Carpenters' Company in 1791, and it originally
housed the office of the first Secretary of War, Henry Knox, and his staff.
The building currently houses exhibits highlighting the origins of the
United States Army, Marine Corps and Navy with displays featuring weapons,
uniforms, battle flags and more.
-
** Pemberton
House
-
A Georgian brick home built in 1775 by Joseph Pemberton, a Quaker merchant.
-
** Carpenters'
Hall
-
Open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
-
Built in 1770 by the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia,
a guild founded in 1724 to help its members develop architectural skills
and to aid their families in times of need. The delegates to the
First Continental Congress met here in September 1774 to air their grievances
against King George III. In the spring of 1775, the Second Continental
Congress transferred its sessions to the more commodious State House (now
Independence Hall), but Carpenters' Hall continued to be used by various
political groups. During the Revolutionary War the Hall served as
a hospital and an arsenal for American forces. The building is still
owned and maintained by the Carpenters' Company.
-
** First
Bank of the United States
-
The First Bank of the United States was chartered by Congress and President
Washington in 1791 under the direction of the Treasury Secretary, Alexander
Hamilton. Architecturally, the First Bank of the United States building
won wide acclaim upon its completion in 1797, and it is believed to be
one of the first examples of Classical monumental design. The constitutionality
of the First Bank of the United States sparked the first great debate between
"strict constructionalists" and "loose constructionalists" regarding the
interpretation of The United States Constitution.
-
** Christ
Church (built in 1727)
-
Known as "The Nation's Church" because of the famous Revolutionary-era
leaders who worshiped here, Christ Church was founded in 1695.
-
Those who worshiped regularly at Christ Church include George Washington,
Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Robert Morris, Absalom Jones, Benjamin Rush,
John Penn (William Penn's grandson), Francis Hopkinson and many others.
-
It is one of the finest Georgian structures in America. The steeple,
financed by a lottery organized by Benjamin Franklin, was the tallest structure
in the colonies for 83 years. The interior of the church is as impressive
as the exterior. It includes the baptismal font from the 1300s donated
by All Hallows Church London in which William Penn was baptized, a pulpit
from 1769 built by Thomas Folwell and a chandelier still in use since its
installation in 1740.
-
It was the first parish of the Church of England (Anglican) in Pennsylvania.
It is also the church where the American Episcopal Church was born.
-
** Elfreth's Alley
-
"Since 1702 ... Our Nation's Oldest Residential Street"
-
Elfreth's Alley is a National Historic Landmark and the nation's oldest
residential street. Each year the Alley welcomes thousands of visitors
to stroll along the cobblestones and experience the 18th century homes
- still private residences today.
-
** Betsy Ross House.
Directions
and parking.
-
** St.
George's Methodist Church
-
Oldest Methodist church in the world.
-
** Christ
Church Burial Ground (1730)
-
Free.
-
Five signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here, including
Benjamin Franklin.
-
Free admission, but may sign
up in advance for a group tour at $1 per person. Pay on arrival.
Tour can be tailored to your particular interests and the time you have
available.
-
** Oldest
Friends' Meeting House
-
Open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
-
Donation requested.
-
This is the oldest Friends Meeting House still in use in Philadelphia and
the largest in the world. It was built in 1804 and enlarged in 1811.
-
The Meeting House's land was donated by William Penn.
-
** Atwater
Kent Museum of Philadelphia history of Philadelphia museum
-
Open 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
-
Free to youth 12 and under. $3 for youth 13-17 years old. $5
for adults.
-
** Old Morris Mansion (1787) - not open to the public
-
** Burial
Grounds of the Congregation
Mikveh Israel
-
Twenty-six years before William Penn, the Quaker leader who founded Philadelphia
set foot in the New World in 1682, a few Jews were trading with the Native
Americans along the South River of the New Netherlands (later known as
the Delaware River). The Jewish community in New Amsterdam numbered
some two dozen souls who had first arrived in the trading post on the Hudson
River in the autumn of 1654. Exiles from Brazil, they had gained permission
to stay in Manhattan from the Dutch West India Company, sponsor of the
colony.
-
Mikveh Israel, "The Hope of Israel," was founded in 1740. The first
Hebrew Sunday School in America emanated from Mikveh Israel. It is
known today as the Hebrew Sunday School Society, and it continues to be
an active part of Jewish education. Gratz College, the first Hebrew
teacher's college in the Western hemisphere, was endowed by congregant
Hyman Gratz. Mikveh Israel's Dr. Adler and Judge Mayer Sulzberger,
the first Jewish judge in Philadelphia, helped found the American Jewish
Committee, the Jewish Publication Society of America, and the Jewish Welfare
Board. Congregant Moses Aaron Dropsie endowed Dropsie University.
Many noted scholars have been associated with Mikveh Israel. They include
the late Professors Max L. Margolis, Dr. Solomon Zeitlin, Dr. Solomon Grayzel,
among others. Over the years, greats of World Jewry such as Sir Moses
Montefiore, have been identified with the congregation.
-
** Pennsylvania
Hospital
-
The first hospital in the United States.
-
Founded in 1751 by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin "to care for the
sick-poor and insane who were wandering the streets of Philadelphia."
At the time, Philadelphia was the fastest growing city in the 13 colonies.
-
So pleased was Franklin that he later stated: "I do not remember any of
my political manoeuvres, the success of which gave me at the time more
pleasure..."
-
** Old
Pine Street Presbyterian Church
-
Built in 1768, then rebuilt in 1837 and 1857.
-
Although Philadelphia is associated with William Penn and other Quakers,
in fact by 1739, Presbyterians outnumbered all other religious denominations
in Philadelphia.
-
During the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1777, British troops used
the building as a hospital. They tore up the pews and pulpit to make
fires to warm their sick and dying. Later the Church was used as
a stable. 100 mercenary Hessian troops are buried in the cemetery.
-
** St.
Peter's Episcopal Church
-
Opened in 1761.
-
Notable people buried here include George Mifflin Dallas, Vice President
of the U.S. for whom Dallas, Texas is named, Charles Willson Peale, famous
portrait painter, Commodore Stephen Decatur, hero of the Battle of Tripoli
in 1814, and the Chiefs of Eight Indian Tribes who were stricken with small
pox while visiting Philadelphia in 1793 to meet with President Washington.
-
** Old St. Joseph's
Church
-
Founded in 1733
-
Old St. Joseph's Church is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia.
-
** Powel
House
-
Built in 1765, this elegant Georgian brick house was the home of Samuel
Powel who served as the last Mayor of Philadelphia under the British Crown.
Powel was also the first Mayor of Philadelphia after the creation of the
United States. Powel and his wife frequently entertained notable
guests such as John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
-
Martha and George Washington’s 20th wedding anniversary was celebrated
with a dinner and dancing in the Powel House ballroom. George was
there but we’re not sure Martha attended! Today, the Powel House
Collection includes a lock of George Washington’s hair and wood from his
coffin.
-
** Bishop
White House
-
Open by tour only. Free tickets are available on the day of your visit
at the Independence Visitor Center. Tours are limited to 10 people,
and tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The tour
takes approximately one hour and includes the Todd House.
-
The Rev. Dr. William White, rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's
Church and the first Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania, lived in this house
from the time it was built in 1787 until his death in 1836. White chose
its location because it lay midway between the two churches he served.
The house has been restored to reflect the lifestyle of upper-class Philadelphians
during the late 18th century. Many of the items in the house actually belonged
to the Bishop.
-
** Todd
House
-
Open by tour only. Tours are limited to 10 people. The tour
takes approximately one hour and includes the Bishop White House.
-
Free tickets are available on the day of your visit at the Independence
Visitor Center.
-
Built in 1775 it was occupied from 1791 -1793 by lawyer John Todd, and
his wife Dolley Payne. Todd died during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic.
Following her husband's death, Dolley married James Madison, destined to
become the fourth President of the United States. The couple subsequently
moved to the Madison estate in Virginia. The Todd House reflects
the lifestyle of 18th century Philadelphia's middle class.
-
** St.
Mary's Catholic Church
-
Built in 1763, Old St. Mary's became the first Catholic Cathedral of the
Diocese of Philadelphia in 1810. George Washington, John Adams and
other members of the Continental Congress attended services at Old St.
Mary's Church. John Barry, "Father of the American Navy," is buried
here.
-
** Holy
Trinity Catholic Church
-
Established for German and French-speaking people in 1789.
-
The church established the first Catholic orphan asylum in America in 1797.
-
The lovers of Longfellow's poem "Evangeline" are said to be buried
here.
-
** Washington
Square
-
It was one of Philadelphia's five original squares as laid out in 1682
by William Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme. It was then called Southeast
Square, as Quakers did not believe in naming places after people.
Within 25 years of Penn's arrival, however, the square was being used as
a potter's field and a burial yard for strangers in the city. It
served in this capacity from 1704 to 1794, a period roughly (and curiously)
paralleling the dates of Benjamin Franklin's tenure on earth (1706-1790).
Burials were generally done on the cheap: bodies bound in canvas — sans
coffins.
-
Beginning in 1776, fallen troops from Washington's Army were buried in
the Square. Pits 20 feet by 30 feet in length were dug along 7th
and Walnut Streets which were then filled by coffins piled one atop another
until space in the mass grave ran out. Long trenches the width of
the Square were hastily dug on the Square's south side. John Adams
wrote a sad letter filled with lamentation to his wife, Abigail, on April
13, 1777. "I have spent an hour, this morning, in the congregation
of the dead. I took a walk into the Potters Field, a burying ground...and
I never in my whole life was affected with so much melancholy."
-
When the British occupied Philadelphia in 1777, they used the Walnut Street
Jail, which then faced the Square, to hold prisoners of war. Draconian
conditions caused death in droves.
-
The tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution is located in
Washington Square. A stone backdrop bears the inscription "Freedom
is a light for which many men have died in darkness." Before this
stands a life-size statue of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon, a French
sculptor who was considered one of the most distinguished neoclassicists.
The sculpture is a 1922 bronze cast of a marble original dating from about
1790, the only full-length statue of Washington modeled from life.
The general's left hand rests on a column of fasces, the classical bundle
of rods that symbolizes official authority and political unity. At
the statue's feet a sarcophagus holds the remains of an unknown Revolutionary
soldier. A memorial flame burns in front, and lining the slate-paved
plaza are fourteen flagpoles designed to bear battle standards or other
flags representing the original thirteen colonies and the unified nation
they formed. A five-day archeological search in 1956 uncovered the
unknown soldier's remains in the northwest section of the square, where
coffins had been stacked one on top of the other in huge burial pits.
One skeleton was carefully exhumed and transferred to the memorial sarcophagus.
The inscription reads: "Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington's
army who died to give you liberty." Each Fourth of July, a wreath
laying ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American
Revolution.
-
Nearby is a more cheerful monument in the form of a living tree; the Bicentennial
Moon Tree, a sycamore planted in honor of the nation's Bicentennial, grown
from a seed carried to the moon by Apollo astronaut Stuart Roosa.
-
In 1825 the 6.4-acre Southeast Square was renamed Washington Square to
honor the great general and first President, and also to the legions of
Revolutionary soldiers and sailors buried here.
-
National Constitution
Center
-
Open 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
-
Fee: $5 Children (12 and under), $7 (13 years old and over).
-
The first museum in the world devoted to dramatically telling the story
of The United States Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present
through more than 100 interactive and multimedia exhibits, film, photographs,
text, sculpture and artifacts. Watch "Freedom Rising" which brings
to life the historical context of The Constitution and its impact on our
lives today. Take the Presidential Oath-of-Office and vote for your
favorite President of all-time.
-
7:00 p.m. supper at Old Country Buffet. $10 per person, included
in the $25 trip fee. Menu includes buffet
and daily
featured items.
Old Country Buffet
Northtowne Plaza
2800
DeKalb Pike
Norristown, PA
(610) 277-9650
Pennsylvania Tpke., Exit 25 Norristown to Germantown Pike West, three
miles to Rt. 202, south (left) one block. We are on left in Northtowne
Plaza. Germantown & DeKalb Pike (Rt. 202).
-
Sunday, May 1 - Valley Forge
-
Today we are doing the BSA "Valley Forge Historical Trail", which includes
a 9 mile hike, exhibits, and a film in Valley
Forge National Historical Park. The requirements are marked below
with **. Trail
map. Valley
Forge NHP map.
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All exhibits and buildings in the Valley Forge National Historical Park
are free admission, except for George Washington's Headquarters.
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Park in the lower parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.
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It was here at Valley Forge that General George Washington forged his Continental
Army into a fighting force, during the difficult winter encampment from
December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. Of all places associated with
America's War for Independence, none conveys the suffering, sacrifice and
ultimate triumph more than Valley Forge. No battles were fought,
no bayonet charges or artillery bombardments took place. Nonetheless,
some 2,000 soldiers died - more Americans than were killed at the battles
of Brandywine and Germantown combined. Valley Forge is the story
of an army's epic struggle to survive against terrible odds, hunger, disease,
insufficient clothing and medicine, and the unrelenting forces of nature.
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On December 19, 1777, a tired, ill-equipped, and despondent army limped
its way into the fields and hills lying just east of the confluence of
Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River. This was an army that had met with
only limited success, not because it lacked heart but rather because it
lacked the skills and equipment necessary to meet its country's goal of
defeating the British army in open battle and compelling them to leave
the United States. Six months later, on June 19, 1778, a new, better equipped
and well trained American army emerged from Valley Forge ready to prove
to the world that it could now stand up to the best the British army had
to offer.
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Boy Scouts have been going to the annual Valley
Forge Pilgrimage at the Valley Forge National Historical Park in February
since 1912. It is the oldest continuing scout activity in our nation.
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The initiators of the original Valley Forge Historical Trail were the Delmont
Order of the Arrow, Lodge 43.
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To earn the "Valley Forge Historical Trail" medal:
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See the exhibits and the introductory film in the Welcome Center.
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Complete the 9 mile hike of the Valley Forge Historical Trail, which begins
and ends at the Welcome Center. Both hiking and orienteering skills
are needed.
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Answer the questions in the "Valley Forge Historical Trail" booklet as
you follow the trail.
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Those who complete the 9 mile hike and complete the requirements in the
booklet may earn the Valley Forge Historical Trail medal. The medal
is based on the 1932 Boys' Life calendar painting, "A Scout is Loyal",
of
George
Washington standing with a Boy Scout by Norman Rockwell.
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Rules:
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Stay on the designated trails. Do not walk on the earthworks because
you may destroy the grass cover and cause erosion. The earthworks
are the original fortifications built by Washington's soldiers over 225
years ago.
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Do not climb on the reconstructed huts.
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Do not picnic in areas marked "Historic Zones". Carry out all litter.
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Welcome Center
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Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
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Get free park map.
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** See the free 18 minute orientation film, "Valley Forge:
A Winter Encampment", shown every half-hour from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This film takes a step back in time to show that the victory won at Valley
Forge was not that of weapons, but of will.
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** See "A Glimpse into Time", an exhibit about the Valley Forge encampment,
the weapons and equipment once used by the officers, soldiers, and camp
followers during the American Revolution.
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** Muhlenberg
Brigade huts - reconstructed huts. The originals were built by
the Virginia troops of General Muhlenberg and Weedon.
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The Soldier Life at Muhlenberg Brigade. It offers visitors a glimpse
of what life was like for the soldiers at Valley Forge, and how they lived
during the six months of their winter encampment. Saturdays and Sundays,
10:00am to 4:30pm. Weather permitting.
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Musket Firing Demonstration at Muhlenberg Brigade teaches visitors how
Washington's soldiers were taught to load and fire their musket and to
use this weapon on the battlefield. Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30pm.
Weather permitting.
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Musket
Drill - the 13 steps to load and fire a musket.
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MPG
Video of loading and firing a musket.
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** Redoubt
#2 - reconstructed earthen fortification
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** Weedon's
Brigade marker
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** National
Memorial Arch
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The granite Arch is built in a style similar to the Arch of Titus, in Rome,
and it faces Gulph Road, over which the weary and ragged regiments marched
to their camps.
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"And here, in this place of sacrifice, in this vale of humiliation, in
this valley of the shadow of that death out of which the life of America
rose regenerate and free, let us believe with an abiding Faith that to
them Union will seem as dear and liberty as sweet and progress as glorious
as they were to our fathers and are to you and me, and that the institutions
which have made us happy, preserved by the virtue of our children, shall
bless the remotest generation of the time to come." --Henry Armitt Brown
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** General
Poor's Brigade reconstructed huts
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Pennsylvania
column monuments
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Artillery
Park
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Most of the cannon brought to Valley Forge were massed in the Artillery
Park. Here, under the command of Brig. Gen. Henry Knox, artillery was stored
and repaired and gun crews were trained and drilled. In the event of an
attack, the cannon could be dispatched from this central location to wherever
they were needed.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Redoubt
#3 (Fort Washington)
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Redoubt 3 (Fort Washington) anchored the other end of the inner defense
line. Overlooking one of the encampment roads, this work defended the southern
approaches to Valley Forge.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** New
Jersey Monument
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** George
Washington's Headquarters and Museum
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Open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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$3 for 12 years old and older admission fee for George Washington's Headquarters.
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This building is the original house lived in by George Washington during
the winter of 1777-1778. It served as both military headquarters
for the entire Continental army and living quarters for General Washington,
his wife, and some staff.
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Within a week of the army's arrival at Valley Forge, General Washington
recognized that he would need a place to organize and orchestrate the plans
for the entire army that, in addition to the troops at Valley Forge, were
spread throughout the colonies to the north and south of the encampment.
Although the majority of the troops residing at Valley Forge through the
winter of 1777 and spring of 1778 lived in huts, many of the General Officers
shared or rented local farm houses. This practice was customarily
done to accommodate the needs of a general's staff and aides. General
Washington rented this house, owned by Isaac Potts, from its occupant,
Mrs. Deborah Hewes. Here the General and his staff received local
officials and foreign dignitaries, in addition to coordinating the daily
operations of the of the entire continental army. Washington's original
stone headquarters has been restored and furnished.
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"Washington: Commander-in-Chief" at Washington's Headquarters is a presentation
about the role George Washington played as the Commander-in-Chief of the
Continental Army. Daily, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm.
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** Dewees
house where court martials were held.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Horseshoe Trail marked by yellow blazes.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Site of the original iron forge on Valley Creek. Valley Forge
gets its name from the iron forges that were built along Valley Creek.
These forges were destroyed by British forces during the fall of 1777 to
prevent them from providing supplies and weaponry to the Continental Army.
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.** Covered
bridge over Valley Creek, built in 1865.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** General Woodford's Virinia brigade huts
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Wooden abatis and reconstructed earthworks.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Redoubt
#4, and Grand Parade Ground
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Redoubt 4 (Fort
Huntington) anchored one end of the inner, or second, line of defense.
The area around this work was occupied by troops commanded by Brig. Gen.
Jedediah Huntington.
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A local resident, R. Francis Wood unearthed some bones on his farm and
had written park superintendent A. H. Bowen for permission to inter them
on park property. He wrote: "They are the remains of a soldier of
the Revolutionary Army, who was shot on the farm by the then owner, presumably
for stealing and with the authorization of a continental officer."
Permission was granted, and Wood buried the soldier near the redoubt then
called Fort Huntington (now Redoubt #4), putting up a simple stone, which
actually became the first monument in the new park. Today, park rangers
refer to it as the "chicken thief monument."
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** General
Vernum's headquarters
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This early 18th-century farmhouse, which overlooks the Grand Parade, served
as quarters for Gen. James Varnum, the commander of the Rhode Island troops.
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General
von Steuben's Statue
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General von Steuben trained the soldiers of the Continental Army in the
finer points of marching and maneuvering. A large part of General
von Steuben's success in training the soldiers of Washington's army at
Valley Forge was achieved by his reliance on the power of example.
He formed a model company of 100 selected men and undertook its drill in
person.
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At Valley Forge von Steuben standardized most basic field maneuvers and
tactics, introduced a manual of arms for loading and firing a musket, trained
the men in the use of the bayonet, and made the American officers aware
of their duties. All these changes were improvements that led to
effectiveness on the battlefield. Washington's soldiers now had the
skills to successfully fight the British.
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The statue of von Steuben is one of only two statues in the park of the
generals who served at Valley Forge.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Star
Redoubt (now Redoubt #1)
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Redoubt 1 commanded the high ground with an unobstructed view of the Schuylkill
river and Sullivan's
Bridge 300 yards below. The redoubt was built to guard the bridge
and the encampment's northern supply routes, and was manned by Varnum's
Rhode Island Brigade from huts nearby.
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Bridging the Schuylkill was one of General Washington's most pressing concerns.
The army needed access to the land across the river, and a quick escape
route in case of an overwhelming British attack.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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** Waterman
Monument - Daughters of the American Revolution Monument
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The monument marks the approximate location of the only identified grave
of a Continental Soldier who died at Valley Forge.
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John Waterman died of smallpox in the spring of 1778. His comrades
marked his grave with a stone. By 1943 people had chipped pieces
of stone off the original 18th century gravestone so the Daughters of the
American Revolution put it in a museum for safekeeping. The headstone
is now the property of the National Park Service at Valley Forge, and its
former location has become uncertain. The obelisk now known as Waterman's
monument was erected in 1901 "close to the grave" of John Waterman.
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The Waterman Monument is popularly but incorrectly called the "Waterman
Monument". The name "Waterman Monument'' should not be used in connection
with this Memorial. "References to this monument should emphasize
its commemorative purpose ie: Its dedication to "Soldiers who died at Valley
Forge", and known as the 1901 Daughters of the American Revolution Monument.
It was never intended as a monument solely to John Waterman. It was
erected on the site of one of Valley Forge's supposed burial grounds and
was dedicated to all those who died at Valley Forge. Its inscription
reads: "To the memory of the soldiers of Washington's army who sleep in
Valley Forge." Yet even the park commission indicated confusion in
their 1902 report when they described it as a memorial to "the endurance
of the Revolutionary Patriots who during this severe winter, underwent
the hardships incident to the severe cold, and withstood the ravages of
disease which almost wiped the army out of existence." On the contrary,
the area's first impressive monument was dedicated to those at Valley Forge
who did not endure, withstand, or survive. The obelisk was not intended
to replace Waterman's headstone.
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** Follow the orienteering directions in the trail brochure.
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Also of interest:
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Washington
Memorial Chapel and Carillon Tower.
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Chapel is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Located on private
property within the park.
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This early 20th century church commemorates George Washington's service
to his country.
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Carillon recitals follow 11:15 am Sunday service.
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Adjacent to the Washington Memorial Chapel is the Washington Memorial Museum,
maintained by the Valley Forge Historical Society. It contains contains
thousands of relics, including General Washington's field tent.
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Memorial
to Unknown Soldier
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Although it is estimated that between 1,500 and 3,000 troops and auxiliaries
died during the Valley Forge encampment, it is not known how many were
buried here, since many soldiers died in hospitals far from camp.
It is certain, however, that a number of burials took place at or near
camp, and this monument marks one of the traditional sites. Location:
off Outerline Drive past General Wayne's statue.
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Resource Guide
for Teachers and Students
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Muster Roll
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Search for soldiers who were at Valley Forge in 1777-1778.
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World of
Scouting Museum One of the finest and largest collections of
Scouting memorabilia in the entire country. Thousands of Boy Scout
and Girl Scout items are displayed.
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Open 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
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Located behind the Washington Memorial Chapel
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Fee: $1 youth, $2 adults (18 years old and up)
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One of the most priceless pieces on view is the original Boy Scout sash
from 1923, which served as a prototype from which the BSA fashioned others.
Originally, badges were worn on the sleeves of the uniform shirt.
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Other items include a 1910 uniform, a 1911 first issue of Boys Life,
Dan Beard's bugle, two original boxes (one still with the cookies) of Girl
Scout cookies from the 1930's, copies of the first Official British Scout
Handbook from 1908 and the American Scout Handbook from 1910, an original
first American Girl Scout Handbook signed by Juliette Low from 1913, handwritten
letters and artwork by Baden-Powell, rarely-seen early felt Order of the
Arrow sashes and a selection of rare early OA patches, a Boy Scout rifle
with a fleur-de-lis on each shell, and much more.
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Leave and drive home.
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Supper on your own.
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Arrive home.
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Monday, May 2
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At home set up tent to dry and clean it
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Clean troop cooking gear
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7:30 p.m. Return clean, dry tent and troop cooking gear to Quartermaster
at Troop meeting
"Liberty Bell" image courtesy of clippix.com.
"Prayer at Valley Forge" image courtesy of ace-clipart.com.
Boy Scout Troop 174, Yorktown, NY. http://troop174.info