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Surrounding Area
William Penn's Estate
Route1 and Route13, Bucks County
Pennsbury Manor is the restored country
home of William Penn in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The original
manor was a testament to Penn's belief that country life was
more wholesome than crowded cities. The forty acres of Penn's
estate instills a sense of the grace of his "Holy Experiment."
Penn chose land 26 miles north of Philadelphia on the Delaware
River. Unusual for a colonial ruler, he respected the native
Lenni Lenape Indians and purchased his land from them.
Open Weekdays, 9am - 5pm, and Sunday, Noon - 5pm. |
Valley Forge National Historical Park
North Gulph Road and Route 23, Valley Forge, 610-783-1077
Valley Forge Park is the place where
the Continental Army camped for six months through a cruel
winter under the command of General George Washington. The
Valley Forge Historical Society Museum contains a collection
of 7,000 artifacts that testify to the sacrifice made by 12,000
men during that winter of 1777-78. The trial of Valley Forge
is chronicled through the letters, weapons, and personal effects
of the common Continental soldier. The Museum has a large
collection of George Washington's possessions both the military
and civilian. Other historical highpoints in the park are
Washington's headquarters, reconstructed soldiers' huts, Memorial
Arch and Memorial Chapel.
Visitor Center Open Monday through Saturday, 9:30am - 4:30pm,
and Sunday, 1pm - 4:30pm
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Brandywine Battlefield Park
Route 1 in Chadd's Ford, 610-459-3342
During the Revolutionary War, Chadd's
Ford provided passage across the Brandywine River on the
way from Baltimore to Philadelphia. On the morning of September
9, 1777, Washington's troops engaged the enemy while guarding
the Brandywine River against the British advance. Outmaneuvered
and outwitted, the American army was forced to retreat from
the Battle of Brandywine. The Continental Congress abandoned
Philadelphia and moved the Capitol west. As reinforcements
arrived, Washington readied to mount an attack. Nevertheless,
British soldiers entered Philadelphia unopposed on September
26, and the city fell under British control.
Brandywine Battlefield Park Visitor Center and Park Grounds
Tuesday through Saturday, 9am - 5pm, and Sunday, Noon to
5pm.
Park and all facilities are closed Mondays.
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Washington Crossing Historic
Park
Routes 32 and 532, 3 miles north of I95, 215-493-4076
Washington's attack on Trenton began on
Christmas Day, 1776, with 2,400 troops crossing the ice-choked
river. The troops were forced to fight through sleet and blinding
snow. These conditions blocked the divisions to the south,
and Washington's division made the attack alone. Nevertheless,
they marched to Trenton on the morning of December 26, and
resurrected the cause of freedom and the American Revolution.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am - 5pm, and Sunday, Noon
- 5pm
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Winterthur Museum
http://www.winterthur.org/
Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883
A daughter of the founder of the Du Pont
Company built a three-story Greek Revival mansion in 1838.
In 1930, Henry Francis du Pont decided to open a museum and
garden and established the Winterthur Corporation, a nonprofit
organization. Opened in 1951, the Museum highlights one of
the world’s finest collections of American decorative
arts in over 100 settings. The Garden consists of sixty acres
of naturalistic gardens created in harmony with the terrain
and featuring indigenous plants. The Library has a collection
containing 60,000 volumes and 10,000 rare American and European
imprints. The focus of this collection is American household
goods, decorative arts and design, and the material development
in America from the seventeenth through the early twentieth
centuries.
Open Monday through Saturday, 9am - 5pm, and Sunday, Noon
- 5pm.
Winterthur is closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and
Christmas. |
Longwood Gardens
http://www.longwoodgardens.com/
Route 1,Kennett Square, 610-388-6741
Longwood Gardens encompasses 1,000 outdoor
acres of formal gardens, woodlands and meadows and 4 indoor
acres of heated greenhouses. The gardens contain over 10,000
different types of plants accented with spectacular fountains,
which are a spectacular backdrop to musical events and firework
displays. Longwood Gardens hosts educational programs, horticultural
career training and internships, and horticultural and performing
arts events. During the winter holidays, the gardens are decorated
with seasonal flowers and lights.
Open every day from 9am - 5pm. |
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