11 Most Endangered

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Year Listed: 2000
Location: King of Prussia , Pennsylvania
Current Status: Endangered
Threat: Deterioration, Natural Forces, Neglect

Latest News

The preservation of this 11 Most site was supported by Save America's Treasures, a program that is facing elimination in the proposed federal budget. Join our campaign to save this component of preservation funding, which has restored 1,100 structures and collections and created 16,000 jobs coast to coast.

Maxwell's Quarters at Valley Forge National Historical Park in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Credit: Valley Forge National Historical Park

Significance

The pivotal American Revolution site where George Washington and the Continental Army encamped to survive the winter is under a new kind of attack - the ravages of time. It was at Valley Forge, Pa., during the winter of 1777-1778, where the army reorganized to fight and win America's War for Independence. Now an internationally recognized and visited site operated by the National Park Service, the Valley Forge National Historical Park contains important Revolutionary War buildings that are suffering from extensive water damage and inadequate maintenance, all of which require immediate stabilization.

Updates

Listing lead to a Save America’s Treasures award to help stabilize key encampment-era buildings within the park. Still needed is a secure source of funding for essential ongoing maintenance and to ensure its overall character is protected amidst increasing pressures from nearby residential development. Presently a plan to develop the American Revolution Center has sparked significant controversy and legal challenges.