Washington Memorial Chapel
Encyclopedia
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site where the Continental Army spent the winter of 1777–1778 near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during the American Revolutionary War. The National Historical Park preserves the site and interprets the history of the Valley Forge encampment. ...
in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
The Village of Valley Forge is an unincorporated settlement located on the west side of Valley Forge National Historical Park at the confluence of Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania, United States. The remaining village is in Schuylkill Township of Chester County, but once...
, the Washington Memorial Chapel is both an active Episcopal Parish and a tribute to General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. Designed by Milton B. Medary, the Chapel resulted from a sermon preached by founder, the Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Burk of Norristown
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Norristown is a municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of the city limits of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The population was 34,324 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
, an Episcopal
Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware in the state of Pennsylvania....
priest
Anglican ministry
The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. "Ministry" commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons. More accurately, Anglican ministry includes many laypeople who devote themselves...
.
History
The money for the chapel was raised in small increments (nickelsNickel (United States coin)
The nickel is a five-cent coin, representing a unit of currency equaling five hundredths of one United States dollar. A later-produced Canadian nickel five-cent coin was also called by the same name....
and dimes
Dime (United States coin)
The dime is a coin 10 cents, one tenth of a United States dollar, labeled formally as "one dime". The denomination was first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792. The dime is the smallest in diameter and is the thinnest of all U.S...
), raising the building a "few feet at a time." In the religious and patriotic zeal of the day, Dr. Burk was active in trying to preserve Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
, and in the establishment of the Valley Forge Museum of American History (the predecessor to the Valley Forge Historical Society).
On June 19, 1903, the 125th anniversary of the evacuation of the continental army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
from Valley Forge, the cornerstone was laid on property donated by the I. Heston Todd family. A small framed building preceded the present structure. The original structure was named the "Theodore Roosevelt Chapel", in honor of President Roosevelt after his visit to the site and address in 1904.
The Chapel was completed in 1917 and is currently the home of an active parish in addition to serving as a National Memorial to Washington. The chapel serves as a wayside chapel to those who visit Valley Forge National Historical Park, and welcomes visitors from all over the world.
Noted ironsmith Samuel Yellin
Samuel Yellin
Samuel Yellin , American master blacksmith, was born in Galicia Poland where at the age of eleven he was apprenticed to an iron master. By the age of sixteen he had completed his apprenticeship. During that period he gained the nickname of "Devil," both for his work habits and his sense of humor...
produced the wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
gates, hardware & locks. He was one of many artisans to produce sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s, stonework, stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
and metal work.
From the visitor's perspective the Chapel, with its central location, can appear to be a part of the park. However, the Chapel and surrounding property belong to the Episcopal Church. Across Port Kennedy Road from the Chapel sits the builder's model of the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
. This obelisk marks the grave of Lieutennant John Waterman. The original Waterman gravestone was originally on display in the visitor's center museum.
The Bell Tower houses the DAR
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
Patriot Rolls, listing those that served in the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and the Chapel grounds host the World of Scouting Museum.
National Patriots Bell Tower and Carillon
The chapel is also known for carillonCarillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
, placed in the National Patriots Bell Tower. The tower was built entirely by funds raised over a period of more than a decade by members of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
It is a traditional carillon with a traditional keyboard composed of 58 bells. The first 14 bells were installed in 1926 (from the Meneely Bell Foundry
Meneely bell foundry
The Meneely Bell Foundry was a bell foundry established in 1826 in West Troy , New York, by Andrew Meneely. Two of Andrew's sons continued to operate the foundry after his death, while a third son, Clinton H. Meneely, opened a second foundry across the river with George H. Kimberly in Troy, New...
), and expanded over the course of three decades. The 56 bells were reinstalled in the current tower in 1953, and expanded again to 58 bells in 1963 with bells from the Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard is a French foundry founded in 1796, which has cast more than 120,000 bells located throughout the world. The foundry has been continuously operated for seven generations by the Paccard family. The largest bell cast by Paccard is the World Peace Bell....
in France.
See also
- Valley Forge PilgrimageValley Forge PilgrimageThe Valley Forge Pilgrimage and Encampment is the oldest annual Scouting event in the World. It was first held on February 22, 1913 , and has been held every year since. The event is hosted by the Cradle of Liberty Council and commemorates the soldiers of the Continental Army who braved the winter...
- Guild of Carillonneurs in North AmericaGuild of Carillonneurs in North AmericaThe Guild of Carillonneurs in North America is a professional society of carillonneurs in the United States and Canada, dedicated to the promotion of the carillon art. The GCNA was founded in Ottawa, Ontario in 1936 and is a member of the World Carillon Federation . It holds an annual congress at...
External links
Resources
- "Making a Museum: The Confessions of a Curator" By Rev. W. Herbert Burk, D.D. [Founder and Curator of the Valley Forge Museum of American History], 1926.
- "In the Beginning: at Valley Forge and the Washington Memorial Chapel" By Eleanor H.S. Burk, 1938.