Information on various historical sites and attractions for tourists in the state of Pennsylvania. Including a few historical facts.
Pennsylvania is the perfect spot to visit if you are interested in learning more about American History.
From Gettysburg to Valley Forge this historic state is a place of battlefields and museums, containing exhibits and memorabilia from the pre-Civil War and Civil War eras.
The small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of the largest Civil War battle ever waged in the Western Hemisphere. The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, 1863 and was over in three days. Ending with the climactic "Pickett's Charge". It was the Union victory for the Army of the Potomac. Known as the "bloodiest battle of the Civil War" there were over 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured.
The Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg contains more than 3,500 gravesites from the Civil War. Post-battle preservation efforts saved small portions of the battlefield as a memorial to the Union victory.
The cemetery was established on the battleground near the center of the Union line for the proper burial of Union soldiers who died in the great battle. State funds were used to purchase the cemetery grounds to provide adequate grave sites for the dead. At the dedication ceremony of The Soldiers' National Cemetery in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal Gettysburg Address.
The Gettysburg National Cemetery is the final resting-place for American veterans from all of this country's major wars and conflicts. The cemetery is also the site of numerous monuments and memorials. Self-guided auto tour route maps are available at the Visitor Center as well as walking tours, bicycle tours, campfire programs, and living history demonstrations.
The Gettysburg National Military Park was dedicated as a memorial to the armies that fought that great three-day battle in 1895. The Park consists of nearly 6,000 acres, with 26 miles of park roads and over 1,400 monuments, markers, and memorials.
A tour of historical Pennsylvania should include Fulton County. Fulton County is one of 9 counties in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission of America's Industrial Heritage Project. Home of the Tonoloway Primative Baptist Church, which was the tenth Baptist church built in America. The church was first built in 1752 and rebuilt in 1804. The church served as a hospital during the Civil War.
Our tour continues where the Continental Army under General George Washington's command became a professional force. Marching on to victory over the British and securing America's independence at Valley Forge in 1783.
General Washington's soldiers' camp at The Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania was preserved by the efforts of private citizens in the nineteenth century as a memorial for the troops who wintered at Valley Forge. The National Park Service at Valley Forge is a place to preserve, protect and maintain the natural and cultural resources that are associated with and commemorate the encampment of the Continental Army in 1777/1778. The Parks second mission is to educate the American people about one of the most defining events American history.
The National Memorial Arch is a highly visited spot at Valley Forge. Interpreters in period costume demonstrate conditions of soldier life on designated dates throughout the year.
The bronze equestrian statue of General Anthony Wayne stands in an area where Pennsylvania troops commanded by Wayne were encamped. The Wayne Statue at Valley Forge faces toward the general's home in Chester County.
Other tourist attractions at Valley Forge include visiting the Isaac Potts House; Washington's Headquarters, Fort Huntington, Fort Washington and the Dewees House. Also Located on private property within the park are the Washington Memorial Chapel and the Valley Forge Historical Society Museum. The museum contains artifacts relating to the Revolution.
Taking a tour of historic Pennsylvania we visit the McConnellsburg Historic District. The District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The town represents building styles from the 19th and 20th century.
The Fulton House and Fulton County Court House in the town of McConnellsburg are points of interest to include in your tour. The Fulton House is actually a stone inn, which once boarded governors and four presidents. It was built in 1793and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the inn is the site of the Fulton County Historical Society. The Fulton County Court House was built in 1851. Its original Kerosene chandelier now hangs in the Fulton House.
The Burnt Cabins Grist Mill, which is over 200 years old, is also located in McConnellsburg. This operating water-powered mill produces 12 kinds of flour sold nationally and has a campground area for visitors.
Finally, you will want to take a tour of The Thomas Massey House. This house is one of the oldest English Quaker homes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It has been placed on the National Register of historical Places, and the Historical American Building Survey. The house is a monument to the American dream. English born Thomas Massey began life as an indentured servant. In America he became a landowner and built a house that has stood strong for more than 300 years. Thomas Massey himself built the brick portion of the house in 1963, as an addition to an existing log house. Around 1730 his son, Mordecai, replaced the log house with a stone house and kitchen. Part of the restoration of the Massey House includes a walk-in-fireplace and a beehive oven, which have been reconstructed and are in use today.
There are many other historical sites and attraction throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia alone will fill several days of sightseeing and adventure into the early days of American life.
So, plan your next trip to the state of Pennsylvania and discover America!
