Fort Washington State Park

About Fort Washington State Park

The park takes its name from the temporary fortress that George Washington's troops built on their way to Valley Forge. The park is popular with hikers and picnickers and is a great place to enjoy birds as well as dogwood and dogwood.

The park takes its name from the temporary fort that American Revolution soldiers built in the fall of 1777. Whitemarsh, as the area was then called, was one of the main points of contact between the US Army and the British Army.

After the unsuccessful Battle of Germantown, Washington chose the heights of Whitemarsh Valley as an easy position to defend. It was thought that the British army under General Howe would attack Philadelphia from here, but after Washington decided against it, the British invaded to try to engage the Americans in the fight.

After much back-and-forth, Howe led his army back to Philadelphia on December 8, and Washington's strong position only led to a local skirmish. Knowing that its poorly dressed men needed better housing and also wanted to protect the ironworks and foundries in the Schuylkill Valley, Washington left Whitemarsh on December 11, 1777 and marched on the Continental Army at Valley Forge.

The American spirit had its first rendezvous with destiny there, and while Fort Washington State Park is located in Philadelphia, the city's famous Fairmount Park Commission began acquiring land here in the 1950s. The commission, assisted by the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, managed the park until 1953, when it was transferred from the Legislature and state law to the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Historical Society.

Two picnic pavilions are available all year round - in fine weather and gazebos can be rented before reservation. The 300 picnic tables offer a variety of outdoor activities such as picnics, picnics, hiking, fishing, camping or other activities. If not reserved, they are offered on a first-come, first-served basis for $10 per person per day.

A large playing field offers a variety of outdoor activities such as picnics, hiking, fishing, camping and other activities. There is no waste collection or recycling facility, so visitors are asked to limit the amount of disposable items they bring and to bring garbage, waste and recyclables from home. Flour town is an area that takes care of garbage collection, and there is a garbage collection and recycling facilities.

For information about nearby attractions, contact the Fort Washington State Park Visitor Center at 1-888-743-5555 or contact your local park office.

The park is 15 miles south and provides visitors with access to Fort Washington State Park, one of the state's most popular attractions. Hope Lodge was built in 1750 and is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It is the oldest of its kind in Pennsylvania and the only one in North America and open to the public.

Fort Washington State Park is located in eastern Montgomery County on an area of 493 acres, and the second largest national park in the state, Fort Washington National Historical Park, is located in the western part of the county, south of Interstate 80 and north of I-95. The park is also located on the eastern edge of Montgomery and Allegheny counties, about 15 miles west of Philadelphia.