Our original plans for this trip included doing Brandywine and Valley Forge in a single day, but of course, that just wasn’t possible. So instead, we woke up early this morning to do Brandywine before heading on to our next campground at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. After two days of dreary, cold, rainy weather, this day was a saving grace. We arrived at the Brandywine visitor’s center fairly early and made our way to the Gilpin House in the park. This house was the home of a Quaker family during the war and right out in the yard is the biggest tree I think I’ve ever seen. The plaque reads that this tree bared witness to the war and when looking at it, it’s quite easy to believe. The home is also surrounded by yards of tall grass with beautiful yellow wildflowers. If we’d been there a little later, it would have been the most perfect spot for a picnic. The only other official attraction inside Brandywine Park is Washington’s Headquarters, which we drove down to and walked around, but weren’t able to get inside. However, that didn’t stop us from having another drink of Madeira and a toast in Washington’s honor.
One of the visitor’s center employees was quite helpful in sharing additional stops that aren’t included within the actual park and we spent the next little bit on a driving tour looking at each of these sites. We went to the “Meeting House” which served as a hospital for both sides during the war and also has a mass grave of soldiers. There are also several monuments in the cemetery here. We stopped at another site that looked out over a field where the majority of the fighting at Brandywine took place and then made our way to a public park that has a walking trail that takes you almost to the exact spot Lafayette was wounded during this battle. Unfortunately, the marker for this site is on private property, it’s literally on the other side of a grassy field, in someone’s front yard, but still, it was worth the walk.
The rest of today was mostly spent driving on to Pine Grove Furnace State Park through the PA countryside. As we got into Lancaster, PA we decided to stop at Rita’s Italian Ice to get a treat, which turned in to quite a neat experience. As we were walking up to the windows to get in line to order, we realized that there was a huge line that we would have to wait in. As we got in the back of the line, we quite quickly realized that this huge group was a group of Amish school children who had come with who we have assumed are their teachers and maybe some of their mothers, to get themselves an ice cream treat. There had to be at least 20 kids, ranging in age from 2 to probably 14 or 15. We didn’t get a chance to talk to them much as they were pretty much just being kids. Kids that aren’t hampered by modern technology, like at all. While we were waiting in line with them, they laughed at one another’s jokes, played silly tricks on each other, ran around, and just enjoyed talking with each other. It was incredible to witness how much like children these children actually were. Not a single one of them was concerned about social media or taking pictures or anything else that so many kids are overly concerned with. Will even noticed that every child paid for their own treat with their own money, hearing them share that they had been saving up their money just for this treat and were excited that that time had finally come. As soon as we were able to get our own treats, we got back on the road towards our campsite, leaving Lancaster, PA behind. But not before passing a child, of probably 12 or so, plowing a small field with his horse. It felt like we had stepped back in time.
These days, the ones that are slow, the ones that are sunny and warm, these days are the reason we’re out here. Thank goodness for these days.
Life in the right lane, Rachel
DMG Exploration 