Organizers expected to plant 250 trees along Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River Trail for the Pathway of the Patriots.
The tree-planting project was introduced in November 2018 by the Daughters of the American Revolution in partnership with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission. The planned route connected Philadelphia with Valley Forge, another major Revolutionary War location.
The number of trees was chosen to symbolize the upcoming 250th anniversary. The project linked a living landscape with the historical themes of the commemoration, while also creating a public pathway associated with patriotic and civic memory.
Valley Forge became famous as the Continental Army’s winter encampment during 1777–1778 under General George Washington. The encampment is remembered for harsh conditions, military training, and the army’s continued struggle during the Revolutionary War. The Pathway of the Patriots therefore connected anniversary symbolism with places tied directly to the independence movement.