Valley Forge became famous as the Continental Army's difficult winter encampment of 1777–1778.
The army established its camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in December 1777 after British forces occupied Philadelphia. George Washington chose the location because it was close enough to monitor the British while offering defensible high ground and access to the Schuylkill River.
The winter brought shortages of food, clothing, shelter, and firewood. Soldiers suffered from disease and exhaustion, but the army remained organized and trained. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped introduce standardized drills and discipline, strengthening the force before it left camp in June 1778.
Valley Forge is often remembered as a place where the army nearly collapsed, but the encampment was also an important period of military reorganization. The severe conditions became a lasting symbol of Patriot endurance, even though more soldiers died from disease during the winter than in major combat.