Which Pennsylvania site became the 283rd unit of the U.S. National Park System on July 4, 1976, during the Bicentennial?

Valley Forge National Historical Park became the 283rd unit of the U.S. National Park System on July 4, 1976.

The site preserves the location of the Continental Army's winter encampment from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. General George Washington's army endured severe shortages there, while training under Baron Friedrich von Steuben helped transform the troops into a more disciplined force.

Pennsylvania gave Valley Forge to the nation during the United States Bicentennial. Congress authorized its addition as a national historical park in a law signed by President Gerald Ford on July 4, 1976. The designation linked a Revolutionary War site with the anniversary commemorating the creation of the United States.

Valley Forge is sometimes confused with Independence National Historical Park, which includes Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. They are separate National Park Service units. Valley Forge lies in Montgomery and Chester Counties, northwest of Philadelphia, and contains historical buildings, reconstructed encampment structures, memorials, trails, and museums.