Valley Forge

**Saxon Holt s*@saxonholt.com**

Group members - Sorry to jump in here with a non gardening issue, but 
garden writers ARE writers and may slip into a bad habit of repeating 
things they hear and perpetuating falsehoods.  In comments on the 
recent conference this just slipped out of someone's mouth:

> Valley Forge <snip> park site is a "fake" -
> basically constructed by the Boy Scouts in the '60s - much like 
> Jamestown and
> Williamsburg it is for tourists -- may be on "hallowed ground", but 
> not much
> authentic left there to see.

I am apoplectic at this ignorance.  Before becoming a garden 
photographer I was a US History major at the University of Virginia.  I 
can barely contain myself in blasting those comments, written by 
someone who clearly has taken no time to appreciate the "hallowed 
ground" of history.

To the point, all these sights are genuine and authentic.  Valley Forge 
(http://www.nps.gov/vafo) never did have constructed sights, a winter 
survival camp where patriots became soldiers.  Jamestown 
(http://www.apva.org/history/index.html), the birthplace of the modern 
US and first permanent English settlement does have an reconstructed 
fort, ships, and nice visitor center but has has uncovered the original 
fort site of the 108 settlers, and to anyone who loves history has a 
fascinating archeological dig on "hallowed ground" right next to the 
recreated fort.  Williamsburg (http://www.history.org/) can not BE more 
authentic, original buildings and all;  I have no idea what the writer 
of those remarks meant.   "Not much authentic left there to see" ?!    
Puhleeese  < zip my lip before I get nasty ... >

Enough history,  back to work

Saxon Holt
Saxon Holt Photography
Gardens and Ornamental Horticulture
www.saxonholt.com
415.898.8880

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