Controversial Valley Forge Revolutionary War Museum to break ground in May

The American Revolution Center plans to build a museum and visitor’s center on the privately owned land within Valley Forge National Historical Park. Now the buildings have announced a groundbreaking date for its project. From WHYY’s Arts and Culture desk, Alex Schmidt reports.

The American Revolution Center plans to build a museum and visitor’s center on the privately owned land within Valley Forge National Historical Park. Now the buildings have announced a groundbreaking date for its project. From WHYY’s Arts and Culture desk, Alex Schmidt reports.

Credit: Photo by Hendricks NY via flickr.

Transcript:
Bruce Cole is the newly appointed head of the American Revolution Center. He announced the groundbreaking for the first of three buildings will take place in May. Cole is the former head of the National Endowment for the Humanities. He took the helm of the American Revolution Center about a month ago.

Cole was brought on in the hopes that he would smooth over relations with the Park Service and park advocates, who have delayed the groundbreaking with continuing litigation. The National Parks Conservation Association is suing over the American Revolution Center. Spokesperson Cinda Waldbeusser says she had not heard about the groundbreaking date.

Waldbeusser: “We remain open to having an honest dialogue and seeing if there is a solution that would protect the best interest of VF National Historical Park.”

Governor Rendell has said that if the project did not move forward in a reasonable amount of time, he would put state funds toward other shovel ready work. Rendell and philanthropist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest are expected to announce another round of funding for the center.

Listen:
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More information
Comment on this story and find links to all of our previous coverage of the American Revolution Center on our Arts and Culture blog, The Sixth Square.

Past reporting and blogging about the American Revolution Center.