Welcome & Overview of Great Valley House

“Did George Washington Sleep Here?” is the most often asked question by visitors to The Great Valley House of Valley Forge Bed and Breakfast.

Owners, Pattye and Jeff Benson, invite you to step back in time and enjoy the splendor of Pennsylvania’s past.  The Great Valley House has a very historic past, all the way back to the late 1600’s … While staying at the Great Valley House, guests feel, sense, see and touch its glorious past.  It is as though the former residents who loved this place so well and so long, had never left, but in fact, just stepped away for a moment in time.

Whether you are looking for a quiet romantic getaway, visiting with friends and family for graduations, weddings and other social events, sightseeing in the historic Valley Forge – Philadelphia area  or staying in the area on business …  join us and enjoy a special and relaxing experience. Great Valley House, a 300-year hold pre-revolutionary stone colonial,  is close by to Valley Forge National Historic Park, where General George Washington wintered in 1776.

Historic farmhouses of the past were often filled with warm and vibrant families. To honor the best of yesterday, our overnight guest rooms are named in honor of special men who touched our lives and left their memory on the Great Valley House. We take you back to the prime of their lives where each faced triumphs and struggles with strength and honor. These early owners were caring and hospitable, inviting many guests to their own homes and tables. We carry on their fine traditions and invite you to Relax ~ Breathe ~ Create!

Older than the house General George Washington stayed in during the  winter of 1776 at the Valley Forge encampment, the Great Valley House is a 300-year old stone farmhouse, a five-minute drive to Valley Forge National Park. The house is furnished with colonial and primitive antiques, colorful quilts, vintage clothing collection and portraits of straight-laced ancestors providing an interesting and comfortable environment. Alongside a bit of whimsy and sentimentality, you’ll find much to enhance your stay through the history of the Great Valley House.

The Great Valley House retains original fireplaces and random-width apple wood floors. Note the hand forged iron hinges and other historical features which your hostess, Pattye Benson, will be happy to describe. One unique item is an old stone sink, said to be one of only two such pre-1700 sinks in the country.  You will be stepping back in time to the beginning of our heritage and the founding of our country when you stay at the Great Valley House. 

As you enjoy breakfast, depending on the weather, there may be a fire in the Old Kitchen walk-in fireplace. The fireplace still has its original swing crane and carved in the massive mantle you can see the initials W.T. 1812(Click here to go the Great Valley House ‘History’ page).

The Inn’s spacious guest rooms, all with private baths, are warm and inviting … each one  features a unique decor that evokes a sense of “place” and decorated with carefully chosen antiques and vintage quilts.

The John Wilson Room exudes a warm, welcoming feeling with a queen canopy bed and a twin day bed. This room features an en-suite bath with an antique footed bath tub and shower. The charming Fredrick Houseman Room contains a ceiling canopied queen bed and a twin bed. This room contains a charming en-suite bath with shower and a unique sink constructed from an antique Singer sewing machine. The William Thomas Room has an antique iron double bed, a sitting area with a queen sofa bed and an adjacent hall bath with shower.

All rooms are air-conditioned. While we all love to escape from time to time, we realize how important it is for some of our guests to stay connected to the outside world.  We are happy to provide Cable TV/DVD and free wireless Internet in all of our guests rooms and common areas.  Also supplied for convenience is a guest refrigerator and microwave.

A full gourmet breakfast is served in the pre-revolutionary Old Kitchen in front of 12-foot wide walk-in fireplace.

The surrounding four acres are a mixture of history and modern amenities.  The stone Smoke House, the underground ‘keep’ and a wide variety of ancient trees, including walnut, oak, and spruce are offset by a large in-ground swimming pool.

The Benson family welcomes you to their museum of history, antiques and  architecture. Please visit photo gallery for various views of the Great Valley House.

 

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