Travelling in time

The Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania, some 20 miles from Philadelphia, is well known to most Americans as it was the location of George Washington’s army during the winter of 1777-78 in the battle against the British. The buildings are still there and are located in what is known today as Valley Forge National Park which in itself is a fantastic area of land to explore being so close to a major metropolis. I, on the other hand, will always think of the Valley Forge as the land of surprises. In less than one day you can travel a few miles physically but travel the centuries in an HG Wells modified tourist time machine, writes Graham McKenzie.

Starting with Washington’s headquarters you can learn how he decided to check his army into a safe haven late in 1777 far enough away from the British who were based in Philadelphia, a day’s march in walking terms, to stop the odd raid but near enough to keep an eye on them. The actual building where George and his wife, plus twenty others, lived is modest to say the least and you can fully understand why over 2,500 men lost their lives due to starvation and malnutrition. Interestinga nd for a few moments you can put yourself back into the 18^th century with the American continental army.

So time for the Pennsylvania Tardis and shoot forward 120 years to the 1890s even if you are only driving a couple of miles. We are now in the Bryn Athyn, a settlement established as a religious community in the late 19th century by members of a Christian denomination known as the New Church. What is remarkable about it is the fabulous buildings built by the Pitcairn family and the Cathedral which is used to this day by New Church followers as a place of worship.

Downtown Philly from Bryn Athyn Tower

Bryn Athyn is typical of many magnificent buildings from this era not just in the United States but throughout the western world where the industrial revolution gave birth to fabulously wealthy families who were so rich they could indulge their every whim. This is no different as the house both from the inside and outside is a testament to money, taste and endeavour with fabulous riches and artefacts from the middle-east, decorative whims such as gold taps and family dining rooms at the top of a tower that offers fabulous views all the way to downtown Philadelphia.

My future clock was suggesting another time shift before I turned into a druid. Ok, so let’s set the big hand to 19 and the little hand to 30 and go through the tunnel to the 20th century and the world of Americana. Set, quite bizarrely, in a small shopping centre no more than a huge hop step and a jump away from Bryn, the American Treasure Tour is a massive collection of antiques based around fun from the most kitsch to modern day pop culture. Travelling around two large warehouses you are taken on a golf buggy to see what must have been the inspiration for the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour because after you have seen it you don’t really believe it and you are ready to be taken away. It is just very very difficult to describe but …. the exhibits include hundreds of machines such as nickelodeons, band organs and music boxes plus a chocca block packed display of animated store window advertising, dolls, doll houses, model airplanes, circus, patriotic, holiday items, cars, posters and and and and . It’s a mind blowing experience and one that it is completely unexpected.

One of the many Objet D’Art in the American Treasure Tour

We are on the final stretch of time travel as we are now in the very 21^st century King Of Prussia Mall. One of the largest in America and claimed to be the largest in the north east this is definitely 2015 style as the retail experience is second to none. The mall contains all the names you would expect, restaurants of real quality and very interestingly, and somewhat unexpected, a Tesla outlet. The electric car of quality shop allows you to configure your ideal wheels. I did so. Do you require ordinary or extreme acceleration? Well we know the answer to that one. Do you desire massive tyres with alloys or thinner ones and less flash? It was again a predictable response. I felt the time machine tugging me back to the dark ages of Top Gear but I stayed with it. A tap on the shoulder led me to my dream car in the parking lot and a test drive. Once on the freeway I put my foot down and the car accelerated from 0 to 90 in less than 6 seconds. I wanted my Mum ..it was frightening. Fast enough to time travel? Well nothing would have surprised me after my visit to Valley Forge.