KING OF PRUSSIA - CROSSROADS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
 

In December, 1777, when Washington's troops marched through the King of Prussia area into Valley Forge, it was little more than a sleepy crossroads, offering refuge from the battering his troops had taken that fall and the threat of ambush by the British.
 

Today, the King of Prussia area is a bustling hub of activity, with unbeatable shopping, fabulous restaurants, first class hotels, convention and conference centers, all within easy access of each other and just minutes from Valley Forge National Historical Park. All this, combined with free parking and easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other major highway systems, creates the area's strong appeal.
 

It's become a destination for shoppers, who can find everything from household necessities to whimsical gifts and luxury items at 450 shops and restaurants and nine major department stores in The Plaza & The Court at King of Prussia.
 

Hungry travelers in Washington's day had a single choice; the King of Prussia Inn, from which the area derives its name. Diversity is today's fare, with restaurants catering to every appetite and budget, from casual family-style dining to elegant international cuisine.
 

For out-of-town visitors, there is a convenient selection of fine hotels and motor inns. Several have full-service conference centers and one, the Radisson Valley Forge, houses a 136,000 square-foot Convention Center offering a kaleidoscope of changing events and activities, along with a 500-seat Victorian-styled restaurant and theater.
 

More than 200 years after Washington wintered there, Valley Forge National Historical Park remains central to the area's appeal. Close to two million people visit the park annually, exploring its 36,000 acres of rolling hillsides and recreational trails, discovering the rough-hewn log huts and visiting Washington's Headquarters. Within the park, two museums house many Revolutionary War artifacts; the park's own Visitors Center and the Valley Forge Historical Society Museum, located adjacent to Washington Memorial Chapel. Other sites of interest in the park include Memorial Arch, Artillery Park and many monuments to the Revolutionary War soldiers. Nearby are the Freedoms Foundation and two sites of particular interest to art lovers; the Wharton Esherick Studio, former home of the father of modern American wood sculpture, and Mill Grove, the boyhood home of John James Audubon.
 

Easy accessibility, convenience, a full range of businesses and services and enduring historic appeal ensure the King of Prussia area will continue to be a successful crossroads for commerce, business travel, tourism and leisure activity.