The Washington Memorial Chapel: Historic Structure Report and Condition Assessment

The following report is a formal record of the history and current physical state of the Washington Memorial Chapel located within the Valley Forge National Historical Park in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The report is divided into three sections: historical background, condition assessment, and recommendations for treatment of the decorative limestone. The historical description explores the story of the site, of the church founders, and of the building itself. The conditions assessment contains an analysis of selected exterior building materials and their current condition. The final section of the report presents a general conservation treatment plan for the long-term preservation of the severely deteriorated limestone tracery. This report is guided by the author’s personal interpretation of the site as a place of both religious and national significance.