Pennsylvania

Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (40.101062, -75.422024)

Maurice Stephens Springhouse Felling Date: Summer 1850

Walnut Hill Springhouse Felling Date: After 1819

Varnum’s Springhouse Felling Date: Unsuitable for sampling

Site Master 1683-1849 (white pine) MVFPx1 (t = 8.74 BRNx1; 8.15 BYMDx1; 7.99 PA013). Site Master 1645-1819 (white pine) WVFPx1 (t = 10.75 BYMDx1; 9.50 wws4; 9.03 NY045). Area Master 1645-1849 (white pine) VALLY (t = 10.80 BYMDx5; 9.90 wws4; 9.73 NY045).

Three springhouses at Valley Forge National Historical Park were assessed for their suitability for dendrochronology: the Maurice Stephens Springhouse, the Walnut Hill Springhouse, and Varnum’s Springhouse. Varnum’s Springhouse was found to be unsuitable for dendrochronology due to the timbers being replaced during a previous restoration. The other two buildings were determined to be suitable for dendrochronological sampling and analysis. One of the timbers from the Maurice Stephens Springhouse provided a precise felling date of the summer of 1850 while a timber from the Walnut Hill Springhouse was found to have a felling date of after 1819.

Worthington, M J and Seiter, J I 2023 "The Tree-Ring Dating of the Maurice Stephens Springhouse, the Walnut Hill Springhouse, and Varnum’s Springhouse, all at Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania ", unpublished Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory archive report 2023/18

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