Project Description                                                                 

The purpose of this project is to conserve and display the sleeping tent exterior used by George Washington in the field during the American Revolutionary War. The benefit of conservation and display of the George Washington marquee will be realized twofold.  First, the long-term viability of the tent will be insured through proper conservation treatment and new display.  Second, the treatment and rehousing in a new exhibit support and exhibit case in the new National Center for the American Revolution museum will provide greater access, awareness, and appreciation of the tent to the projected 7 million visitors a year to the new museum at Valley Forge.

Research will give us a greater understanding of the structure of the tent as well as how the tents, in total, fit together while Washington was on campaign. An Historic Studies Report would complete the first comprehensive study of the history of the tents purchased and used by George Washington during the American Revolution. Various parts of the tents are located at Valley Forge National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, and the Smithsonian Institution.  An Historic Studies Report will enable better conservation treatment for the tents and it may show that the tents should be reconfigured differently from current display. Preservation evaluation and treatment conducted under a Save America’s Treasures grant for Colonial National Historical Park has raised many questions on the original size, configuration, and use of the tents. A comprehensive study of the Washington tents is needed to help answer these questions and determine appropriate display and interpretation of the tents. This research would benefit Valley Forge National Historical Park, National Center for the American Revolution/Valley Forge Historical Society, Colonial National Historical Park, and the Smithsonian Institution.

The sleeping tent, or Marquee, was first displayed in the Valley Forge Historical Society Museum in 1909. In 1977, the tent underwent significant conservation work and was installed in a climate-controlled facility in the Visitor Center of Valley Forge National Historical Park.  After 25 years of constant display within an enclosure containing an aging HVAC system, the tent has become soiled and is in need of a conservation-minded exhibit mount and display.  Recent conservation work on Washington’s sleeping tent interior and dining tent roof owned by Colonial National Historical Park have identified a variety of problems that will be encountered in the conservation of the Valley Forge tent including stretching and adverse reactions to fluctuating temperature changes. Ongoing research will give us a greater understanding of the structure of the sleeping tent as well as how all the tents were used by Washington while on campaign.  The preservation/conservation work will consist of conservation of the sleeping tent exterior, and design and construction of an exhibit case with an appropriate environmental control system followed by installation of the sleeping tent exterior.   This display will be a key feature in the new National Center for the American Revolution museum that is being created through a partnership between the Valley Forge National Historical Park and the National Center for the American Revolution/Valley Forge Historical Society.  The Center will provide the public with the history of the American War for Independence and the American Revolution.

Without urgently needed conservation, Washington’s tent will continue to be threatened by inappropriate movement and pull on the original tent material due to an unsuitable lining, an insufficient exhibit support system, and a fluctuating exhibit environment (temperature and relative humidity).  Also, existing dirt and stains will continue to penetrate and weaken the original fabric.  In 1977-1978, the tent was wet cleaned and given a full sewn-in lining, conservation techniques that were deemed appropriate at that time.  After 25 years on continuous exhibit, the tent is very soiled, sagging on an inadequate support, and has been subjected to climatic variations due to an aging HVAC system.  There are numerous threats to the continued preservation of the tent.  The value of the sewn-in lining is in question.  The lining fabric used in 1978 is too heavy a fabric to have sewn to the tent and the sewing thread used for the treatment is stronger than the tent’s original fabric.  Through recent conservation of the lining of the George Washington tent at Colonial National Historical Park, conservators learned that climatic fluctuations caused the original fabric of the tent to creep while the dense new lining changed little.  Gravity effected the fabrics differently in that the original fabric stretched more than the densely woven lining.  The heavy sewing thread used to attach the lining cut into the tent fabric fibers during the ongoing movement.  Since both tents had the same treatment in the 1970s, the tent at Valley Forge National Historical Park has the same damage and threat to the original tent fabric.  How the tent fabric and sewn-in lining react against each other during climatic fluctuations and with gravitational pull are concerns for this tent’s preservation.  Further, the lining is coming apart from the tent in some areas.  In addition, the tent has a serious problem with dust deposited from a vent that is within the exhibit case.   Continuous occupation of the exhibit case will ensure accumulation of more dirt and further embedding of the dirt already deposited into the fabric interstices.  Currently, the tent is not well supported on the frame, which causes additional stress to the tent fabric.  Constructed in 1978, the exhibit frame was not designed to a preservation standard that is acceptable today.

The conservation treatment phase of the project will include removal of the lining to alleviate stress on the tent fabric caused by the heavier lining fabric and sewing thread.  Dirt will be removed first by vacuuming, second by sponges, and third by solvent removal, as necessary.  This will reverse the damage caused from a vent within the current exhibit case.  Tears to the original tent fabric will be repaired. Tears are hidden in part by the existing sewn-in lining.  Repairing tears will strengthen the original tent fabric and allow for the continued exhibition of the tent.

The final phase of the project will be to design and construct the exhibit support and exhibit case.  Rather than using the previous lining treatment to add support, the tent will be reinforced with a passive mount whose design is incorporated into its conservation treatment.  The mount, then, will bear all gravity stresses rather than the tent fabric itself.  At this time, the tent will be reconfigured to its original size and shape.  It is at least 4 inches too tall due to the current mounting system.  This project will also include the design and construction of a new exhibit case for the George Washington tent.  It is anticipated that the tent will be exhibited at the National Center for the American Revolution, to open in February 2006, a partnership project between Valley Forge National Historical Park and the National Center for the American Revolution/Valley Forge Historical Society.  In any event, the tent will not return to its current exhibit location, which has contributed to damage of the tent.  A new exhibit case will be designed and built with a priority for the continued preservation of the tent.