Anyone who travels on S. Gulph Road on a regular basis should be familiar with the infamous "Gulph Mills Overhanging Rock. " Most people however don't know of its historical significance. To be honest, for all the times I passed under it to/from the Main Line, I had no idea, nor truly gave it any thought.
It wasn't until two years ago when I was working on the historical background of one of my listings in Gulph Mills, the "Bird-In-Hand Schoolhouse" (Gulph Mills' orginal name was Bird-In-Hand) that I stumbled by accident upon its major historical significance. I will admit that my eyes welled up and got a little chocked up, and to be quire frank - embarrassed that I never knew of, or perhaps had a recollection of the period of Dec. 13th to December 19, 1777 and what George Washington and his troops endured right here in Gulph Mills, right where many pass ever day.
On Friday Morning, Dec. 19th 1777, George Washington and his Army started their march to Valley Forge from their encampment in Gulph Mills and passed under the famous overhanging rock
The troops suffered tremendously with lack of food, clothing, and supplies during extremely cold conditions during those four days in Dec., 1777 in Gulph Mills which also continued for months during their encampment at Valley Forge.
There where many attempts to remove the rock over the years. It has been altered to remove portions of the top extrusion for trucks to pass safely. But there where also many who felt so strongly about its place in history that worked to have it remain as a symbol of American history and as a monument (The Overhanging Rock is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, site #97001251) to those who suffered and endured beyond belief which inevitably changed the course of the Revolutionary War - and history - forever.
There is a great historical overview of The Overhanging Rock at Gulph Mills by ushistory.org, courtesy of the National Center for the American Revolution/Valley Forge Historical Society which I encourage all to read: http://www.ushistory.org/Valleyforge/history/rock.html
Disclaimer: I do not profess to be a historical expert on the area. The above comments and statements are my own and while I hold a keen interest of it, the above should be considered reliable, but not guaranteed.
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