Relax and enjoy a place where history and modern comfort meet.  We look forward to sharing with you our historic home a little over two miles from Valley Forge National Historic Park and one mile from the antique shops of historic Phoenixville.

     Our goal is to offer you more than the comforts of home.  Sit in the hot tub under the stars.  Play billiards at the Brunswick regulation table in the large and elegant parlor.  Enjoy delicious full breakfast specialties while the morning sun streams in the floor to ceiling windows of the bay window.

     Members of the Pennypacker family built our home in the nineteenth century.  A walk-in hearth still stands in the basement.  Original woodwork has been preserved throughout the house and the sun shines through panes of “wavy” old glass.

     We especially cater to people with allergies and most special diets with advance notice.  Organically grown ingredients are used whenever possible.  Natural fiber bedding is our norm.  Our house is smoke-free.

THE PENNYPACKER ROOM

     This room filled with morning sun is named for the original family, which lived in the house for over seventy years.  The bed is queen sized with a canopy and there is a built in armoire.  The attached bath offers a separate tub and art deco shower.  We think it was the original nursery—it is very roomy.  An additional room is available for accompanying travelers sharing the bath.   That room contains twin beds.

THE SEEKER

     Mementos from our world travels welcome you to this suite of rooms:  sitting room, marble shower bath and bedroom with queen sized bed.  Furnishings complement folk art from around the globe.  The bedroom window faces South, and the garden.  An additional room is available for accompanying travelers sharing the bath.

Additional amenities available by prior arrangement

On site massage therapy,

Meeting room, (High speed wireless internet access is always available)

Room air purifier.

Reservations/Deposits

   Availability of rooms can be determined by calling us at 610-935-7473 or by e-mail at Rebekah.L.Ray@gmail.com.  At weekends we have a two-night minimum for advance bookings. Reservations are confirmed upon payment of first night.  Holiday weekends and weekly reservations require payment in advance of entire stay.  Unfortunately, deposits are not refundable within one week, unless we can fill the vacancy.  Any balance is due upon arrival.   We accept traveler’s check, imprinted personal check, cash or credit card (with prior arrangement). 

Rates:

     Pennypacker or Seeker:  $105.  Additional room, $50.

    Weekly rate for either: $500/ $250 Additional room.

Contact Information

Telephone

(Local) 610-935-7473

Postal address

610 Valley Forge Rd, Phoenixville, PA 19460

E-mail

General Information: Rebekah.L.Ray@gmail.com

Directions

    From the East (Philadelphia):  Take76 West, Schuylkill Expressway (via 476 from Delaware and South) to 422 West (via briefly 202 South).  Exit at Route 23 West (Valley Forge National Historic Park).  Turn Right at the end of the ramp, and then right again at the stoplight onto Route 23.

    From the main entrance to Valley Forge National Historic Park:  ***** Proceed through the Park.  after leaving the Park continue 2+ miles.  After crossing over White Horse Road, pass the Ford dealership and slow down and put on put on your left turn signal.  We are at #610 marked by a red mailbox.  The house is cream color stucco with brown and red trim.  Turn left and follow the driveway to the parking area in back of the house.

    From the North and West (New Jersey and Western Pennsylvania):  Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Valley Forge exit.  Immediately after toll booth, take exit for Gulph Road / Valley Forge National Historic Park.  Then follow local directions from ***** above.

    From Great Valley Corporate Center, West Chester, and Wilmington, Delaware:  Take 202 North to Route 29 North.  Proceed North on Rt 29 to just past Yellow Springs Road.  Turn right onto White Horse Road and enjoy the beautiful countryside for about three miles.  Turn left onto Route 23 (Valley Forge Road).  We are #610 on the left side, just past the dentist's offices.

Local Attractions

   Morning Star Bed and Breakfast is located three miles from the entrance to Valley Forge National Historical Park (4.5 miles to the visitors center).  The park offers 3,600 acres of open space:  woods, fields, picnic areas, six miles of multipurpose trails and ten miles of horse trails.  The Valley Forge Visitor’s Center has a museum and interpretive area, a book and gift shop, maps and brochures.  There are several historic buildings open to the public in the park. (WWW.nps.gov/vafo)

   The King of Prussia Mall (the Court and Plaza) is five miles away.  This world famous Shopping experience has eight department stores, three hundred and sixty-five specialty shops and forty restaurants. (WWW.kingofprussiamall.com)

   The Great Valley and Route 202 corporate areas start about four miles from Morning Star B & B.  These can be approached by way of White Horse Road, which is still a lovely country road, in this busy part of the world.

   The Schuylkill River Trail, which runs alongside the Schuylkill Canal, is a lovely hike.  The lock tender’s house has been restored and is open to the public some weekends. (WWW.montcopa.org/parks/schuylkillrivertrail.htm)

   There are many schools and colleges nearby.  The Valley Forge Christian College is three miles away (WWW.vfcc.edu).   Ursinus College is six miles away in Collegeville (WWW.ursinus.edu).  Penn State, Great Valley Campus, is five miles away (WWW.gv.psu.edu).  The Kimberton Waldorf School is four miles away (WWW.kimberton.org).  The Camp Hill Community at Kimberton Hills is five miles away (WWW.camphillkimberton.org).  The Camp Hill Special School and Soltane Communities are fifteen miles away (WWW.camphillsoltane.org).

   The Paoli Train Station and the town of Paoli are seven miles away.  We can arrange pickup at the Paoli train station, with advance notice. (WWW.septa.org, WWW.amtrak.com)

Other nearby attractions:  

Brandywine Battlefield Park (WWW.ushistory.org/brandywine), 

Colonial Theatre (WWW.thecolonialtheatre.com), 

Daniel Boone Homestead, 

Elmwood Park Zoo (WWW.elmwoodparkzoo.com), 

Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (WWW.freedomsfoundation.com), 

Historic Yellow Springs (WWW.yellowsprings.org), 

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (WWW.ushistory.org/hope), 

Pennypacker Mills (WWW.montcopa.org/historicsites),  

People's Light and Theatre (WWW.peopleslight.org), 

Pottsgrove Manor (WWW.montcopa.org/culture/history.htm), 

National Christian Conference Center (WWW.nc3.org), 

Northbrook Canoe Company (WWW.members.aol.com/railsriver), 

QVC Studio Park (WWW.qvctours.com), 

United States Hot Air Balloon (WWW.ushotairballoon.com), 

Valley Forge Convention Center (WWW.vfconventioncenter.com), 

Valley Forge Golf Club (WWW.valleyforgegolf.com), 

William Brinton 1704 House and Historic Site (WWW.brintonfamily.org), 

Some information for the history lover

   We are located along a very old road, running parallel to the Schuylkill River from Philadelphia to Lancaster.  The crossroads closest to us has been called “Corner Stores” since before Phoenixville was started early in the nineteenth century.  It was a commercial center at the time of the Valley Forge encampment (1778) and is two miles from Washington’s Headquarters at Valley Forge.

    We do not claim that George Washington slept here!  The older part of our house was built in the 1820s.  There was a large addition put on and extensive renovations to the older house in the 1890s.  That was the last time any major structural changes were made.  There is still a large fireplace in the basement of the house, complete with pothook.  Also in the basement there are several indications that there may have been an older structure.  These include the foundation, small windows and other woodwork and hardware. We are happy to show these features to history buffs!

     The uncle of one of the early inhabitants of our house was an active “conductor” in the Underground Railroad, and his house was (and still is) about 500 yards away.  That house had a tunnel leading from its cellar, to aid in escapes.  The Quaker meeting around the corner on White Horse Road was also a center of abolitionist activity, and Harriet Tubman spoke there on at least one occasion. We still hope to discover our house offered shelter to the cause of freedom!

   We purchased our house in 2001 from a woman who had taken care of it for 42 years.  The beautiful old woodwork and floors were all in place.  We removed lots of wallpaper, which had served its purpose, repaired some old plaster, and painted and painted.   We replaced lots of exterior wood that had been exposed to the elements, and painted and painted.    Every window shutter was still in place or in the barn, and we removed them and began the process of restoring and painting them.  They are built with pegs and cut nails, so we work carefully.

   The “carriage house” on the property still contains two horse stalls, including a saltlick holder and an old feed bin.  When the house is “done” there is lots of opportunity waiting out there.