My Valley Forge Story: Peter Usherler

A photo of Peter's mom (right of center, in the long coat) in front of the National Memorial Arch, 1960s. NPS/ Peter Ursherler

Phoenixville's Mayor Peter Ursherler speaks at Valley Forge's 50th Birthday Opening Ceremony on July 3, 2026.** **

It is an honor to be here at Valley Forge, a place that belongs not only to our national history, but to the personal stories of so many families — including my own.My mother came to the United States in 1967. She was a young Filipina nurse, the first woman from her village to go to college and become educated. She came here in her early twenties, far from home, to work alongside some of the leading medical minds of her time, including Jefferson Hospitals Dr. John Gibbon and later Dr. Michael Debake. And when she wanted to send photographs home to her family in the Philippines, the place she chose was here — in front of the Washington Memorial Arch — before Valley Forge was even a national park.

She would take the bus from Philadelphia to come here. To me, that says something powerful. Even as a newcomer to this country, she understood that this place meant something. It represented sacrifice, possibility, and the unfinished promise of America.

Years later, after meeting my father in Australia, marrying, and returning to the United States, my mother became an American citizen in 1988. So every year, when I attend the naturalization ceremony held here near the statue of General von Steuben, I think of her. I think of all those who come to this country carrying hope, courage, and a belief in what America can still become.

Whenever I drive through the park it reminds me that history is not something we simply inherit. It is something each generation is called to carry forward. Our founders and those who endured Valley Forge gave us a blueprint for democracy. But we are the ones responsible for building it, strengthening it, and making it real in our own time.

For my mother, Valley Forge was a place to dream. For our nation, it remains a place to remember. And for all of us, it must continue to be a place that reminds us of our responsibility to one another.

Thank you

Park Superintendent Rose Fennell and guest speakers from Valley Forge's 50th Birthday Opening Ceremony celebration cut the ribbon at the new showcase firepit. NPS/ G.Purifoy

Where this belongs

• Valley Forge National Historical Park

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