Of all the places associated with the American War for Independence, perhaps none has come to symbolize perseverance and sacrifice more than Valley Forge. The hardships of the encampment claimed the lives of one in ten, nearly all from disease. Despite the privations suffered by the army at Valley Forge, Washington and his generals built a unified professional military organization that ultimately enabled the Continental Army to triumph over the British. Located approximately 20 miles northwest of center city Philadelphia, Valley Forge is the site of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of General George Washington and the Continental Army. The park receives 1.2 million visitors each year and contains about 3,500 acres of forested rolling hills, tall grass meadows, wetlands, and rough lawns.