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Speaker Series - "Duportail: A Forgotten Founder"
Join us for an exciting Speaker Series event (in-person or virtually). Join us at 6 pm for refreshments and stay for the 7-8 pm talk!
When and where
Date and time
Tuesday, April 4 · 6 - 8pm EDT
Location
Meeting Room at Visitor Center of Valley Forge National Historical Park (park in Upper Parking Lot) 1400 North Outer Line Drive King of Prussia, PA 19406
Refund Policy
About this event
- 2 hours
- Mobile eTicket
Within a year of his joining the Continental Army in November 1777, Brigadier-General Louis Le Begue Duportail, a French military engineer, had become a trusted aide and advisor to the commanding general. As Washington’s chief engineer, General Duportail had responsibility for fortifications and defenses throughout the American colonies. He additionally served as a critical liaison between Washington and his French counterparts during the Yorktown campaign. His greatest legacy, however, is the establishment of the US Army Corps of Engineers and subsequently the US Military Academy at West Point. Despite his outstanding service to the American cause, General Duportail today is little remembered compared to similar foreign officers who served in the Continental Army.
Join us for a joint presentation on Brigadier-General Duportail and the "Duportail House," his headquarters during the Valley Forge encampment of 1777-1778. James McKinley will present on the life of Duportail, and join Justin Clement (of the VFPA) in conversation, discussing the history of the Duportail House in Tredyffrin Township.
About the Speaker
James McKinley resides in Tredyffrin Township and has served on the Board of the Duportail House in Chesterbrook, PA, since 2016. The historic Duportail House (circa 1740) was the General’s quarters during the Valley Forge encampment. Jim initially became involved with the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, which along with the Duportail House established the Living History Center at Chesterbrook. The Living History Center includes the House, a circa 1792 Federal Barn, and recently recreated Jones Log Barn. Before moving to Tredyffrin in 1997, Jim lived in Mt. Kisco, NY, where he was a founding member of the Mt. Kisco Historical Society.