My Valley Forge Story: Alli Pryor

Alli Pryor at Valley Forge National Historical Park

NPS/Alli Pryor

A Revoluntionary Romance

What Valley Forge means to me is hard to put into words—because how do you describe the place where your life changed forever? My journey with the National Park Service began in 2021, when I took a leap of faith and accepted a seasonal position at Big South Fork NRRA. I had no idea where I’d go next, or what my future would look like. I was just a hopeful wanderer, chasing the next opportunity, trusting that the path would reveal itself.

That path led me to the summer of 2022, when I found myself at Hopewell Furnace NHS and Valley Forge NHP. I moved into park housing, made a few close friends, and spent my days exploring the rolling hills and historic trails of the region. It was a summer of discovery—of the land, of myself, and, unexpectedly, of love. You see, I wasn’t necessarily searching, but I was open—to the idea of finding someone who might walk beside me, not just for a season, but for the long haul. And as fate would have it, that someone lived just ten minutes down the road. His name was Zack.

Engaged!!

NPS/Alli Pryor

We met, we clicked in an instant, and suddenly, the summer became something magical. We kayaked through winding rivers, had countless laughs, and slowly, beautifully, got to know each other. Valley Forge wasn’t just a park anymore—it was the backdrop to the beginning of our story. But like all seasons, that summer came to an end. I accepted a new position at Thomas Edison NHS in New Jersey, and Zack and I faced the classic question: Can we make long distance work? We decided to try. Every weekend, we traded places—him to me, me to him—the more we traveled back and forth, the more we knew we were stuck with each other in the best way possible.

Then came January 2024, and with it, a new chapter: Cape Cod NS in Massachusetts. Eight hours away. It was hard—really hard—but we held on, dreaming of the day we could finally be together for good. We often talked about what that would look like, and the dream always circled back to one place: Valley Forge. There was a brief interlude at Delaware Water Gap NRA, a sweet return to weekend adventures. But then, like something out of a movie, I got the email: I had been offered a permanent position at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Our dream had come true.

Exchanging vows near PC Knox Estate.

NPS/ Alli Pryor

That fall, we got engaged and moved into our very first apartment together—a cozy little place that felt like the beginning of everything. We celebrated the New Year side by side, full of hope and plans for the future. The start of 2025 brought its share of challenges, but through it all, we leaned on each other. In the midst of it, we made a decision that felt beautifully inevitable: we would get married. My mom offered me the wedding dress that both she and my grandmother had worn - a gown that is 71 years old but fit me to a t. And in the most poetic twist of fate, we exchanged our vows in Valley Forge, near the Philander Chase Knox estate, surrounded by family and the very landscape that had brought us together. It was, in every sense, a revolutionary romance—and it’s all thanks to Valley Forge.

The happy bride and groom walk at Muhlenberg Brigade.

NPS/Alli Pryor