.gif)
Wheatland (Lancaster)
Encyclopedia
Wheatland, or the James Buchanan House, is a brick, Federal style
house outside of Lancaster
, Pennsylvania
, in Lancaster Township
, Lancaster County
. It was formerly owned by the 15th President of the United States
, James Buchanan
.
The house was constructed in 1828 by William Jenkins, a local lawyer. It was sold to William M. Meredith
in 1841. Wheatland changed hands again in 1848, when it was purchased by Buchanan. Buchanan occupied the house for next two decades, except for several years during his ambassadorship in Great Britain
and during his presidency. After his death in 1868, Wheatland was inherited by Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane
, who sold it in 1881 to George Willson. It was inherited by a relative of Willson's in 1929. Wheatland was put up for sale again after the relative died in 1934 and was acquired by a group of people who set up a foundation for the purpose of preserving the house. Wheatland was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1961 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1966. The foundation and the adjacent historical society
merged in 2009.
Wheatland is located off Pennsylvania Route 23
(Marietta Avenue) in Lancaster Township
, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) outside of the city of Lancaster
. It is situated on 10 acres (4 ha) of land, which it shares with Lancaster County's historical society, at the intersection of Marietta Avenue and President Avenue.
The region was originally inhabited by the Susquehannock
s, who were first encountered in what is now Lancaster County by John Smith in 1608. They were also known to early settlers of the area as the "Conestogas", after the creek
they resided near. In 1680, William Penn
received a charter from Charles II
for land to found the Province of Pennsylvania
; Penn divided the land into the three counties: Bucks
, Chester
and Philadelphia
. Lancaster County was formed from parts of Chester County on May 10, 1729. Lancaster Township was settled between 1717 and 1720, and was incorporated out of portions of Conestoga Township in 1729. The city of Lancaster was laid out in March 1730 and was incorporated as a borough
in August 1742, before being incorporated as a city on March 20, 1818.
fields or because the site of the house used to be a wheatfield. Jenkins sold 17 acres (6.9 ha) and 25 square perches (7,010 ft2; 651 m2) of land, including the house, to his son-in-law
in 1841. William M. Meredith
bought the same plot on May 8, 1845, plus an additional 5 acres (2 ha), for $6,750 ($ in dollars). Meredith used it as primarily a summer house
and as a home for his wife and children; Meredith's duties as head of the bar
in Philadelphia prevented him from living at Wheatland on a permanent basis.
Wheatland was put up for sale by Meredith and was contacted in June 1848 by the Secretary of State
James Buchanan, who was interested in the house. The sale of Wheatland was delayed by Meredith, who was not sure whether he really wanted the sell the estate, and by Buchanan, who did not want to force Meredith into making a decision he might regret. Wheatland was sold in December 1848 at the same price that Meredith had purchased it at; Buchanan moved into the mansion several months later, accompanied by his niece, Harriet Lane
, and nephew, James Buchanan "Buck" Henry
, and his housekeeper
, Esther "Miss Hetty" Parker. Buchanan ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party
's nomination for President in the 1852 election
, however he was appointed the Minister to Great Britain
by the newly elected Franklin Pierce
. Buchanan did not return to the United States, and to Wheatland, until 1856.
Not long after arriving back at Wheatland, Buchanan was nominated by the Democratic Party to be its candidate for President on June 9, 1856. Buchanan did not tour the country as part of the campaign. Instead, he conducted it from Wheatland as a "front porch campaign
". Buchanan won the election and carried all of the Southern
states, with most of the votes in the Northern
states going to the Republican
nominee John C. Frémont
. Part of Buchanan's success in the South was his, and the party platform
's, support of the Kansas–Nebraska Act. One of the tactics used in the campaign involved lithographs
of Wheatland being printed and circulated, primarily in the South, "as a polite way of informing the Southerners that the Democratic candidate, though from the North, had a 'plantation
estate' and held a course of life similar to their own."
and the end of his term as President. Buchanan died in a room on the second floor in Wheatland on June 1, 1868. Thousands of people attended Buchanan's funeral and the procession
from Wheatland to the Woodward Hill Cemetery
on June 4. The estate was inherited by Harriet Lane, who used it as a summer house. After both of Lane's sons died—one in 1881 and the other a year later—and a few weeks after her husband died, Lane sold Wheatland in 1884 to George Willson.
Wheatland was inherited by Mary Willson Rettew, a cousin of George Willson, after he died of a heart attack in 1929. Rettew died in 1934 and, left a will
stipulating "the establishment of 'The Willson Memorial Building'" to preserve the family's heirloom
s. Her will also requested that the building be occupied by the Lancaster County Historical Society, which had been founded in 1880. Wheatland, along with 4.25 acres (1.7 ha) of land, were put up for sale by the executor
s of the will. The Junior League of Lancaster founded the "James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland" in 1935 with the purpose of raising funds to buy Wheatland. Wheatland was sold to the Foundation for $40,000 ($ in dollars) on February 27, 1936. It was opened to the public on May 5, 1936 and was dedicated "as a new presidential shrine, taking its place with Mount Vernon
, Monticello
and The Hermitage
," in October 1937. Wheatland was designated a National Historic Landmark
on July 4, 1961 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on October 15, 1966. The James Buchanan Foundation and the neighboring Lancaster County Historical Society were merged in 2009 to form LancasterHistory.org.
house made of brick. As no documents on the actual construction are known to exist, the person or persons responsible for the design of Wheatland have remained anonymous. However, the architecture of Wheatland, as well as its location on the property, indicates someone who was skilled in classical architecture. Design elements, like various lunette
windows, also show the influence of various architectural guidebooks that were prevalent in the early 19th century.
The interior of Wheatland is furnished as it would have been in the mid-19th Century, with most of the furniture being original to the house. As Wheatland has never been significantly altered or remodeled, other than the installation of modern lighting and heating, it provides an accurate view of the lifestyle in the Victorian era.
The house is made up of a -story, "bilaterally symmetrical", central section, flanked by two, three-story wings set back from the main facade
. The roofs of both wings are flat and sloping towards the rear of the house; the northern wing also a "pent roof", a sloped, shingled roof between the first floor and second floor windows, on the rear. The front entrance to Wheatland is sheltered by a portico
supported by Tuscan order
columns, while the rear entrance is on a veranda
.
. The original cloth was covered with a modern, red carpet up until 1990; it has since been overlaid with an identical, reproduction covering.
On the first floor are located the parlor, the library
, two dining room
s, and the kitchen. One of the dining rooms is located in the western wing, off of the hallway, and was used primarily used by the family for smaller meals like breakfast or tea
. The kitchen is also in the wing, directly adjacent to the dining room. The other dining room, located in the front western side of the main house, was used only for formal dinners and as the sitting room
where the men would converse after dinner. The fireplace in the room was enclosed in marble when Buchanan bought Wheatland and had a furnace
installed. Across the hall, on the other side of the main house is the parlor, where the women guests would congregate after dinner. The library is located off the hallway in the east wing. The woodwork, doors, a bookcase
, and a bookshelf built into the wall were grained
to resemble oak
. The shelves in the bookshelf no longer exist; but, the backboard of the bookshelf is visible, as is the plaster
wall made to resemble wood. Two mahogany
bookcases, flanking the fireplace in the library, were furnished by Jenkins and having been sold to each successive owner by the previous one. The library was used primary by Buchanan as the place to meet with guests.
The second floor is reached by means of an elliptical stairway in the cross-hall. Embedded into the newel post
at the base of the stairs is glass "peace stone", symbolizing the owners "peace of mind" after having paid off the mortgage. The living quarters for the inhabitants of Wheatland were located on the second floor. A bathroom, complete with bathtub, shower and a bidet
, was installed in the west wing when the Willsons bought Wheatland in 1884. The third floor was primarily used as servants' quarters
and has been left unrestored.
On the grounds, behind Wheatland, stand a privy
, a smokehouse
, and a carriage house
. A stable used to stand on the property but was replaced by the carriage house in the late 1880s; an icehouse
also no longer exists. The carriage house, today, houses the Wheatland visitor center
.
Wheatland is open to the public Monday-Saturday from April to October, and only Friday and Saturday in November, with tours available hourly.
Federal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
house outside of Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in Lancaster Township
Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster Township is a civil township of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is in the central area and it immediately surrounds Lancaster City...
, Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. It was formerly owned by the 15th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
.
The house was constructed in 1828 by William Jenkins, a local lawyer. It was sold to William M. Meredith
William M. Meredith
William Morris Meredith was an American lawyer and politician.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1812...
in 1841. Wheatland changed hands again in 1848, when it was purchased by Buchanan. Buchanan occupied the house for next two decades, except for several years during his ambassadorship in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and during his presidency. After his death in 1868, Wheatland was inherited by Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane
Harriet Lane
Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston , niece of lifelong bachelor United States President James Buchanan, acted as First Lady of the United States from 1857 to 1861. She was one of the few women to hold the position of First Lady while not being married to the President.-Early life:Harriet Lane's family...
, who sold it in 1881 to George Willson. It was inherited by a relative of Willson's in 1929. Wheatland was put up for sale again after the relative died in 1934 and was acquired by a group of people who set up a foundation for the purpose of preserving the house. Wheatland was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1961 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1966. The foundation and the adjacent historical society
Historical society
A historical society is an organization that collects, researches, interprets and preserves information or items of historical interest. Generally, a historical society focuses on a specific geographical area, such as a county or town or subject, such as aviation or rail. Many historical...
merged in 2009.
Location
Pennsylvania Route 23
Pennsylvania Route 23 is a state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The route begins at Pennsylvania Route 441 in Marietta and heads east to U.S. Route 1 in Philadelphia.-Marietta to Valley Forge:...
(Marietta Avenue) in Lancaster Township
Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster Township is a civil township of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is in the central area and it immediately surrounds Lancaster City...
, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) outside of the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. It is situated on 10 acres (4 ha) of land, which it shares with Lancaster County's historical society, at the intersection of Marietta Avenue and President Avenue.
The region was originally inhabited by the Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
s, who were first encountered in what is now Lancaster County by John Smith in 1608. They were also known to early settlers of the area as the "Conestogas", after the creek
Conestoga River
The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the center of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
they resided near. In 1680, William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
received a charter from Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
for land to found the Province of Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
; Penn divided the land into the three counties: Bucks
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, Chester
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
and Philadelphia
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
-History:Tribes of Lenape were the first known occupants in the area which became Philadelphia County. The first European settlers were Swedes and Finns who arrived in 1638. The Netherlands seized the area in 1655, but permanently lost control to England in 1674...
. Lancaster County was formed from parts of Chester County on May 10, 1729. Lancaster Township was settled between 1717 and 1720, and was incorporated out of portions of Conestoga Township in 1729. The city of Lancaster was laid out in March 1730 and was incorporated as a borough
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in August 1742, before being incorporated as a city on March 20, 1818.
History
On November 20, 1824, over 403 acres (163.1 ha) of land was turned over to a bank in Lancaster by a farmer. The bank sold 165 acres (66.8 ha) and 68 square perches (18,513 ft2; 1,720 m2) of that land, on January 29, 1828, for $11,731.87 ($ in dollars), through the use of a straw man, to William Jenkins, a lawyer and, then, president of said bank. Jenkins had a house constructed on the property and named it "The Wheatlands", either after the surrounding wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
fields or because the site of the house used to be a wheatfield. Jenkins sold 17 acres (6.9 ha) and 25 square perches (7,010 ft2; 651 m2) of land, including the house, to his son-in-law
Affinity (law)
In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity, as distinguished from consanguinity, is kinship by marriage. It is the relation which each party to a marriage bears to the kindred of the other. In English, affinity is usually signified by adding "-in-law" to the degree of kinship...
in 1841. William M. Meredith
William M. Meredith
William Morris Meredith was an American lawyer and politician.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1812...
bought the same plot on May 8, 1845, plus an additional 5 acres (2 ha), for $6,750 ($ in dollars). Meredith used it as primarily a summer house
Summer house
A summer house or summerhouse has traditionally referred to a building or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. This would often take the form of a small, roofed building on the grounds of a larger one, but could also be built in a garden or park, often designed to provide cool shady places...
and as a home for his wife and children; Meredith's duties as head of the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in Philadelphia prevented him from living at Wheatland on a permanent basis.
Wheatland was put up for sale by Meredith and was contacted in June 1848 by the Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
James Buchanan, who was interested in the house. The sale of Wheatland was delayed by Meredith, who was not sure whether he really wanted the sell the estate, and by Buchanan, who did not want to force Meredith into making a decision he might regret. Wheatland was sold in December 1848 at the same price that Meredith had purchased it at; Buchanan moved into the mansion several months later, accompanied by his niece, Harriet Lane
Harriet Lane
Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston , niece of lifelong bachelor United States President James Buchanan, acted as First Lady of the United States from 1857 to 1861. She was one of the few women to hold the position of First Lady while not being married to the President.-Early life:Harriet Lane's family...
, and nephew, James Buchanan "Buck" Henry
James Buchanan Henry
James Buchanan Henry was a lawyer, writer, secretary to the President, nephew and ward of James Buchanan. He was the first man to officially hold this office being paid by the Government. He held this position for two years....
, and his housekeeper
Housekeeper (servant)
A housekeeper is an individual responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the interior of a residence, including direction of subordinate maids...
, Esther "Miss Hetty" Parker. Buchanan ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
's nomination for President in the 1852 election
United States presidential election, 1852
The United States presidential election of 1852 bore important similarities to the election of 1844. Once again, the incumbent president was a Whig who had succeeded to the presidency upon the death of his war-hero predecessor. In this case, it was Millard Fillmore who followed General Zachary Taylor...
, however he was appointed the Minister to Great Britain
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
The office of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom was traditionally, and still is very much so today due to the Special Relationship, the most prestigious position in the United States Foreign Service...
by the newly elected Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
. Buchanan did not return to the United States, and to Wheatland, until 1856.
Not long after arriving back at Wheatland, Buchanan was nominated by the Democratic Party to be its candidate for President on June 9, 1856. Buchanan did not tour the country as part of the campaign. Instead, he conducted it from Wheatland as a "front porch campaign
Front porch campaign
A front porch campaign is a low-key electoral campaign used in American politics in which the candidate remains close to or at home to make speeches to supporters who come to visit. The candidate largely does not travel around or otherwise actively campaign. The successful presidential campaigns...
". Buchanan won the election and carried all of the Southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
states, with most of the votes in the Northern
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
states going to the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
. Part of Buchanan's success in the South was his, and the party platform
Party platform
A party platform, or platform sometimes also referred to as a manifesto, is a list of the actions which a political party, individual candidate, or other organization supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose of having said peoples' candidates voted into political office or...
's, support of the Kansas–Nebraska Act. One of the tactics used in the campaign involved lithographs
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
of Wheatland being printed and circulated, primarily in the South, "as a polite way of informing the Southerners that the Democratic candidate, though from the North, had a 'plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
estate' and held a course of life similar to their own."
Post-presidency
During his presidency, Buchanan returned to Wheatland sporadically and never for very long. He retired to Wheatland in 1861, after the election of Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and the end of his term as President. Buchanan died in a room on the second floor in Wheatland on June 1, 1868. Thousands of people attended Buchanan's funeral and the procession
Funeral procession
A funeral procession is a procession, usually in motor vehicles, from a church, synagogue, or mosque to the cemetery. The deceased is usually transported in a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles.- Standard procedure :...
from Wheatland to the Woodward Hill Cemetery
Woodward Hill Cemetery
Woodward Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Trinity Lutheran Church of Lancaster at some time between 1849 and 1852, but became a non-denominational cemetery in 1856. It is well known for being the burial place of James Buchanan, the 15th...
on June 4. The estate was inherited by Harriet Lane, who used it as a summer house. After both of Lane's sons died—one in 1881 and the other a year later—and a few weeks after her husband died, Lane sold Wheatland in 1884 to George Willson.
Wheatland was inherited by Mary Willson Rettew, a cousin of George Willson, after he died of a heart attack in 1929. Rettew died in 1934 and, left a will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
stipulating "the establishment of 'The Willson Memorial Building'" to preserve the family's heirloom
Heirloom
In popular usage, an heirloom is something, perhaps an antique or some kind of jewelry, that has been passed down for generations through family members....
s. Her will also requested that the building be occupied by the Lancaster County Historical Society, which had been founded in 1880. Wheatland, along with 4.25 acres (1.7 ha) of land, were put up for sale by the executor
Executor
An executor, in the broadest sense, is one who carries something out .-Overview:...
s of the will. The Junior League of Lancaster founded the "James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland" in 1935 with the purpose of raising funds to buy Wheatland. Wheatland was sold to the Foundation for $40,000 ($ in dollars) on February 27, 1936. It was opened to the public on May 5, 1936 and was dedicated "as a new presidential shrine, taking its place with Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
, Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
and The Hermitage
The Hermitage (Nashville, Tennessee)
The Hermitage is a historical plantation and museum located in Davidson County, Tennessee, USA, east of downtown Nashville. The plantation was owned by Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, from 1804 until his death at the Hermitage in 1845. Jackson only lived at the property...
," in October 1937. Wheatland was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on July 4, 1961 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 15, 1966. The James Buchanan Foundation and the neighboring Lancaster County Historical Society were merged in 2009 to form LancasterHistory.org.
Architecture and decor
Wheatland is a Federal styleFederal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
house made of brick. As no documents on the actual construction are known to exist, the person or persons responsible for the design of Wheatland have remained anonymous. However, the architecture of Wheatland, as well as its location on the property, indicates someone who was skilled in classical architecture. Design elements, like various lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
windows, also show the influence of various architectural guidebooks that were prevalent in the early 19th century.
The interior of Wheatland is furnished as it would have been in the mid-19th Century, with most of the furniture being original to the house. As Wheatland has never been significantly altered or remodeled, other than the installation of modern lighting and heating, it provides an accurate view of the lifestyle in the Victorian era.
The house is made up of a -story, "bilaterally symmetrical", central section, flanked by two, three-story wings set back from the main facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The roofs of both wings are flat and sloping towards the rear of the house; the northern wing also a "pent roof", a sloped, shingled roof between the first floor and second floor windows, on the rear. The front entrance to Wheatland is sheltered by a portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
supported by Tuscan order
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
columns, while the rear entrance is on a veranda
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
.
Interior
Both of the main entrances into Wheatland open onto a 'T'-shaped hallway. The main portion of the hall is 42 feet (12.8 m) long and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, while the cross-hall is 34 by 8 ft (10.4 by 2.4 ). It is covered with an oilcloth flooring that was decorated with "geometric squares to imitate tile"—painting one material to resemble another, more expensive one was popular in the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. The original cloth was covered with a modern, red carpet up until 1990; it has since been overlaid with an identical, reproduction covering.
On the first floor are located the parlor, the library
Study (room)
A study is a room in a house which is used for paperwork, computer work, or reading. Historically, the study of a house was reserved for use as the private office and reading room of a family father as the formal head of a household, but today studies are generally either used to operate a home...
, two dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
s, and the kitchen. One of the dining rooms is located in the western wing, off of the hallway, and was used primarily used by the family for smaller meals like breakfast or tea
Tea (meal)
Tea can refer to any of several different meals or mealtimes, depending on a country's customs and its history of drinking tea. However, in those countries where the term's use is common, the influences are generally those of the former British Empire...
. The kitchen is also in the wing, directly adjacent to the dining room. The other dining room, located in the front western side of the main house, was used only for formal dinners and as the sitting room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
where the men would converse after dinner. The fireplace in the room was enclosed in marble when Buchanan bought Wheatland and had a furnace
Furnace
A furnace is a device used for heating. The name derives from Latin fornax, oven.In American English and Canadian English, the term furnace on its own is generally used to describe household heating systems based on a central furnace , and sometimes as a synonym for kiln, a device used in the...
installed. Across the hall, on the other side of the main house is the parlor, where the women guests would congregate after dinner. The library is located off the hallway in the east wing. The woodwork, doors, a bookcase
Bookcase
A bookcase, or bookshelf, is a piece of furniture, almost always with horizontal shelves, used to store books. A bookcase consists of a unit including two or more shelves which may not all be used to contain books or other printed materials. Shelves may be fixed or adjustable to different positions...
, and a bookshelf built into the wall were grained
Graining
Graining is the practice of imitating woodgrain on a non-wood surface in order to increase that surface's aesthetic appeal. Graining was common in the 19th century, as people were keen on imitating hard, expensive woods by applying a superficial layer of paint onto soft, inexpensive woods. Graining...
to resemble oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. The shelves in the bookshelf no longer exist; but, the backboard of the bookshelf is visible, as is the plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
wall made to resemble wood. Two mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
bookcases, flanking the fireplace in the library, were furnished by Jenkins and having been sold to each successive owner by the previous one. The library was used primary by Buchanan as the place to meet with guests.
The second floor is reached by means of an elliptical stairway in the cross-hall. Embedded into the newel post
Newel
A newel, also called a central pole, is an upright post that supports the handrail of a stair banister. In stairs having straight flights it is the principal post at the foot of the staircase, but it can also be used for the intermediate posts on landings and at the top of a staircase...
at the base of the stairs is glass "peace stone", symbolizing the owners "peace of mind" after having paid off the mortgage. The living quarters for the inhabitants of Wheatland were located on the second floor. A bathroom, complete with bathtub, shower and a bidet
Bidet
A bidet is a low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the genitalia, inner buttocks, and anus. It was originally a French word.-History:...
, was installed in the west wing when the Willsons bought Wheatland in 1884. The third floor was primarily used as servants' quarters
Servants' quarters
Servants' quarters are those parts of a building, traditionally in a private house, which contain the domestic offices and staff accommodation. From the late 17th century until the early 20th century they were a common feature in all large houses...
and has been left unrestored.
Grounds
Originally constituting 22 acres (8.9 ha), the grounds surrounding Wheatland were incrementally sold until only 4.25 acres (1.7 ha) remained when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The merger in 2009, however, included the 5.75 acres (2.3 ha) given to the historical society in 1934; the total of the two parcels is almost half of Wheatland's original property.On the grounds, behind Wheatland, stand a privy
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
, a smokehouse
Smokehouse
A smokehouse is a building where meat or fish is cured with smoke. The finished product might be stored in the building, sometimes for a year or more.-History:...
, and a carriage house
Carriage house
A carriage house, also called remise or coach house, is an outbuilding which was originally built to house horse-drawn carriages and the related tack.In Great Britain the farm building was called a Cart Shed...
. A stable used to stand on the property but was replaced by the carriage house in the late 1880s; an icehouse
Icehouse (building)
Ice houses were buildings used to store ice throughout the year, prior to the invention of the refrigerator. Some were underground chambers, usually man-made, close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.During the...
also no longer exists. The carriage house, today, houses the Wheatland visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
.
Wheatland is open to the public Monday-Saturday from April to October, and only Friday and Saturday in November, with tours available hourly.
See also
- Buchanan's Birthplace State ParkBuchanan's Birthplace State ParkBuchanan's Birthplace State Park is a Pennsylvania state park near Cove Gap, in Peters Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 16 along Tuscarora Mountain...
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- List of residences of Presidents of the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
External links
- President James Buchanan's Wheatland (LancasterHistory.org)