David Bradford House
Website:
Telephone Number:
Location:
175 S Main Street, Washington, PA 15301
Hours:
By appointment only
Description:
Built in 1788 by David Bradford, a prominent lawyer and a leader of the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion, this National Historic Landmark was restored and opened as a museum in 1965.
A visit to the Bradford House Museum is an immersion into the political excitement of the first citizen challenge to the newly forged United States Constitution. Meet the men and women who experienced the 1790s southwestern Pennsylvania frontier's brutality and glory as they struggled to build a civilized society. Experience architecture, artifacts, art, and illuminating text along the way. Take away a living history lesson in justice, equality, and equity.
The museum is an exhibit of 18th-century living, representing both the lifestyle of the wealthy and of the ordinary citizen. The original stone house portrays the relative comforts and luxuries enjoyed by David and Elizabeth Bradford. Its period antiques, interesting artifacts, and authentic reproductions are elucidated during the immersive tour experience provided by costumed interpreters. Each room has replica items that may be handled by guests, such as the coins in the parlor, the cup and ball toy in the children’s room, and the fiber and textile samples in the workroom.
The upstairs room of the circa 1805 addition to the original house is used as a dedicated exhibit room. Exhibits include historical photos of the Old Stone House, as this structure was called. You’ll see display cases of antique hand tools, artifacts found on the property, and stones from the original National Road, handmade dolls representing historic personages in accurate detail, and framed historic maps.
The long table and chairs in the center of the room may be used by researchers who access our small reference library or for hands-on activities, such as building a cabin from toy logs or decorating a Christmas ornament.
From museum website
