Friendship Hill
Courtesy of VitaleBaby
8 July 2010
Website:
https://www.nps.gov/frhi/index.htm
Telephone Number:
Location:
223 New Geneva Road, Point Marion, PA 15474
Hours:
Gallatin House hours
October through April, Saturdays and Sundays 9 AM to 5 PM
May through September, Daily 9 AM to 5 PM
Park hours
Daily Sunrise–Sunset
Description:
Friendship Hill, once the residence of Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), an influential American statesman and lawmaker, overlooks the Monongahela River near Point Marion, Pennsylvania, approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Pittsburgh. Gallatin, renowned for his roles as a U.S. Congressman, Secretary of the Treasury under two presidents, and ambassador to France and Great Britain, owned and inhabited this historic property.
Managed by the National Park Service as Friendship Hill National Historic Site, the estate spans 675 acres (273 ha) along the eastern bank of the Monongahela River, nestled between New Geneva and Point Marion in rural southwestern Pennsylvania. Perched atop a bluff, the main house, also referred to as the Albert Gallatin House, commands the highest vantage point on the property.
Comprising seven distinct sections, the house bears witness to its rich history. The earliest segment, a brick house constructed in 1789, embodies the Federal style with a Flemish bond. Subsequent additions include a frame dwelling added in 1798, a Stone House erected in 1823, overseen by Albert Gallatin's son, Albert Rolaz Gallatin, and a stone kitchen built in 1824, marking the final addition during Gallatin's ownership.
Later expansions included a State Dining Room in 1895, a south bedroom wing completed in 1902, and servants' quarters added in 1903 by subsequent owners. Albert Gallatin, originally from Geneva, Switzerland, arrived in the United States in 1780 and acquired Friendship Hill in 1788, engaging in real estate ventures in western Pennsylvania and Virginia. He eventually sold the property in 1832 and settled in New York City.
Honored for its historical significance, Friendship Hill was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 12, 1965, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Subsequently, the national historic site was established on November 10, 1978, now under the stewardship of Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
