David Bradford House

David Bradford House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation Landmark
David Bradford House, from across South Main Street
Location:	175 South Main Street, Washington, Pennsylvania
Coordinates:	40°10′5″N 80°14′42″W / 40.16806°N 80.245°W / 40.16806; -80.245Coordinates: 40°10′5″N 80°14′42″W / 40.16806°N 80.245°W / 40.16806; -80.245
Built:	1788
Architect:	David Bradford
Architectural style:	Late German Colonial
Governing body:	State
NRHP Reference#:	73001668
Significant dates
Added to NRHP:	July 16, 1973[1]
Designated NHL:	July 28, 1983[2]

David Bradford House, in Washington, Pennsylvania was the home of David Bradford, a leader of the Whiskey Rebellion.

It is designated as a historic public landmark by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation.^[3]

History

Bradford built the first stone house on South Main Street in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1788, which, by frontier standards, ranked as a mansion. The handsome stairway was solid mahogany; the mantel-pieces and other interior furnishings, imported from Philadelphia, were transported across the Alleghenies at considerable expense. While restoring the house a secret underground passage was discovered leading to a nearby ravine. This tunnel was presumably used as an escape route in the event of an attack on the house.

In 1959, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission assumed control of the house and supervised restoration of its eighteenth-century design. They installed furnishings of that that time in Pennsylvania that they felt reflected Bradford's place in society. A management agreement was signed in 1982, turning the management of the Bradford House over to the Bradford House Historical Association. The museum is open from early May through mid December, giving group tours and hosting other special events.

The home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1983.^[2][4]

It is located at 175 South Main Street in Washington.

The Bradford House is owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is managed as a historic house museum by local volunteers for the Bradford House Historical Association. The house is open for tours seasonally, and contains period furnishings and changing exhibits.

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. no date specified. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "David Bradford House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1371&ResourceType=Building. Retrieved 2007-11-13. 
3. ^ "Bradford House". Landmark Registry - Public Landmark. Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation. 2008. http://www.washcolandmarks.com/landmark_registry_display.php. Retrieved 2010-11-08. 
4. ^ William K. Watson (May, 1983). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Bradford (David) HousePDF (460 KB). National Park Service. 

External links

• Official site: The Bradford House Online
• Bradford House at WikiDub