Visit Us

Lancaster County's Historical Society and President James Buchanan's Wheatland are located on the Campus of History at the intersection of Marietta and North President Avenues in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There is ample off-street parking available. The grounds also feature Wheatland's Gardens and the popular Tanger Arboretum, which features more than 100 species of trees from around the world.
 
Wheatland tour tickets can be purchased and visitors can check-in for on-line reservations of Wheatland tours in the Ware Commons of Lancaster County's Historical Society building. Tours of Wheatland will begin in the Ware Commons of Lancaster County's Historical Society building.

Hours of Operation

Lancaster County's Historical Society

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday – 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday – 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

President James Buchanan's Wheatland

Closed
Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Years Day.

President James Buchanan's Wheatland

April through October
Tours are offered Monday through Saturday, on the hour, starting with the 10 AM tour.  The last tour begins at 3 PM.

November
TBD

Yuletide Tours
TBD

January
Closed

February and March
Guided history tours will be available beginning on February 15 & 16 and on subsequent Fridays and Saturdays in February and throughout March - tours will be offered on the hour starting with the 10 AM tour and the last tour will begin at 3 PM.

Closings because of inclement weather will be posted on our automated voice mail system. Call 717-392-4633.

Admission

Lancaster County's Historical Society

Library: $7 per day for adults, $5 per day for seniors (65+), free for students and youth (17 and under); Free for members.

Groff Gallery and Richard C. von Hess Decorative Arts Center: : $7 per day for adults, $5 per day for seniors (65+) and students (11-17), free for youth under 11 years of age.  Free for members.

Special pricing available if combined with tours of Wheatland.

President James Buchanan's Wheatland

General Admission:

Admission prices are as follows for the 2013 Tour of Wheatland:
Adults $10.00
Seniors (65+) & Students (11-17) $8.00
Students (10 and younger, must be accompanied by an adult) Free

reservationsIndividuals and small groups can now reserve their tour dates and times using our Reservation Button and PayPal!

Group Admission:

Student Groups (ages 6-13): $6.00 per student

  • Adult Chaperones Free
  • Group must have a minimum of 10 or more students.
  • Minimum of two weeks advanced reservations requested.
  • We request 1 adult for every 10 students; Wheatland can accommodate a maximum of 50 students and 8 adults for the student tour.
  • Programs include:
    • Thematic House Tour (Please allow 60 minutes for the program)
    • Activity Based House Tour (Please allow 90 minutes for the program)

Adult Groups

  • Group must have a minimum of 10 or more paying adults.
  • Minimum of two weeks advanced reservations requested.
  • Bus driver and Tour Leader receive complimentary admission
  • Contact James Bollinger for current Adult Group tour rates and scheduling.

When you arrive ample free parking is available, with separate spaces for motor coaches and RVs. All tours of Wheatland begin in the main lobby of LancasterHistory.org. Be sure to allow at least one hour to enjoy the full tour. Visitors with special physical needs should get more information here.

Please note that you are not permitted to use cameras or video recorders inside Wheatland. Food and drink are not permitted in the Wheatland mansion. For your safety and security, all backpacks, camera bags, and large bags must remain in your vehicle.

Accessibility

Wheatland welcomes special needs visitors. LancasterHistory.org has an ADA ramp with ADA public restrooms.The pedestrian paths leading to the President's home are brick and do include a set of stairs leading to the house. At the house's back porch there is a low step to navigate to gain access to the porch. This is also the case with the doorway into the mansion from the porch. The first floor and a photographic tour of the second floor is available for our visitors unable to use the stairs. Wheelchairs are welcome in the mansion; however, the size of the interior spaces prevents the use of motorized scooter chairs, and limits the number that can be accommodated in a single tour. Printed mansion scripts are available for those with hearing problems.

 
 

Our Blogs

History in the Making

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My name is Ashley Metzger and I am a graduate student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I received my B.A. in History with a minor in Anthropology in 2011 and will graduate with an M.A. in History and a focus in Public History in December 2012. I hope to become a museum educator when I graduate and would love to work with the history of fashion if I have a chance. I am an intern with LancasterHistory.org this summer and I know it will give me the skills that I will need for the future.

[Read More]

Historically Speaking

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The staff and volunteers of the Archives Department at LancasterHistory.org never know what they'll find when working on the documents and records in the collections.  Fortunately, when they do discover something noteworthy they are very willing to share!

[Read Our Blog]

Marianne's PhotoBlog

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Because pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes they need an interpreter.

You know that cliché about a picture being worth a thousand words? Ok, well, imagine the stories going on in my head after cataloging several hundred photos every single day!

[Read My Blog]

Wheatland: A Love Story

Who would have guessed that a young lady would fall in love with an old President and his old house?

One Young Lady, One Old House, Two Hundred Years of History

I’m Jennifer Walton, Assistant Director of President James Buchanan's Wheatland, and I love an old President and his old house! Over the past six years, I’ve learned quite a lot about both, and I would love to share it with you!

[Read My Blog]

We'd Love Your Help

Help us preserve and promote Lancaster's history. You, too, can play an important role in keeping Lancaster's past present!

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