Open Mon – Sat, 9:30am – 5pm | Wheatland Tours 10am – 3pm
Constructing the Bodice [There will be time] for a hundred visions and revisions, before the taking of toast and tea. -“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot Visions and Revisions T.S. Eliot may not have been writing about sewing, but his words provide us with a bit of wisdom for this project. […]
Read MoreWhy Recreate Historical Garments? Whenever I embark on recreating a historical garment, I remember why such recreation is important. As a historian, my mission is to research, understand, and present the past not as an abstract and irrelevant entity from “way back in ye days of olde,” but rather as a very real and almost […]
Read MorePresident James Buchanan was not known to be trendy. His high-collared outfits were a few years out of style. His niece, Harriet, was often frustrated at his traditional taste when decorating their Wheatland home. Even his political opinions did not seem to evolve with the times. But, President Buchanan set a trend – and a […]
Read MoreWhen discussing historical fashion, chances are the topic will lead to corsets. As soon as that word is mentioned, one (or more) of the following statements abound: “Women couldn’t breathe in corsets and fainted frequently. That’s why there’s fainting couches.” “But did you know women had ribs surgically removed to tight lace?” “Women were forced […]
Read MoreWas President Buchanan a patriot? Although his presidency is widely criticized, there is little doubt that Buchanan devoted much of his life to serving his country. He famously remarked, as things were heating up in South Carolina in 1861, that “whatever the result may be, I shall carry to my grave the consciousness that at […]
Read MoreThe grand inaugural parade on March 4, 1857 included marching bands, floats, and many elaborate horse-drawn carriages. One particular carriage – in line just behind the one that conveyed President Pierce and President-Elect Buchanan – carried a man few knew even existed: Dr. Jonathan Foltz. Dr. Foltz was there to perform an important duty – […]
Read MorePast visitors to Wheatland may remember the remarkable portrait of President Buchanan that has hung above the mantle in our west parlor since 1945. This portrait was painted by the artist William E. McMaster, who spent three weeks in residence at Wheatland in the summer of 1856 creating the painting from life. McMaster made this […]
Read MoreUlysses S. Grant has the distinction of being our first American president to write an autobiography. Grant’s two-volume autobiography, The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, was published by Grant’s close friend Mark Twain shortly after General Grant’s death in 1884. Many have speculated that Twain served as a “ghostwriter” for Grant; it is almost […]
Read MoreReaders of the popular new novel Lincoln in the Bardo might recall the tale recounted by author George Saunders about an “immense Japanese punch bowl” used by President Lincoln in the White House to hold “ten gallons of champagne punch.” Although much of Saunders’ book is historical fiction, that part is distinctly factual. But what […]
Read MoreWhen visitors tour President James Buchanan’s Wheatland, many notice the quantity of bottles once containing alcohol that are scattered around Buchanan’s dining areas, parlors, and particularly his private office. An unopened 1827 bottle of Madeira wine from Mr. Buchanan’s collection still sits on a table in his office, one floor above the home’s original wine cellar. […]
Read MoreMilton Hershey’s first successful candy company got its start in Lancaster and was aptly named the Lancaster Caramel Company.