Honoring George Ross, Lancaster’s Only Signer of the Declaration of Independence | Part II: Restoration of the Ross Home Doorframe

On Display at the Heritage Center Museum of Lancaster County

When the colonial-era home of George Ross was razed in the early 1850s to make way for the present county courthouse, the prominent pedimented doorway was incorporated into the home of Ann Coleman Hopkins, a great-granddaughter of George Ross, and her husband Issac Newton Lightner. When that structure was demolished in 1963 to make way for an apartment building, the Lancaster County Historical Society (now LancasterHistory) saved the doorframe from demolition, noting it to be one of the most important and elaborate architectural elements to survive from the eighteenth century. In 1976, the Historical Society loaned (and later donated) the doorframe to the Heritage Center of Lancaster County, where it was placed on exhibit in their downtown building. The doorway came back to LancasterHistory in 2012 when the Heritage Center closed.

Undergoing Repairs and Restorations

LancasterHistory is pleased to loan the Ross/Lightner doorframe to Historic Rock Ford as part of their Lancaster’s Revolutionaries display opening April 1 in the John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts. Although the doorframe was restored prior to its installation in the Heritage Center Museum, it has been stored for many years in a dismantled state. As part of the reinstallation effort, the doorframe will receive any necessary repairs as well as a fresh coat of paint. The work is being carried out by local contractor Benchmark Construction with the input of LancasterHistory and Historic Rock Ford staff.

Stay tuned for a final update as we document installation of the doorframe sometime in March!

 

 

From Object Lessons