HISTORIC 18th CENTURY HOME OF GENERAL EDWARD HAND

Welcome to Historic Rock Ford Plantation, the 18th Century home of Revolutionary War General Edward Hand. Rock Ford is a unique example of architectural survival. Over 90% of the historic fabric of the original house, including shutters, woodwork, glass and floors, is intact.

Today, Rock Ford Plantation is comprised of 33 acres at the southeastern edge of Lancaster City surrounded by Lancaster County Central Park. However, the Rock Ford Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation which is not affiliated with the Lancaster County Park system. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and is recorded in the Historic American Building Survey. Rock Ford is widely considered to be one of the most important examples of Georgian domestic architecture surviving in Pennsylvania and the most intact building predating 1800 in Lancaster County. The mansion remains remarkably preserved and essentially unchanged architecturally from the 18th Century. Rock Ford Plantation offers visitors an authentic example of refined country living as it existed during the early years of the Republic.

GENERAL EDWARD HAND

Edward Hand was born on December 31, 1744 in Clydruff, King’s County, Ireland. Following medical training at Trinity College, Dublin, he was enlisted as Surgeon's Mate with the 18th Royal Irish Regiment of Foot and sent to garrison Fort Pitt in America. He resigned from British service in 1774 and came to Lancaster to practice medicine. In 1775, Edward Hand married Katherine (“Kitty”) Ewing (the niece of Jasper Yeates). Edward and Katherine Hand had eight children: Sara b. 1775, Dorothy b. 1777, Katherine b. 1779, John b. 1782, Jasper b. 1784, Mary b. 1786, Margaret b. 1789 and Edward b. 1792. Hand joined the Continental Army as Lt. Colonel of the 1st Battalion of Pennsylvania Riflemen in July of 1775. He led troops at Boston, Long Island, White Plains and Trenton, becoming Adjutant General to Washington in 1781. At War's end, Hand returned to Lancaster and entered politics as a Federalist. He served Congress, State General Assembly, and was elected Burgess of Lancaster. Edward Hand and his family moved to Rock Ford in 1794, and he died there on September 3, 1802.

THE HOUSE AND PLANTATION

Edward Hand purchased the "plantation tract of land" upon which he would later build Rock Ford in two transactions: 160 acres in 1785 and 17 additional acres in 1792. The old term for a farm under cultivation was "plantation." Rock Ford stands on the banks of the Conestoga River, one mile south of downtown Lancaster. In the 18th Century, no bridges spanned the Conestoga River. Therefore, one forded the river at a spot with rock outcroppings. This location is most likely the origin of the name “Rock Ford.”

While owned by the Hand family, the property was a working farm with fields, livestock, and extensive orchards. Edward Hand is remembered for introducing a type of plum, which subsequently bore his name. By the late 1790's, in addition to the mansion, the plantation boasted a tenant house, springhouse, two barns, and numerous outbuildings.

On July 4, 1791, General and Mrs. Hand entertained George Washington for tea during the President's visit to Lancaster. Although the precise location of this tea was not contemporaneously documented, it was traditionally believed to have taken place at Rock Ford Plantation.

After being sold from the Hand estate in 1810, the property was operated as a tenant farm into the mid-20th century. The tenant farmers living here for about 150 years made almost no changes to the house. By the 1950's, it was owned by the Lancaster Area Refuse Authority, and the mansion was threatened by demolition and was slated to be the home of a trash incineration plant and landfill. In 1957, the house with adjacent acreage was bought by the Junior League of Lancaster. In May 1958, the Rock Ford Foundation, Inc., was established to restore and maintain the property. The house was opened to the public in 1960, and the restoration of the wooden piazzas was completed in 1964. General Hand's own estate inventory was instrumental both in locating specific articles from his residency and in furnishing the rooms. Archaeological excavations in the surrounding grounds have unearthed well preserved artifacts, in addition to foundations of outbuildings mentioned in tax records.

The Interiors

The floors of levels of Rock Ford conform to the same plan — a center hall with four corner rooms. The interior paint colors are based upon paint analysis used to determine the original paint colors. The furnishings and interior arrangement now shown at Rock Ford seek to convey the lifestyle of the Hand family as they lived here circa 1794 to 1802. The chief guide for the furnishings has been the detailed inventory taken of the “Goods and Chattels” of Edward Hand after his death in 1802.

THE BARN AT ROCK FORD

The current barn is not original to the property. However, it stands on the original location of General Hand’s barn, stockyard and hog pen. This barn was built in Manor Township in the 1780’s. The barn was purchased from PP&L in 1973, dismantled, and moved to Rock Ford. Currently, the barn houses the Museum Education Center, used during school tours, on the second floor. The Barn and grounds at Rock Ford are available to rent for weddings receptions, office meetings and parties, and other special events. If you are interested in holding your special event on 32 picturesque acres surrounded by gardens, woodlands, the Conestoga River, and General Hand's mansion estate, please contact our Rental Coordinator at 717-799-8751 for rates and information.

Rock Ford Plantation is open to the public from
April through October.

Wednesday - Sunday
11:00 am to 3:00 pm
(Last tour begins at 3:00 pm)
Rock Ford Plantation is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Season Tour Admission Rates are as follows:
$7.00 Adults
$6.00 Seniors (65 and over)
$5.00 for Children 6-12
Children under 6 are free
 

Special arrangements may be available for Group Tours.
Please check the “Group Tours” page of our website
for further details.
 

Special events are held at Rock Ford Plantation throughout the year.
Please check the “Special Events” page of our website
for further details.