I made an easy trip from Cumbola to Lancaster. The interesting part was the last ten miles from Lancaster to Pequea Creek Campground.
Once again, the roads were roller-coaster worthy. The scenery was beautiful and I was very thankful that the traffic was light.
Lori, the camp manager, sent me explicit driving directions. She told me that the sign on the road would tell me to turn, but that I shouldn’t. The bridge wouldn’t hold the weight of my trailer.
It was confusing, but I got there. And this is the bridge that I couldn’t cross with my trailer.
A covered bridge! Imagine that!
I got settled in to my campsite, right on the Pequea Creek.
It was a happy little creek. There were signs prohibiting swimming, but there wasn’t enough water to get properly wet. There was also a foot bridge, if you felt like walking from the picnicking side to the camping side.
AND a place to ford the creek, although they had a barrier up to prevent unauthorized fording.
Superman would have felt right at home here.
After setting up, I consulted my HISTORY Here app and set out to learn more about James Buchanan, our 15th president.
4/23/1791 – 6/1/1868
His home, Wheatland, is in Lancaster. It was built in 1828 for Williams Jenkins, and Buchanan bought it in 1848. He lived there with his niece and nephew, Harriet Lane and Buck Henry.
I arrived at the welcome center and watched a short video while I waited for the tour to start.
I was in a group of about 12 history buffs and we were greeted at the rear of the house by our guide dressed in period garb.
She was full of interesting facts and anecdotes, and I will share a few of them here.
This was Buchanan’s clock, and the venetian blinds were in the house way back when. They have been restrung and re-taped over the years, but the wooden slats are original. Imagine that! Do you suppose your vinyl mini-blinds will last 187 years?
I wish I had a better picture of the floor. But, if you look carefully, you can see the pattern. The guide told us that the floor was covered with a material that was similar to linoleum. It was in good shape, but they had laid a protective covering over it and hired an artist to recreate the pattern.
The dining room was set up as if to receive company. The room has been modernized, but I find it surprising that the plaster design in the middle of the room existed even before they had a chandelier there.
Buchanan did some modernizing when he moved in. He closed off some of the fireplaces and added a coal furnace in the cellar.
This desk was the one he used when he was in the White House.
He had a separate study for receiving business callers.
The items on the table are things that belonged to Buchanan, including his last bottle of wine. Those are his law books in the cases, as well.
Buchanan was a Mason.
I mention this because our guide told us an interesting story. After the Confederates and taken York, and the battle of Gettysburg was in the offing, he sent his family to Philadelphia for safety, and the Masons showed up to guard him. She told us that they also participated in burning the bridge over the Susquehanna at Wrightsville, which kept the confederates from crossing over and moving one toward Philadelphia.
Our guide pointed out a portion of the wall that was behind glass. They had removed a bookcase that had been on the wall, but wasn’t there when Buchanan had the house. They left it as an example of finishes used at the time. I am including it, partly for the ghostly image of the guide reflected in the glass.
Here is a glimpse of the guide and a better look at the floor covering.
The guide pointed out the pink “Peace Stone” imbedded in the newel post. It indicated that the owners had paid off the mortgage and had “peace of mind.”
Buchanan paid $6,750 for the property. In 2014 dollars, that would have been $182,075. However, I have a feeling that the house in the neighborhood would be worth considerably more than that.
For instance, this house is next door:
The original bannister, made of rosewood mahogany and tiger eye maple.
The bedrooms were upstairs. The first one we visited belonged to his niece, Harriet Lane. Since Buchanan was unmarried, Harriet served as the First Lady. In fact, the term “First Lady” was invented for her. Previous women in her position had been referred to as Mrs. Whomever. Since she was not married to the president, the press figured she needed a more dignified title than Miss Lane. I mean, what is less dignified than being an unmarried woman?
Our guide told us that this portrait was most likely made of her in the dress she wore to the inauguration.
She had a lovely little writing desk in her bedroom.
I’m not sure of the significance of the doll, but I thought the picture was nice.
Next door Buck Henry’s room. It was part of Buchanan’s bedroom suite, and was occupied by the secretary. I believe another of Buchanan’s nephews took over the secretarial duties after Buck moved on to other opportunities.
Back in the day, bathing was done in the bedrooms. The guide told us that this footbath also functioned as a shower, with water being poured over the head. The windows had interior shutters that could block off only the lower windows when bathing was taking place. They could also close off whole windows, when desired.
This bathroom was added after Buchanan’s time. Not only did it have a tub, but that little appliance at the end of it is a bidet. The guide did not mention when “flushies”were installed.
But, the emptying of chamberpots would be taken care of by the hired help. Buchanan had one trusted employee, who was with him for 30 years, Miss Hetty Parker. She warranted her own bedroom!
The rest of the staff slept up in the attic. We didn’t see that part of the house, but they all had to enter and leave their quarters through a door in her bedroom. That’s one way to manage employees.
This room was the last stop on our tour, the warming kitchen. The food was prepared in the regular kitchen in the cellar and then brought to the main level with a dumb waiter.
No, not the least intelligent worker – a dumb waiter is a small elevator for raising and lowering food and supplies between floors. But, you all knew that, right?
Have you ever seen a brick sh%$ house? You’ve heard the expression, right? Mom always used to say, “Built like a brick sh%$ house.”
Here is one of them!
At first, I was taken aback by the lack of privacy partitions. Then I noticed the variety of seating options, and I have to admit I was impressed.
After Wheatland, I made one final stop on the Buchanan trail.
It was also his final stop.