Bradford House Historical Association

The Bradford House Historical Association was created in 1965 to support the Bradford House Museum, a National Historic Landmark. The Bradford House, built in 1788, was home to David Bradford, a leader in the Whiskey Rebellion. David Bradford, a prominent 18th- century lawyer, represented the farmers as they rebelled against the whiskey tax levied by Congress during President George Washington’s administration. Mr. Bradford utilized the house for entertaining and business, while he had a much more modest home for his wife and children. 

Through the subsequent years, the house was occupied by different families, and businesses including a Christmas tree market, grocery stores, and an undertaker/furniture store. The Association is comprised of an all-volunteer board, one full-time and six part-time staff. In 2022, the Whiskey Rebellion Education and Visitor Center earned an institution award and an individual merit award from PA Museums. The Museum is steps from the Visitor Center.

Supporters of the Bradford House Historical Association don’t want our history reserved for those who can afford it; history should be free for everyone. Community support allows us to offer something that everybody has a stake in and many don’t fully understand: our shared past. That common past has defined us for more than two hundred years. We’d love to continue to offer free admission to our sites. We more than doubled our attendance last year, and one factor was certainly free admission. But that doesn’t pay bills or keep the lights on. If we are to continue to offer the gift of our history to everyone free of charge, we need community support.