“The good wife, on warm days had iced lemonade to greet you upon your return from the fields, when you would seat yourself in one of the comfortable high-backed chairs upon the roomy piazza that fronted the lake, and enjoy your rest and the magnificent view. It then seemed to me, as if this great peace on earth could never terminate….”
Frederick Swan, 1894

Experience a taste of life on this 19th-century estate when you visit the National Historic Landmark Rose Hill Mansion in the beautiful Finger Lakes. Once a working farm, the house and surrounding grounds are now open seasonally for guided tours. Built in 1839, the elegant Greek Revival house was the center of a busy and productive farm at mid-century. Much of the tour focuses on the Swan family, in residence from 1850-1890. Through family letters, photographs, and diaries, explore the family's joys and sorrows and their interactions with neighbors and the many workers required to keep the large house and farm in working order. Trained as a merchant, discover how Robert Swan combined business methods of organization with scientific innovations like drain tile to make his farm more productive and profitable. See twenty rooms restored and furnished in the Empire style, popular from the 1820s to 1850s. Enjoy the magnificent view of Seneca Lake from the front porch and the vista of nearby farmlands.

Considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States, Rose Hill Mansion was restored in the 1960s through the generosity of Waldo Hutchins Jr. in honor of his mother, Agnes Swan Hutchins, who grew up in the house. The house is furnished with many pieces that belonged to the Swan family, including a Severin Roesen painting and an 1845 rosewood parlor set attributed to Alexander Roux. The house is open from the first of May through the end of October. Group rates are available by reservation. Call or email for more information.