National Historic Landmark

Buchanan, James, House

Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
66000669

About this property

Wheatland, or the James Buchanan House, is a brick Federal style house which is located in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was formerly owned by the 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan. The house was constructed in 1828 by William Jenkins, a local lawyer. The second owner was Thomas Fuller Potter. He sold it to William M. Meredith in 1845. Wheatland changed hands again in 1848, when it was purchased by Buchanan. Buchanan occupied the house for the next two decades, except for several years during his ambassadorship in Great Britain and during his presidency. After his death in 1868, Wheatland was inherited by Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane, who sold it in 1884 to George Willson. It was inherited by a relative of Willson's in 1929. Wheatland was put up for sale again after the relative died in 1934 and was acquired by a group of people who set up a foundation for the purpose of preserving the house. Wheatland was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. It was designated a contributing property to the Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District in 1980. The foundation and the adjacent historical society merged in 2009.

Location

1120 Marietta Ave.
Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
40.04326, -76.33040

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Lancaster Watch Company
Industrial
0.3 mi
Abbeville
Industrial
0.4 mi
Old Main, Goethean Hall, and Diagnothian Hall
Industrial
0.5 mi
Milleysack, J. B. Cigar Factory
Industrial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Buchanan, James, House listed on the National Register?

Buchanan, James, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Buchanan, James, House?

Buchanan, James, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Buchanan, James, House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Buchanan, James, House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Buchanan, James, House?

The period of significance for Buchanan, James, House is recorded as the industrial era.

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