BRADFORD HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
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Mission Statement
The mission of the Bradford House Historical Association is to educate as we preserve and promote the history of the Whiskey Rebellion and the 18th-century life and times of David Bradford.
About This Cause
The Bradford House Historical Association, a 501c3 corporation, 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 that was being levied by the federal government during President George Washington’s administration. The rebellion lasted from 1791 to 1794. Mr. Bradford utilized the house for entertaining business clients, while he had a much more modest farm 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 shops, and a furniture/undertaker store. The museum was owned by the Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission from 1965 to 2017, though the state’s funding ($9,000 annually) stopped in 2009. In 2017, museum ownership was transferred to the Bradford House Historical Association, which is comprised of an all-volunteer board. Currently, there are 14 board members, while our bylaws allow for up to 21 board members. The board is legally responsible for the finances and policies of the museum. The board is considered a working board, with an executive committee. The mission of the Bradford House Historical Association is to educate as we preserve and promote the history of the Whiskey Rebellion and the 18th-century life and times of David Bradford. Our goal is to raise awareness of the role that the Whiskey Rebellion had in shaping American history. Harry Truman called the Whiskey Rebellion one of the top six events in American history. There are so many firsts resulting from the Whiskey Rebellion era, such as the first use of the presidential pardon and the first excise tax levied by Congress. In 2019, the Allegheny Foundation provided grant funds to extend our campus and in 2021, we opened the fully ADA-accessible Whiskey Rebellion Education and Visitor Center, which earned us an institution award from PA Museums. In addition, the Executive Director won an individual merit award from PA Museums. The Visitor Center is a walkthrough timeline of the causes, people, events, precedents, and results of the Whiskey Rebellion and features artifacts belonging to several Rebels and a whiskey distilling display. The Bradford House Museum is located at 175 S. Main Street, Washington, PA 15301. The Whiskey Rebellion Education and Visitor Center is located at 184 S. Main Street, Washington, PA 15301. In February 2023, the Bradford House Historical Association further expanded its campus by opening the Meeting House at 182 S. Main Street, Washington, PA 15301. Many early American communities built a multipurpose meeting house where residents could meet to hold religious services, discuss local issues, and conduct town business. The old Mingo Meeting House was the most famous in our area, where the Mingo Militia met during the Whiskey Rebellion in open defiance of the federal government. The BHHA Meeting House serves primarily as an educational space. The main room is 15x30 feet and features an open floor plan that can be flexible for different seating arrangements. An Intermediate Unit I teacher in-service session, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute course, Washington County Bar Association CLE course, group tour lessons, Hands on History Day Camp activities, staff and volunteer training, Bradford House board meetings, a J. Howard Iams Whiskey Rebellion art show, and other community meetings, have already been conducted in this Meeting House. The Meeting House was utilized for demonstrations and activities for several 2023 downtown Washington events, including the Running of the Wools and, of course, the annual Whiskey Rebellion Festival. In addition, the Meeting House provides storage for the over 2,500 pieces of reproduction 18th century clothing formerly stored in the Bradford House basement. This clothing is worn by our docents, volunteers, Whiskey Rebellion actors, and community members as needed. There is no charge for wardrobe rentals. The two wardrobe rooms also serve as dressing rooms. The Meeting House is fully ADA-compliant. The Bradford House Historical Association’s staff includes one full-time Executive Director, six part-time seasonal senior docents, and one parttime assistant. The part-time assistant position was created 8/31/2022, to assist the Executive Director and work as a docent when needed. Throughout the year, over 100 volunteers contribute. Volunteer hours vary drastically from person to person.