The mission of the Rock Ford Foundation is to provide opportunities to connect with and explore the life of Edward Hand, the diverse communities and material culture of early Lancaster County, and the complex issues that shaped our nation in its formative years by preserving and interpreting Historic Rock Ford and its collections.
History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.
David C. McCullough
Historic Rock Ford is open for limited tour hours: Tuesday - Sunday, with tours at 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm.
Visitors are asked to purchase their tickets in advance and are advised to check our Yapsody box office (button link below) for available dates and times.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Historic Rock Ford was the home of Edward Hand and his family as well as enslaved and free servants and laborers. Edward Hand was Adjutant General to George Washington during the American Revolution. Today, Historic Rock Ford is comprised of 33 acres at the southeastern edge of Lancaster City surrounded by Lancaster County Central Park. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and is recorded in the Historic American Building Survey. Historic Rock Ford is widely considered to be one of the most important examples of Georgian domestic architecture surviving in Pennsylvania and the most intact building predating 1800 in Lancaster County. The mansion’s elegant rooms are furnished with an outstanding collection of period furnishings and decorative arts.

 

For information on tour times, admission rates and reservations, please click here. 

To receive information on upcoming events at Historic Rock Ford, please click here to sign up.

To listen to podcasts about Edward Hand and the history of Rock Ford, please click here.

To view the latest Historic Rock Ford newsletter, please click here.

“After Dark” Tours

This October, explore Historic Rock Ford After Dark! For details, please click here.

The John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts

Due to the delay caused by the COVID-19 shutdown, the opening of the Gallery has been postponed. For more details, please click here.

Weddings & Special Events

Make your wedding or special event an historic occasion! Our 18th Century barn and grounds are available for rental. For more information, please click here.

We are grateful for the generous support of our 2020 Season Sponsors:

Lead Sponsors

Mr. Thomas G. Englert and The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

Supporting Sponsor

Rhoads Energy

 

Historic Rock Ford, an Educational Improvement Organization, sincerely thanks UGI for its generous support of our school programming.

 

Historic Rock Ford wishes to thank the Lancaster County Community Foundation for a grant from the John J. Snyder, Jr. Fund

to repair and restore the original wood shutters on the front of the mansion.