Bradford House Association shares history with community
Are you familiar with David Bradford?
If not, he’s the Washington County attorney who led a 1794 rebellion against the Congress-led excise tax on whiskey products.
While Bradford may not fall among the likes of George Washington and Paul Revere in history books, his legacy has left a mark on Washington County and his 1788 home is now a National Historic landmark.
Visitors to The Bradford House at 175 S. Main St. in Washington have the opportunity to learn more about the home, the Whiskey Rebellion and the man behind the historic moment.
The nonprofit Bradford House Historical Association continues to grow with educational opportunities and space to share more.
With three locations in the area, the centerpiece is The Bradford House. Visitors can stop by from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wed. through Sat., though tour appointments can be scheduled during off hours and the home is open year-round.
“This is a guided tour with docents in 18th century attire. Visitors can learn about the house, why it’s a landmark, and learn about David Bradford and other owners over the years,” said Tracie Liberatore, executive director.
Not long ago, the Whiskey Rebellion Education Center was opened, thanks to a grant received by The Bradford House Historical Association.
“The story of the Whiskey Rebellion is big enough on its own, so we wanted to have a space. It’s directly across the street from The Bradford House and includes a walk-through timeline of the rebellion,” Liberatore said. “The visitors center is not a guided tour but includes displays and panels of information along with an 18th century whiskey still.”
Just this year, the association opened the Meeting House, an educational space with an open floor plan.
Liberatore said far too often, as school groups and other visitor groups walked through, there wasn’t a great space to stop as an entire group and have a discussion or watch a demonstration.
With the Meeting House, that’s now a possibility and what’s more, everything is free to the public.
“After the pandemic, we were looking at ways to bring people back through our doors and we offered free admission in 2021. We don’t want people driving by and wondering, how expensive will that be for my family or I’m really interested but I can’t afford it,” Liberatore said.
Businesses and other organizations have rallied around the nonprofit to make this possible, and Liberatore said they plan to continue offering free admission from now on.
In addition to the three free locations that make up all things Bradford and Whiskey Rebellion, a few large events really stand out for the community.
Nearly 7,000 attended the annual Whiskey Rebellion Festival in 2023 and many enjoy the live, historical theater, the hands-on children’s programming and vendor booths with handmade and vintage items.
The annual fundraiser is the Whiskey Rebellion Dinner, complete with whiskey in the food, in the drink and to take home.
In addition, an annual symposium is offered to the public. On April 5, 2024, guests will hear from actors portraying Lewis and Clark. As an added bonus, Bradford House Historical Association will host a second day, Symposium Jr. for younger history buffs on April 6.
“We have such amazing support from the community. I reached out through social media and said, ‘I’d love to offer this second day for our youth’ and the very next day, had two groups offer to sponsor,” said Liberatore.
To support the organization, follow their Facebook page for information, donate to the website at https://www.bradfordhouse.org/ or sign up for the recently formed Whiskey Rebel Society; a five-year commitment to support the nonprofit.