Rose Hill Mansion Opens

The Rose Hill Mansion will open for the 2015 season on Friday, May 1. Administered by the Geneva Historical Society, the Greek Revival mansion and National Historical Landmark perches above Seneca Lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes.

Once a working farm, the house and surrounding grounds are now open seasonally for guided tours. Built in 1839, the elegant house was once the center of a busy and productive farm. Much of the guided tour focuses on the Swan family who lived there from 1850 to 1890. Through family letters, photographs, and diaries, visitors explore their joys and sorrows, and their interactions with neighbors and the many workers required to keep the large house and farm in working order. They discover how Robert Swan combined business methods of organization with scientific innovations like drain tile to make his farm more productive and profitable. Twenty rooms of the house are restored and furnished in the Empire style, popular from the 1820s to 1850s. The property also has a terrific view of Seneca Lake and nearby farmlands.