Geneva, NY: This spring see Rose Hill Mansion in a whole new light! On Friday, May 15, 2015, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Geneva Historical Society will be offering a special evening tour of the Mansion's first floor focused on how the rooms were used, especially in the evening. In the era before electric light, what did people do after dark? How did they get around their house, grounds, and community without modern lighting? Find out more about the Swan family's night life during the late 1800s and view the rooms yourself by (electric) candlelight.
Tours will leave every 30 minutes beginning at 6:30 p.m. The tour will last approximately 45 minutes and the last tour starts at 8:30 p.m. This special event includes light refreshments. The Carriage House Gift Shop and the Billsboro Tasting Room will also be open for the event. Admission is $10 per person, $7 for members of the Geneva Historical Society. As space is limited, reservations are suggested, but not required. Call 315-789-5151 for reservations.
Once a working farm, the house and surrounding grounds at Rose Hill are open seasonally for guided tours. Built in 1839, the elegant Greek Revival house was the center of a busy and productive farm at mid-century, occupied by the Swan family from 1850-1890. Twenty rooms of the house are restored and furnished in the Empire style, popular from the 1820s to 1850s. The property also has a magnificent view of Seneca Lake and nearby farmlands.
Rose Hill Mansion is located at 3373 Route 96A, about a mile south of Routes 5&20, near Geneva, New York. Rose Hill is administered by the Geneva Historical Society. For more information about visiting Rose Hill, call the Geneva Historical Society at 315-789-5151 or call Rose Hill at 315-789-3848. Information is also available at www.genevahistoricalsociety.com.
The Geneva Historical Society receives major funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Town and City of Geneva.
