Wheatland in Lancaster was President James Buchanan's Favored Home

Wheatland is the name of an historic estate in the city of Lancaster in central Pennsylvania. The mansion was once home to James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States. Portions of it are open to the public for touring.

Wheatland, a Federal-style home, was originally built in 1828 by lawyer, William Jenkins. It was later owned by another lawyer, William Morris Meredith from Philadelphia, and was then purchased by Buchanan in 1848, about a decade before he assumed the presidency. Buchanan, who was a Pennsylvania native, purchased a total of about 22 acres, which included not only the mansion but also several outbuildings. He ran his presidential campaign from the home he loved and he lived at Wheatland until his death in 1868. His niece, Harriet Lane Johnston, inherited the property and eventually sold it to Lancaster businessman George Wilson, who sold off 13 acres and left the remainder to his cousin when he died in 1934. A year later, the James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland was formed and the foundation purchased the remaining property (about 4 acres) in 1936.

The Wheatland mansion is a National Historic Landmark and much of it has been renovated to reflect life during the Civil War era and beyond, particularly the years during Buchanan's occupancy. Today, visitors can view the mansion as well as the outbuildings, which include the carriage house (which functions as a Visitor Center), the privy, and the smoke-ice house. The privy was one of the original buildings on the property and was used until the late 1800s when indoor plumbing was added. The smokehouse-icehouse included three levels for storing and curing food - meats on the top floor, produce on the ground level, and ice in the basement. The carriage house was most likely built by George Wilson and was used to store his carriages. A separate stable, no longer standing, was used for his horses.

There are two exhibition gardens surrounding the mansion. Guests can tour them and learn about the vegetables and herbs that were grown here during the nineteenth century.

Visitors to Wheatland can take advantage of daily guided tours, which last about an hour and depart from the Visitor Center. Tickets can be purchased there as well. The attraction has limited accessibility for wheelchair-bound visitors but printed scripts of the tour are available for the hearing impaired. Groups of 10 of more people are welcome to tour together. Reservations should be made in advance. Costumed docents lead the group tours.

Wheatland and the James Buchanan Foundation offer a number of special events each year. These include days to mark President Buchanan's birthday as well as food and arts festivals, holiday tours, garden club sales, and more.

President James Buchanan's Wheatland is open Tuesday through Saturday from April through October, weekends in November and December, and by appointment only from January through March. Extended hours are offered during Christmas week.