Friendship Hill National Historic Site

We arrived at Friendship Hill National Historic Site (http://www.nps.gov/frhi/index.htm)around midday and the weather was fine despite driving through some rain on the way here. It was hot, though. Really the 1st time all trip it had been hot and humid.

Friendship Hill is the country home of Albert Gallatin - I know, I'd never heard of him either. This is really a shame because he was really an important person. He best know for being the Secretary of the Treasury for 13 years in the Thomas Jefferson and James Madison administrations. His biggest and best accomplishments were to decrease the national debt, and - this is where my interest is really piqued - he oversaw the Louisiana Purchase and funded the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Albert Gallatin - "not a handsome man", as he was described by his 1st wife.

He was born in Switzerland but immigrated during the Revolutionary War. He had a wide variety of talents, being an accomplished ethnologist, linguist, politician, and Congressman. In fact, he is considered to be one of the 3 finest diplomats of his time, along with Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson - pretty good company.

This beautiful home was built in stages as his family grew, as many were back then, and was built on a bluff overlooking the Allegheny River in the back yard, and a beautiful pasture in the front.

The front of the house.

I don't believe there was an entrance fee, but it was nice because we were the only ones there and we had free reign of he house. Now, so far on our trip, our timing had been nearly perfect. We talked about it several times - going on this trip during the 2nd / 3rd week of May was perfect because the weather was great (nice and cool) and all of the parks were empty because kids were still in school. This was the 1st time (and only time) that it didn't work out as well for us. Much of the house was closed off to tourists because they weren't yet running tours for the summer crowds. Oh well - can't win them all. It was a beautiful house, inside and out, and I always especially love to see the kitchens - the huge fireplace and all of the kitchen utensils and early 19th century kitchen "gadgets".

The back of the house.


After touring the house and taking pictures on the well, we walked around back and then back to the car down a hill in the parking lot. As far as National Parks go, this wasn't the most interesting. I would go back to hike some of the trails, see more of the house, etc., but only if I was in the area. We had a picnic in the shade of a tree beside the parking lot, and then left the park, with ominous storm clouds collecting around us.

Jackson looking puzzled by the strange man.