The building is occasionally open for art exhibits and tours. It is located 3 miles south of Wrightsville, York Co., PA on the Susquehanna River, near the site of Thomas Cressap's pre-Revolutionary fort. The home is absolutely huge and gorgeous. There is a courtyard in the rear, with a garden and a very old water pump. There is also a trailhead at the rear tree line.
I found following from a Tritt Family History Page on the internet.:
The building is now known as Pleasant Garden. This new name comes from the first owner of the property, Thomas Cressap, who obtained the land in 1729 by Maryland land grant from the fifth Lord Baltimore. Cressap named the 150 acres of land Pleasant Garden and also operated a ferry across the Susquehanna River, which he named the Blue Rock Ferry. During this time period, land up to the 40th parallel was the northern boundary of Maryland.
Over time, this property has been owned by eleven different owners, including: Thomas Cressap (1729), John Meyer, Jacob Dritt, Margaret Dritt Bonham, Jacob Detwiler, David March, Barton Gnaw, Byrd Liebhart, Kenneth Wallick and John and Kathryn Zimmerman. The Dritt (Tritt) Family owned the property for many years and the name Dritt Mansion became associated with the dwelling when it was placed on the National Historic Register.
The first floor of the mansion is occupied by the Lancaster-York Heritage Region office (LYHR). LYHR is a non-profit organization, which is designated Pennsylvania Heritage Area that helps identify, preserve, interpret and promote the rich heritage and culture of Lancaster and York Counties. You can visit them online at www.lyhr.org.
When you visit the mansion you will find their office and conference room on the first floor. Visits to the second floor and basement require permission and a tour guide. A brochure about the mansion is available that contains some new information about the property.
The house is now dated circa 1738. There are several carpenter and protectorate marks and some writing in the attic that help to date the house. Archaeological findings suggest that there was a structure that stood on the site previous to the mansion. Foundations were discovered beneath the first floor. The summer kitchen had fallen down overtime and was also discovered by archaeological diggings. It has been faithfully rebuilt on its original location.
Some say that the mansion is an English Castle (a two and a half-story, stone dwelling). In fact, the mansion has English and German influences in its design and architecture. It is 50 feet long and 40 feet wide. There are four fireplaces in the main part of the house (two upstairs facing east and two downstairs facing west), which was quite practical for heating, especially since Franklin Stoves or ceramic heaters allowed to heat to flow into the adjacent room. Over time, changes to the house occurred, such as replacing the floor boards, adding gas and electricity, replacing windows with doors and doors with windows, and changing the front porch and pent roof. The bluestone on the outside of the house is original; it only needed to be re-pointed. Keeping with the historical integrity, the house was updated for 21st century living.
The archeological work also resulted in the finding of thousands of artifacts, including: coins, glass, pottery, leather, buttons, hardware, personal effects and prehistoric artifacts to name a few. After close examination of the basement, evidence points to it being used for food storage, animal butchering, fish preparations and alcohol making. Bullets and gun flints were also found on site, suggesting fighting either with Native Americans or during the Border War. The artifacts are being catalogued by Jan Klinedinst and will become the property of the Pennsylvania State Museum and Historical Commission.
It was always exciting to visit the historic two and a half-story stone mansion, but a visit now is even more special after the completion of the five-year restoration and renovation project. This was a true labor of love for the owners, John and Kathryn Zimmerman. It is a dream come true for members of the Tritt family to see life again in the mansion, after seeing the building empty and deteriorating for so many years. Future generations will certainly benefit from the Zimmermans' foresight and generosity.
SOURCE
Address
1706 Long Level Road
Wrightsville , PA