Rose Hill’s 175th Birthday Party
“On Monday morning, in company with the Committee of Arrangements, and a number of citizens, [President Martin Van Buren] proceeded on his way to Waterloo. After visiting the splendid mansion of W.K. Strong, Esq., on the east side of Seneca Lake, he was received by the Committee from Waterloo with a great concourse of citizens from Seneca County and with them proceeded on to that place. We have thus briefly given an account of the President’s reception at Geneva, sensible that the description falls far short of reality…”
This account in the Geneva Gazette of Van Buren’s visit on September 7, 1839 is the earliest reference to the completion of Rose Hill. So, to celebrate we will host a birthday party for the Mansion on Sunday, September 7, from 2-4 p.m. Our Education Coordinator, Alice Askins, will present a program about the builder of the house, William Strong, at 2 p.m. on the back patio. This will be followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the mansion and birthday cake. The event is free and open to the public.