Rose Hill Mansion
Information About Rose Hill Mansion
A National Historic Landmark
On visiting Geneva and when reaching Rose Hill Farm, you were certain of such a warm and hearty reception, that the latter became one of the attractions of the place, and is not forgotten.
—Frederick Swan, 1894
Experience a taste of 19th-century life when you visit Rose Hill Mansion in the beautiful Finger Lakes. Once a working farm, the house and surrounding grounds are now open seasonally for guided tours. Built in 1839, the Greek Revival house was the center of a busy and productive farm. The tour focuses on the Swan family, who lived in the house from 1850-1890. Through letters, photographs, and diaries, explore the family’s joys and sorrows and their interactions with neighbors and the many workers required to keep the large house and farm in working order. Discover how Robert Swan, a New York City transplant, used scientific innovations like drain tile to make his farm more productive and profitable. See twenty rooms restored and furnished in the Empire style, popular from the 1820s to 1850s. Enjoy the magnificent view of Seneca Lake from the front porch and the vista of nearby farmlands.
Tickets can be purchased here or onsite at the Carriage House Visitor Center and Gift Shop.
In the Carriage House Visitor Center and Gift Shop an exhibit highlights the people who lived in the mansion. A restored 1916 Model T that belonged to a descendant of the Swan family is also on display. The Carriage House Gift Shop features historically inspired and locally made items, as well as souvenirs, history books, jewelry, and home decorative items. For a selection of items, see our online shop.
The East Tenant Cottage contains exhibits and public restrooms. The current exhibits are One House, Many People and The Good Death: Illness and Death in the 19th Century. Behind the beautiful façade, hundreds of people have labored to run Rose Hill from the time it was the center of a 1200-acre farm to its recent history as a historic house museum. The nature of the work and the people who do it, has changed over 200 years. One House, Many People chronicles enslaved, paid, and volunteer workers from Rose Hill. Few families in the 19th century were spared serious illness and loss, including the Swans at Rose Hill. The Good Death explores 19th-century ideas about death and illness and common practices people developed to cope with them.
The grounds are open year round during daylight hours free of charge. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Historic Geneva welcomes all visitors to Rose Hill. However, accessibility for guests with limited mobility can be challenging due to its historic and natural features. With advance notice, we will make every effort to respond to visitors’ access needs. For more information, read our Accessibility Statement or call 315-789-3848.
To learn more about Rose Hill Mansion, watch this video.
For a one-of-a kind experience spend the night at Rose Hill Cottage. Located on the grounds of Rose Hill Mansion and a ten minute drive just south of downtown Geneva, Rose Hill Cottage is a three-bedroom one-bath home.
Rose Hill stands on the traditional lands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫ’ or “the People of the Great Swamp.” In English, they are known as the Cayuga Nation. They are one of the six Nations that make up the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the world’s oldest continual participatory democracy.
This acknowledgement is one small step in the process of dismantling the unjust legacies of colonialism and honoring Cayuga and Haudenosaunee communities, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations.
