Bill would shift Bradford House to local ownership
The Bradford House in Washington
A March appraisal listed the market value of the former Pennsylvana State Police Troop B headquarters on Murtland Avenue in Washington and South Strabane Township at $665K.
Re-enactor Pete Fernbaugh portrays Alexander Hamilton during the Whiskey Rebellion Festival in Washington in July.
What does the Broadway musical “Hamilton” have to do with the City of Washington?
Quite a bit, according to Tripp Kline, David Bradford House Historical Association board member.
“When you think about all of the hoopla with Hamilton, the forgotten founding father – he’s the father of the whiskey tax. He led the troops here and knocked on David Bradford’s door,” Kline said. “We’ve had Alexander Hamilton right in our downtown.”
Hamilton, the country’s first secretary of the Treasury, introduced a whiskey tax in 1791, irking farmers in Washington County, who were led by local attorney David Bradford. His home has been restored and is open as a museum to the public.
With ties to such historically significant events, the city, like the popular musical, has an opportunity to capitalize on that interest.
“I see it as the single-largest opportunity we have in Western Pennsylvania to market to heritage tourism. We have an opportunity to tell a story that’s unique in American history,” Kline said. “People will come to see the Bradford House.”
The recent passage of state House Bill 1968 will bolster efforts to preserve and promote the house and the treasures contained within.
Sponsored by state Reps. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, and Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, the bill allows the 228-year-old house to be conveyed to the historical association from the state Department of General Services and Historical and Museum Commission for $1.
“It’s a brilliant thing, returning these types of properties to local control,” Kline said. “It lifts the burden of state control and allow us as a local organization to run the house as we see fit. Our job in the long run will only get easier. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The measure, which passed Monday, will be sent to the state Senate.
The historical association has operated independently since 2009, when the funding by the state was cut. It survives through donations, membership drives, grants and fundraisers, like this weekend’s “Haunted History” walking tour. The board is composed of volunteers, and only one part-time staffer earns a salary.
Kline said the annual cost of maintaining the house is about $100,000, reasonable for such a historically rich local treasure.
“If we are smart about it, we can turn our local history into national history, and can turn that into an economic opportunity,” Kline said. “This truly is the next step in our future, because the history is always here. Some industries come and go, but the history is always here.”
Terms of the legislation require the Bradford House to remain a museum that can’t be sold or used for private income.
The bill also enables the former state police Troop B headquarters, located in Washington and South Strabane Township, to be put up for competitive bid. An appraisal in March listed its market value at $665,000.
“The three-acre property would be turned over to the private sector and, ideally, would be repurposed in a way that brings jobs and revenues to the greater Washington County area,” Christiana said in a news release.
After almost 70 years in the Murtland Avenue barracks, the troop relocated to a new $6 million, 25,000-square-foot facility at 150 Route 519 in North Bethlehem Township in August.