The "The Lancaster-York Heritage Region: The Dritt Mansion" Story

The Dritt Mansion as seen from the Susquehanna River.

It was an ordinary day.  Parked the car in the small parking lot of the Zimmerman Center of Susque- hanna Heritage and walked the path to the front door of the beautiful home known as the Dritt Mansion which faced the Susquehanna River in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania.  The building is just remarkable with it's bluestone exterior and majestic view of the river about 100 yards from the front door.  

The rear of the mansion.

If you are not familiar with bluestone, it is a fine-grained sandstone that appears blue when wet.  The original property where the house stands was known as Pleasant Garden and was owned by Thomas Cressap in 1729.  Mr. Cressap obtained the land by a Maryland land grant from the fifth Lord Baltimore.  He was responsible for naming the 150 acre property Pleasant Garden.  

Near the side of the mansion is a stone
with a plaque telling about Thomas Cressap.

He built a "fort" on the property and was owner of the Blue Rock Ferry that he established in 1730.  He also collected taxes for Maryland as well as being loyal to Lord Baltimore.  He was hated by Pennsylvanians and became known as the "Maryland Monster" for his aggressive actions towards settlers.  He was arrested in 1736 after bloody skirmishes with Pennsylvania neighbors known as "Cresap's War."  Eventually in 1784 Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the land and marked the Maryland boundary 15 miles south of Thomas Cressap's property.  So, he became a Pennsylvanian!  Over time the property had eleven different owners including at one time Mr. Jacob Dritt (aka Tritt) whose name is still carried by the mansion.  I found that Jacob Dritt was a Captain in the Revolutionary War, but also was said to have been a Colonel.  

1831 sketch of Jacob Dritt. 

He later attained Major General status around 1800 for his Pennsylvania Militia duties.  At the time that Dritt owned the property he also owned thousands of acres including the river islands near the eastern bank of the river.  He operated a river ferry between the west and east banks of the Susquehanna River, ran a saw mill as well as mills that processed grain and flax.  He was said to have dealt in wine and spirits as well as serving as Justice of the Peace.  In early March of 1818 he was crossing the icy waters of the Susquehanna when his boat capsized near Turkey Hill and he drowned.  Shortly after, his daughter Margaret was declared owner of the property where she and her husband, Judge Samuel Bonham, resided.   Today's mansion was not the original building from when Mr. Cressap got the property.  Today's house is dated circa 1738.  Writings in the attic have helped date the mansion.  The property remained a farm into the 1930s with a barn, pastures and fields along the river and hillsides.  

Interior 1st floor fireplace of Dritt Mansion.

In the late 1990s John and Kathryn Zimmerman purchased the property, which was beginning to waste away from lack of care, and totally restored the home as an historic jewel on the Susquehanna River.  Then in 2007 they donated the property to Susquehanna Heritage as a place for storytelling, inspiration and outdoor adventure.  In 2014 Susquehanna Heritage used private and public money to add a nearby dock, boardwalk and waterfront pavilion.  

Stairway leading to second floor.

Two years later the National Park Service designated the Zimmerman Center for Heritage as the first-ever Visitor Contact & Passport Station for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail which brought with it well deserved national recognition to the Zimmermans' legacy.  Carol and I enjoyed our visit and tour of the Dritt Mansion and its surrounding area.  The grounds are immaculate and the view of the river is remarkable.  We eventually headed down the path to the nearby dock to take a trip on the Susquehanna River.  Follow along tomorrow as I take you with us on our journey.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Doorway with double door.  All hand-made hardware.

This is a lock or clasp on the top of another door.  Handmade also.

View towards the Susquehanna from one of the many windows.

This is the plaque telling the tale of Thomas Cresap.  Very hard
to read.  Click on image to enlarge it.  May make it easier to read.