Rock Ford Plantation, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, has scheduled its traditional Yuletide tours. Candlelight tours will be held on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 26 and 27, from 4 to 8 p.m., and daylight tours will be held on Saturday, Dec. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Festive music, dancing, and holiday greenery will set the scene for an 18th-century Yuletide at Rock Ford during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
During the period when Gen. Edward Hand and his family lived at Rock Ford, Christmas Day was only the beginning of 12 days of parties, dinners, and dances. Visitors to Rock Ford's Yuletide tours will learn about 18th-century traditions, watch period dancing by Rock Ford's volunteer dance group, listen to traditional holiday music played on the harp and hammered dulcimer by the musical group Seasons, and watch cooking demonstrations in the mansion's kitchen by members of the Warm Hearth Committee. Volunteers in period dress will be stationed in various rooms of the mansion offering insight into Yuletide traditions.
Admission is payable at the door. Separate fees have been set for adults, for seniors age 65 and up, and for youths ages 6 to 17. Admission is free for children age 5 and under. If guests wish to purchase tickets in advance, they may visit http://rockford.yapsody.com.
Proceeds from Yuletide tours support the educational programs and operation of Rock Ford Plantation. Built circa 1794, Rock Ford was the home of Edward Hand and his family. Hand served as adjutant general to George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Rock Ford is furnished with period antiques and is open for tours each Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from April to October. It is operated by the nonprofit Rock Ford Foundation. For more information, readers may visit http://www.rockfordplantation.org or call 717-392-7223.
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