Stone House (left) and the State Dining Room addition (right), now the Friendship Hill National Historic Site Visitor Center
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Visitor Center for Friendship Hill National Historic Site is located inside the State Dining Room, a section of the Gallatin House that was built by subsequent owners in 1895. This is the building to the right of the Stone House, an addition built during Albert Gallatin’s ownership of the property.
OPERATING HOURS
The Friendship Hill Visitor Center and the rest of the Gallatin House are open from 9 AM to 5 PM every day in May through September and on weekends the rest of the year. For the rest of the year, operating hours change each month. Before heading to the park, be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Friendship Hill National Historic Site.
AMENITIES
- Ranger-staffed information desk where you can pick up a free park brochure and trail map
- Exhibits
- Small book / souvenir store
- Theater room where two park films are shown
- Restrooms
PARK FILMS
Two films are shown on demand at the Friendship Hill Visitor Center. Just as the park Ranger to start them for you. Each film is five minutes long. The first is about Albert Gallatin’s house at Friendship Hill, and the second is about Gallatin himself. Both films are appropriate for all ages, though young children, and perhaps even young teenagers, will have little interest in them.
EXHIBITS
The majority of exhibits inside the Gallatin House are in the actual rooms of the Gallatin-built sections, but there are a few in the area occupied by the Visitor Center. There is some basic information about Gallatin, but most important is the model of the house that identifies the original sections. The house is a hodgepodge of additions that have almost nothing to do with each other architecturally, certainly making it one of the ugliest houses in the National Park system.
SCHEUDULING YOUR TIME
Allow 15 to 30 minutes for a stop at the Friendship Hill Visitor Center. This gives you time to watch both films, look through the exhibits, and talk with a park Ranger about what there is to see and do at the park.
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Last updated on November 30, 2024