LANCASTER, PA — This Presidents' Day, LancasterHistory invites the community to visit President James Buchanan's Wheatland for a special tour program, "The Feud That Divided the Democratic Party," to learn about James Buchanan, his personal resentment of Senator Stephen Douglas, and the role this resentment played in the split of the Democratic Party during the 1860s Democratic Convention.

Each Presidents' Day, tours at Wheatland, the historic home of James Buchanan, examine a specific topic to highlight from the Lancastrian politician's public life. On Monday, February 17, tours will delve into the decades of the 1830s through 1860s to explore the roots of political doctrines and values held by Democrats James Buchanan and Stephen Douglas. Their disagreements and differing interpretation of the law and society frequently clashed, creating a toxic political atmosphere that would cost both of them the 1852 Democratic nomination and, later, ultimately split the Democratic Party. At the heart of their disagreements was the application of popular sovereignty, the right of citizens in territories to confirm their state's entry into the Union as a free or slave state. Visitors will learn about each individuals' beliefs and values, and how they aligned but also created a rift within their own party.

• Event: "The Feud That Divided The Democratic Party"
• Date: Monday, February 17, 2025
• Time: Hourly tours from 10am to 3pm (last tour at 3pm)
• Location: LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA
• Tickets: $17/Adults (18+), $15/Seniors (65+), $10/Students (11-17 or College ID)

Advance tickets are strongly encouraged, and can be purchased in advance either online or by phone at (717) 392-4633. Members of LancasterHistory enjoy complimentary access but are advised to book in advance to secure their preferred tour time.
LancasterHistory also offers discounted access to the Presidents' Day tour program to EBT, SNAP, and WIC cardholders (Museums for All), active military members, and veterans. 

About LancasterHistory
LancasterHistory is a community-based, not-for-profit organization established to educate the public on the history of Lancaster County and its place in the history of Pennsylvania and the United States, to advance the missions of regional historical organizations, and to promote the acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of resources representing the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania within the broader context of state and national history, including the homes of 15th US President James Buchanan and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith.