This section provides an overview of the history of Historic Brattonsville, a community that began in 1766, when a Scots-Irish family settled in present-day York County. Over time, the family prospered and the estate expanded far beyond the expectations of their ancestors.
After viewing the resources from the Overview, be sure to continue your exploration through the remaining resources (Buildings & Artifacts and Daily Life), and imagine what it must have been like to live during this time! We hope these resources will provide insight into the lives of the people who settled in the area and made its growth possible.
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Settled in the mid-18th century by the Bratton family—Scots-Irish Presbyterians, originally of Scottish ancestry, who had moved to northern Ireland in the 17th century, and came to North America in...
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The first Scots-Irish settlers had to be self-sufficient because they were often isolated from other people by distances of miles. Food had to be acquired through gardening, herding and hunting. Cloth...
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The broad axe is believed to be of Viking origin dating to early Scandinavia. It was used as both a weapon and a tool. It is likely that Scots-Irish would have been familiar with its use before coming...
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The Backwoods Cabin is typical of the type of structure the Scots-Irish settler would have built upon first arriving in the area. Constructed of readily available natural materials, the cabin was...
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This historical marker was erected at Brattonsville by the York County Historical Commission in 1960. * Please note that more is known today about the history of the Bratton family than was known in...
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This detail of the logs in the McConnell Log Cabin depict how the logs were more carefully hewn and prepared as compared to the rough timbers used to construct the Backwoods Cabin. By this time the...
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The McConnell Log Cabin was moved here in 1983 from its original site on the McConnell Plantation three miles west of Brattonsville. It is typical of a later Scots-Irish dwelling that would have been...
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The Homestead House was built between 1823 and 1826. This is where Dr. John Bratton and his family resided. He was a physician, as well as a farmer, and his success in agriculture, growing grains and...
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To the right of the historical marker is the Brick House, the last of the original Bratton Plantation buildings, constructed between 1843 and 1845. To the right of that are the remnants of the Bratton...
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Homestead House was built in 1823-1826 by Dr. John Simpson Bratton, son of William and Martha Bratton. In the early 19th century, William Bratton’s son, Dr. John Bratton, inherited the estate. He was...