In 1904, firemen at the Heurich Brewery went on strike because Heurich refused to raise the price of beer.

Why do historic houses love roofers??? Read the newest blog by Development Manager Kai Walther to find out. heurichhouse.org/blogs/news/m...

Without modern and historic craftspeople building and maintaining the physical Heurich home… there is no home. Thank you to the experts at Wagner Roofing who recently ripped out the old, beat-up, leaky metal roof on our Conservatory! They’re currently installing a brand new copper roof.

The Heurich House Museum’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of Alex Fraioli as our next Executive Director. Read the full announcement: heurichhouse.org/blogs/news/h...

Did you catch any of the Heurich Humanities Scholars in Residence at last week's DC History Conference? The scholars are scholar-ing!

Around 1900, women made up 18.3% of the work force in the U.S., but they had a limited number of occupations to choose from. In her blog post “House/Work,” the Museum’s Curator Jenna Febrizio reflects on labor, gender, and access at the turn of the century.

Amelia Heurich mentions May Day just once in her diaries. How did the brewers, workers, and tradespeople connected to the Heurich family experience that day? Today it is a day of action, evolving with the struggles of each generation and uniting workers, immigrants, and communities.

What do you dream for America for the next 250 years? ⭐ 💭 "A [New] American Dream" won't give you the answers. Every gathering will put you in the room with others who care about what comes next.

Have you mapped out your #DCHistCon 2026 experience? Check out the schedule-at-a-glance, plus the full program to plan your experience at the 52nd annual conference at the MLK Library (901 G St NW): conference.dchistory.org/programs

We're hosting #DCHistCon after hours on May 1st from 5:30-8pm! Check out the 52nd annual conference by day and the museum by night! All the info: conference.dchistory.org

Who crocheted this blanket? 🧶Was it Amelia? 🧶How did it end up in her boudoir? 🧶Was it a gift? 🧶How long did it take? There’s no maker's mark. No artist's signature. All we know is that crochet, knitting, and other types of fiber arts were traditionally seen, and expected to be, “women’s work.”

“That will never happen!” We all want to think that disaster will not strike at our museum. But we also want to be prepared in case something like a flood or even power outage does happen. Learn more about the museum’s emergency preparedness training in our new blog post.

Out with the old (fence), in with the new (same fence but restored) 📸 Photo of fence, July 2015 📸 Photo of fence, March 2026

“The demolition of the East Wing was definitely the wake-up call for everyone.” Humanities Scholar in Residence and architectural historian Neil Flanagan @jgbollard.bsky.social recently spoke on PBS NewsHour:

Our newly restored iron fence prompted the question: who gets a memorial? Explore our thoughts on the topic in the newest blog post: buff.ly/X85UBuE

Ironwork in the late 19th to mid-20th century DC was done in craft workshops and foundries - with very different processes and products. How did they compare? 🧵 Images of Jorss Iron Works advertisement ca. 1894 & White and Sons Foundry advertisement from Capitol Hill Restoration Society Guidelines

What steps - and people - make your own work possible today? The Heurich home’s iron fence was created 132 years ago by craftspeople at A.F. Jorss Ornamental Ironworks. But before it even got to Jorss, the iron ore had to be mined, processed, smelted, and transported to iron mills and foundries. 🧵

Tracing Irish Immigrant Stories: Lizzie Cassidy Elizabeth (Lizzie) Cassidy worked as a chambermaid for the Heurich family in 1915. She emigrated from Ireland in 1905 at 15 years old, making DC her new home. 📸 Photo of Elizabeth Cassidy, Ancestry.com, shared by “Martinacassidy63.” (1/7)

Better safe than sorry! 🦺⚠️ Collections Manager Kim Totten packs the museum’s emergency kits. The kits are filled with supplies to help us reduce damage to our collections during emergencies like fires, leaks, vandalism, or storms. The kits are stored in bins on wheels for easy movement. (1/3)

Who were the designers, artisans, and builders that made Mathilde and Christian Heurich’s dream home a reality? What were their lives - and own homes - like? Photo of workers at A.F. Jorss Iron Works, 21st & Va Ave., ca. 1907 (1/3)

Many details, Many hands. From large-scale sandstone ashlar to tiny, intricate carvings - each piece of the Heurich house exists thanks to many makers and workers. We’re trying to dig up their stories! 😉 (1/4)

Crossover episode! Heurich House members got a tour of @dchistorycenter.bsky.social at the Carnegie Library last month, which included a look at their “Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital” exhibit. (1/2)

Where did our historic iron fence go? If you've been by the Heurich House at all recently, you may have noticed that the garden fence looks a little different. The original 130+ year old fence was removed for restoration to repair peeling paint, rust spots, and other damage.

Thank you for loving the Heurich House as much as we do! ❤️ We’re reopening in just a couple of weeks, and before we do, we’re proud to share our 2025 Annual Report.

To do this weekend: Submit your ideas to the DC History Conference! ✅🏃‍➡️ Submissions for the 52nd Annual DC History Conference, happening May 1-2 at the MLK Memorial Library, are due this Monday, February 9 at 9 am!

Help us find our next Executive Director. good-insight.org/careers/

The 52nd annual DC History Conference is happening May 1-2, 2026 at the MLK Memorial Library! Be part of the conference: submissions are due February 9.

A message from our Board Chair.

What a year! Thank you to all the event attendees, tour takers, Biergarten visitors, and program partners who shaped 2025 at the Heurich House Museum. We’re looking forward to another year with you and the building that makes it all possible.

What’s the Heurich House without a house? And what’s a house that you can’t get around? We're working to replace the house’s elevator, as the current one dates from 1987 and has been out of service multiple times this year. This has stopped people from attending tours, programs, and getting inside.

What’s the Heurich House without a house? And what’s a house without a roof? We are working to replace the roof systems on the historic mansion and carriage house. Without a secure roof protecting the rest of the building, everything we do at the Museum is in jeopardy.

But really the best archive story belongs to @heurichhouse.bsky.social

What’s the Heurich House without a house? And what’s a house that you can’t keep warm?

What’s the Heurich House without a house? And what’s a house without windows? 🪟 We are working to restore the house’s 135 historic windows because they are drafty and let in moisture, increasing the risk of damage to the building structure and historic objects inside.

What’s the Heurich House without a house? The Heurich House Museum building is our most important artifact.

This weekend, get in the holiday spirit and explore dozens of local makers at @heurichhouse.bsky.social's Christmas Markt (we’re proud to be a sponsor!) And just down the street from the DC History Center, discover even more at the DowntownDC Holiday Market.

Happy #GivingTuesday! Today, we’re asking for your help to raise $2500 so that we can continue preserving the Heurich House building, our most important artifact.

How many people contribute to your dinner experiences today? Who works behind the scenes to make it all possible? The work of artisans and craftspeople made the Heurich family’s Thanksgiving experience - and all family dinners - possible.

Hayward & Hutchinson - located at 424 19th St NW - tiled the floor in the conservatory of Christian and Mathilde’s first home just a few blocks away from H&H at 1218 19th St NW in 1889. They also supplied Italian marble saddles, or thresholds. (1/8)

In 1888, the Heurich family’s farm, named “Bellvue,” in Price George’s Country Maryland went through a series of renovations led by architect J.G. Meyers (the same architect that designed the Heurich House we know today and renovated the first Heurich family home on 19th St NW). (1/6)

During Christmas Markt, the Museum only works with “Beginner” and “Intermediate” maker businesses to help give them the best opportunities to have a successful year.

Give the gift of a year of community this holiday season! A Heurich House Museum gift membership won’t sit in the corner collecting dust. It’s perfect for...

🏠 1218 19th St NW: Christian & Mathilde Heurich’s first home together Christian and Mathilde married in 1887 and lived in a house on 19th St NW, directly behind the original Chr. Heurich Brewing Co. (1/6)

Museum Members 🤝 Maker Fellows Last month, the two makers (Abloom & D'bohomama) in our pilot fellowship program presented some new products and booth set-ups to a test audience of our members.

To make the main hallway fireplace mantel: 🔨 Carpenters and joiners would have framed it 🗜️ Cabinet makers specialized at making detailed wooden furniture, would have hand crafted the mantel (1/5)

On Veteran’s Day, we remember people who worked for the Heurich family and served in the military. There were likely many more people who served whose names we don’t know - including the craftspeople and artisans whose stories we’re currently researching.

Each part of the Heurich home represents multiple layers of labor - how do we uncover them?

We’re proud to share that our Humanities Scholar-in-Residence, Neil Flanagan (@jgbollard.bsky.social), has published a new piece in @theatlantic.com: “White House Architecture Was an Honor System. Trump Noticed.” (1/3)

One of the first things people see after walking through the front doors of the Heurich house is a grand built-in fireplace. The hallway was designed to make a powerful impression. Its height, the detailed woodwork, large mirror, and intricate tiling adds to the sense of wealth and grandeur. 1/4

The bronze sculpture may be just one piece in the Heurich house, but its presence in the Reception Room speaks volumes. The room was originally meant to be a library - the ceiling decorated with different areas of study and busts of prominent men in Western tradition, like philosophers and writers.