Heurich House History

The Heurich mansion was built in 1892-4 for German-American immigrant Christian Heurich (1842-1945), whose brewery was the largest in DC and a household name. It is the city's best-preserved example of Richardsonian Romanesque residential architecture and one of the most landmarked interiors in DC. The mansion incorporated many technological advancements, including metal speaking tubes, electric lighting, burglar alarms, and "fireproofing." The interior decoration and furnishings were made by numerous German-American craftspeople. The house remained in the Heurich family until 1956, when it was bequeathed to DC’s Historical Society. In 2003, a family-created non-profit purchased the house and turned it into a museum.

Today, the Heurich House Museum works to reinvent the traditional historic house museum model by bridging Heurich’s world with modern DC. We explore the city’s unique history, and connect it to today’s local small businesses, artisans, and craft beer makers through innovative programming that cannot be found anywhere else in the community.