The German-American Historical Sites
Christian Heurich, a native of Thuringia, arrived in Washington in 1872, and founded the Heurich brewery, near the present site of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He built a 31-room mansion in classic Victorian style, designed, constructed and decorated by German Americans. It is maintained in its original state as a museum and cultural center by the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.Christian Heurich loved equally his native Germany and his adopted country. He kept the American flag in the foyer of his home so that it would be the last thing he saw each day when he left for work and the first when he returned in the evening. He frequently traveled back to Germany, and he donated money to a children’s home in his home village of Haina. He lived to be 102.5 years of age. When asked the secret of his longevity, he would respond, “Live in moderation and drink Heurich’s Beer.”
The German-American Heritage Society holds its annual Christmas celebration at the Heurich Mansion. During the Christmas celebrations of 1987, Jan Evans, the granddaughter of Christian Neurich, reminisced about her childhood Christmasses in the Mansion.
The Conservatory where Ms. Evans spoke, with its red stained-glass windows, was the “Christmas room,” because it was the traditional site of the three Christmas trees of the house: a large tree next to the fireplace and two smaller ones in the corners for the three branches of the family.
The Heurich Mansion is located at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, just south of Dupont Circle. House tours are Wednesday through Saturday at 12, 1, 3 and 3 pm. Telephone 202-785-2068. Web site: http://www.hswdc.org/Visiting.htm