Henry Hirshfeld House and Cottage, Austin

The Henry Hirshfeld House and Cottage are a pair of historic residences located in downtown Austin. These homes were originally occupied by the notable Hirshfeld family. Henry Hirshfeld (1834-1911), a native of Germany, was a prominent Austin merchant and a leader in the city’s Jewish community. The cottage, constructed in 1873, served as the residence for Henry and his wife Jennie until the larger house was completed in 1885. These buildings have been carefully preserved and currently serve as the Office of Governmental Relations for the Texas A&M University System. Both structures were collectively added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Designed and constructed by architect John Andrewartha, the Henry Hirshfeld House displays architectural elements influenced by Victorian and Eastlake styles. The exterior embellishments include a double gallery, a bay window, stained glass features, intricate woodwork, and detailed limestone accents. The two-story stick style carriage house was constructed shortly after the completion of the main residence.

In 1873, Henry Hirshfeld had a single-story stone cottage built for his family. This cottage includes a widow's walk on its roof and decorative jigsaw detailing on the porch. After the Hirshfeld family relocated to their new home on the adjacent east lot in 1888, the cottage was used as a rental property.