Hirshfeld, Henry, House and Cottage
303 and 305 W. 9th St., Austin, TXFour generations of the Hirschfeld family have occupied the two Austin houses on West 9th known as the Hirschfeld Cottage and the Hirschfeld House. Both structures were built by Henry Hirschfeld for his family. The larger Hirschfeld House at 303 West 9th is one of the few Austin homes remaining in tact which is still owned and occupied by descendants of the family who built them.
Henry Hirschfeld came to the United States from Germany when he was only 15, going first to join two uncles in Mobile, Alabama, where he helped as a "country peddler." After the Civil War, Hirschfeld came to Georgetown, Texas, and then to Austin. He started a drygoods store on the corner of 6th and Congress and eventually became a successful merchant. In 1868, Hirschfeld married Jenny Melasky, daughter of Mr. B. Melasky, who had a clothing store on Congress Avenue between 6th and 7th streets.
The first home that Hirschfeld built for his family was a small, charming stone cottage in 1876. In later years, after the family had moved, this home at 305 West 9th was often called "Honeymoon Cottage" because so many young couples began "housekeeping" there.
The Hirschfeld family lived in the cottage ten years before building the 12 room, two-story mansion next door. In fact, the family didn't move for a year after it was completed, for Mrs. Hirschfeld could not bear to leave the cottage. Rather than moving any furniture from the cottage, Mr. Hirschfeld bought all new furnishings from a local salesman, Charles A. Dahlich. The furniture, ranging from early to late Victorian, is still in use there.
Hirschfeld was one of the founders of the Austin National Bank in 1890 and served as one of the vice-presidents until his death in 1911. His son, Morris, was with the Austin National Bank for 58 years, into the clothing business. Two other sons, Sam and Jake, went None of the sons ever married. The house is now the home of Mrs. Max (Leila Hirschfeld) Bernheim, the only living member of the family of four sons and four daughters. Mrs. Bernheim's daughter and son-in-law. Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Hanna, lived in the cottage after World War II until they could build a house.
Bibliography
Interview with Mrs. Lelia Bernheim and Miss Laura Hirschfeld by Katherine Hart, February 28, 1958. "Henry Hirschfeld" file, Travis County Collection, Austin Public Library.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.