Henry Hirshfeld House and Cottage /

The Henry Hirshfeld House and Cottage are two historic homes in downtown Austin, Texas originally inhabited by the prominent Hirshfeld family. The cottage, built in 1873, housed Henry and his wife Jennie until the larger house was built in 1885. The homes have been well-preserved and today house the Office of Governmental Relations for the Texas A&M University System. The buildings are located at 303 and 305 W. 9th Street. The buildings were added together to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Henry Hirshfeld (1834–1911), a native of Germany, was a prominent Austin merchant and a leader in the city's Jewish community. In 1873 he and his wife Jennie (Melasky) built a one-story limestone cottage on the lot west of this site. Because of their financial success and a growing family, they later made plans for a larger home here. Construction of this two-story brick and cut stone house began in 1885 and the family moved in a year after completion. Designed and built by architect John Andrewartha, it features characteristics of Victorian and Eastlake styling. Exterior ornamentation includes a double gallery, a bay, strained glass, ornate woodwork, and intricate limestone