Mencken, H. L., House
About this property
The H. L. Mencken House was the home of Baltimore Sun journalist and author Henry Louis Mencken, who lived here from 1883 until his death in 1956. The Italianate brick row house at 1524 Hollins Street in Baltimore was designated a Baltimore City Landmark in 1975, and as an individual National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Mencken wrote of his home: "I have lived in one house in Baltimore for nearly 45 years. It has changed in that time, as I have—but somehow it still remains the same ... It is as much a part of me as my two hands. If I had to leave it I'd be as certainly crippled as if I lost a leg." After his death on January 26, 1956, Mencken's Brother, August, continued to live in the house until his death on May 19, 1967, when it was bequeathed to the University of Maryland and used for offices and student housing. In 1983 the City of Baltimore, under Mayor William Donald Schaefer, acquired the H. L. Mencken House from the university and opened it as a museum. With period furniture, the H. L. Mencken House was part of the now defunct City Life Museums and a center for literary and other cultural events. In 1997 after the demise of the City Life Museums, The Friends of the H.L. Mencken House and the Society to Preserve H.L. Mencken's Legacy, Inc. led the efforts of multiple groups to restore and re-open the house and operate it as a museum. It was not until 2006, when a $3 million bequest from Navy Commander and Mencken fan Max Edwin Hency was received that a complete restoration became possible. Restoration work was begun in 2018 and the museum opened the following year. The museum is open to visitors by appointment.
Location
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Mencken, H. L., House listed on the National Register?
Mencken, H. L., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 27, 1983.
What type of historic resource is Mencken, H. L., House?
Mencken, H. L., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Mencken, H. L., House a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Mencken, H. L., House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Mencken, H. L., House?
The period of significance for Mencken, H. L., House is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Mencken, H. L., House?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mencken, H. L., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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