Hays-Heighe House

CONTACT

Hays-Heighe House
Phone: 443-412-2539
Email: haysheighe@harford.edu

OPEN HOURS
Tuesdays: 1:00-3:00 PM
Thursdays: 3:00-5:00 PM
Fridays: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 PM
[Admission is free]

Unless otherwise noted, all events and programs are held in the Hays-Heighe House and require a reservation. We cannot guarantee seating for walk-in attendees. The Hays-Heighe House is wheelchair accessible. Guests who require other arrangements should contact Linda Anthony at 443-412-2539 at least two weeks prior to the event they plan to attend. The Hays-Heighe House follows all weather and/or emergency-related opening & closing decisions of Harford Community College.

HISTORY

Click HERE or on the picture to learn more about the history of the Hays-Heighe House.

HAYS-HEIGHE HOUSE EVENTS & EXHIBITS

Blending modern with historic, the Hays-Heighe House connects the past to the present, and the future.

Come for an exhibit or an event, stay for the architecture! The rooms encourage more familiarity and intimacy than a lecture hall, and the fine historical structure provides more gravitas than a classroom. Peer up the old staircase, find the half-moon windows, and count the fireplaces. Imagine life a century ago, when the house became headquarters for a thoroughbred horse breeding and training operation, or two centuries ago, when a large family-and the enslaved people they held—lived and worked here. The architecture and the way people lived in it are part of Harford County’s history and culture, and we welcome you to experience it.

We offer a variety of events each semester to complement our current exhibit. Program types often include teas, living history portrayals, book discussions, debates, musical performances. We also hold lectures on a wide range of topics, including art, history, ethics, literature, technology, medicine, the environment, political movements, and journalism. These events are all free, unless otherwise noted.

Pre-registration required for all events.

To reserve your seat today, or to be added to our mailing list, call 443-412-2539 or email haysheighe@harford.edu.

Homespun: Textiles & Revolution

Homespun: Textiles & Revolution

On view September 30, 2025 – July 31, 2026

Discover the original “maker spaces” – early American homes. Women helped to spin and weave the way to independence from Britain in the market disruptions before, during, and after the Revolutionary War. Learn about the regional economic web in Harford County and beyond that drew together home and factory production as the industrial revolution took hold. See the many steps involved historically in processing fiber into fabric, and how crafters today are finding avenues of self-expression in those steps.

BRIEF LISTING

Book Discussion: The Long Thread

The Long Thread. A picture of three hands in the air.

BOOK DISCUSSION: This Long Thread

Read with us! Hays-Heighe House is hosting a book discussion of This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community, and Connection, by Jen Hewett. Come and talk about your own experiences in crafting and hear other folks’ stories from our community. The first 8 people to RSVP to either date can claim their own free copy of the book. The book is also available from the Harford County Public Library.

DATE: MARCH 3 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM

DEMO: Spinning

Picture of someone sewing and spinning yarn.

DEMO: Spinning

See how spinning fluff into yarn & thread actually works. Longtime spinner Gerry Scarfe will demonstrate how to add spin and maintain tension on both a drop spindle and a great wheel. Try your hand at using a drop spindle and a few other old textile tools and then participate in a make-and-take craft.
DATE: MARCH 12 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM

Curator Walk

CURATOR WALK

Tour the exhibit in a small group, with new insights added by your guide, Julie Mancine – the coordinator of Hays-Heighe House. Learn stories behind the images and artifacts, how the exhibit connects to the history of the house, and the choices made as the exhibit was assembled.

DATE: MARCH 19 | 2:30 - 3:30 PM

Treasured Textiles Show & Tell

A picture of woven blankets with patchwork.

TREASURED TEXTILES SHOW & TELL

Nana’s crazy quilt, a woven rag rug, a crocheted baby blanket, an embroidered needle case, an heirloom wall hanging, a cozy comforter patched again and again, we all have our own treasured textiles. Bring yours – or just the memory of it! – and share its story with us. Light refreshments served.

DATE: APRIL 2 | 2:30 - 3:30 PM

DEMO: Clothing in the 18th Century

Picture of two people dressed in colonel outfits.

DEMO: Clothing in the late 18^th century

What staple pieces would your wardrobe have included in the late 18^th century in the Mid-Atlantic? Learn from D.A.R. member and re-enactor Vicki Embrey which garments were worn where and why. Gain some insight into which materials made the cut and how those choices fit into a web of international trade.

DATE: APRIL 9 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM

Revolutionary Stitches

REVOLUTIONARY STITCHES (National Library Week Kickoff)

Sample a variety of hands-on activities in the Library. We’ll weave together fabric production and civics via the homespun movement and the history of political statements in needle and thread. Try out some early textile-processing tools, and start a craft project of your own.

DATE: APRIL 20 | 11 AM - 1 PM

Sustainable Sourcing of Crafting Supplies

SUSTAINABLE SOURCING OF CRAFT SUPPLIES

(Earth Day)

Can we engage in our beloved hobbies in ways that are more Earth-friendly? You bet! Source some of your supplies through creative re-use. Learn about piecing old clothes and sheets for quilts. Help make “plarn” and try deconstructing wool sweaters and cotton t-shirts.

DATE: APRIL 22 | 11 AM - 1 PM

DEMO: Weaving

DEMO: Weaving

Turning thread into fabric can be pretty complex; just warping a frame (setting up a loom for weaving) can take hours or even days! Learn about the evolution of the tools for this art, then we’ll try a little creative weaving of our own on some simple DIY looms for a make-and-take craft.

DATE: APRIL 28 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM

Slow Stitching/Visible Mending

SLOW STITCHING/VISIBILE MENDING

Celebrate the repair and re-use of well-loved garments with attractive mends that are meant to be seen. Practice meditative slow stitching with colorful thread. Japanese sashiko mending renders weak areas stronger and more durable, and looks good, too!

DATE: MAY 7 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM

Treasured Textiles Show & Tell

Picture of woven blankets with patchwork.

TREASURED TEXTILES SHOW & TELL

Nana’s crazy quilt, a woven rag rug, a crocheted baby blanket, an embroidered needle case, an heirloom wall hanging, a cozy comforter patched again and again, we all have our own treasured textiles. Bring yours – or just the memory of it! – and share its story with us. Light refreshments served.

DATE: JUNE 9 | 6:30 - 7:30 PM

INFO ABOUT OUR UPCOMING TEA EVENTS

INFO ABOUT OUR TEAS:

DATES: MARCH 17 & 18, APRIL 14 & 16 & JUNE 10 & 11
TIME: 12:30-1:30
TEA: Homespun Movement COST $25
No harbor necessary for this tea party! Enjoy a luncheon from the revolutionary era and hear about women’s varied participation in historical protests and boycotts of British goods. Discover the era’s homespun movement and consider what it takes to take textiles from raw materials to clothing.

DATES: MAY 13 & 14
TIME: 12:30-1:30
PREAKNESS TEA: COST $25
Wear your fanciest hat as we celebrate the history of horse racing in the state and more locally. Hays-Heighe House itself was once the headquarters of a thoroughbred breeding and training operation.

TEAS REQUIRE ADVANCED TICKET PURCHASE
Our teas can sell out fast; reserve your seat well in advance!

COST: $25 per person, or free with HCC student ID

(443) 412-2539 or HaysHeighe@harford.edu

CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENTS

Harford Community College’s Community Education Team is offering several fantastic day trips this spring that relate to the current exhibit here at Hays-Heighe House! You’ll register and pay for your trip through Continuing Education, and they’ll cover your round-trip travel and your museum tours. Scan the QR code to learn more, or email travel@harford.edu.

Revolutionary America: Philadelphia, PA
April 25 | 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM | TR5033

Celebrate America 250 with a visit to historic Philadelphia! Take a guided tour of the Museum of the American Revolution, then head over to the Betsy Ross House to hear one version of the story of America’s first flag.

The Met Cloisters, New York, NY
Tuesday, May 5 | 7 AM - 8 PM | TR5302

Check out some famous fiber at this branch of the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art, which specializes in European medieval art and architecture. The Highlights Tour will begin your day. Then visit the Unicorn Tapestries or the Nine Heroes Tapestries, and explore the gardens & grounds!