Hays-Heighe House

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.

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.

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.

Constitution Day: Revolutionary Stitches
Sample a variety of hands-on activities on the Library portico. For Constitution Day, 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: September 17 | 11 AM - 1 PM

TALK: Textiles & Slavery in the Mid-Atlantic

Learn about the fabric-making work of enslaved men, women, and children. From planting & harvesting to spinning & weaving to sewing & mending, the Hays family that called Hays-Heighe House home in the 19th century relied on their forced labor in the home, in the field, and likely in the factory as well.

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: OCTOBER 7 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

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: October 9 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

This is the first of many! See all dates/times available below.

ALL DATES:
October 14 & 16 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
November 18 & 20 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

No harbor necessary for this tea party! Enjoy light fare 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.

ADVANCED TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED. Tickets tend to sell out quickly!

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

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

Field trip – Steppingstone Farm Museum
Meet us at Steppingstone Farm Museum to see their working barn frame loom in action. This special demonstration by Harmony Weavers Guild member Gerry Scarfe is just for us, with none of the crowds of the Fall Harvest Fest. What are all those different moving parts? How do you pattern the fabric? Get up close and ask!

DATE: October 23 | 11 AM - 12 PM

Spooky Halloween Tour of Hays-Heighe House
Access typically off-limits sections of the House (the attic! The basement!) and hear stories of the unexplained, stories of creepy-crawlies that call the House home, and stories of things that go bump in the night. Depending on weather, take a trek with us down the hill to the 200-year-old springhouse.

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! Longtime weaver Gerry Scarfe will walk us through some of the steps. Then we’ll try a little creative weaving of our own on some simple DIY looms for a make-and-take craft.

DATE: November 4 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

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.

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: November 13 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM