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By Lisa Minardi for Antiques Magazine

Built of brick with glazed Flemish-bond headers on all four sides, the Daniel Hiester house is one of the earliest brick houses in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was built for Daniel Hiester Sr. (1713–1795), a prosperous tanner and brickmaker, and his wife, Catharina Schuler (1716–1789), in 1757.

The rear half of the side gable wall has no windows due to a large fireplace on the first floor and built-in closet on the second floor. Behind the house is a summer kitchen with a clay tile roof. A stone mile marker stands alongside the driveway, which was originally the Sumneytown Pike. 

The dwelling of the Hiester family (pronounced Heester) is an extraordinary survival with incredible original details, including elaborate ironwork and woodwork. 

In the living room, which likely served as Daniel Hiester’s office, a c. 1775 walnut corner cupboard is positioned where paint evidence on the chair rail suggested one originally stood. The yellow ochre color on the woodwork in this room was also found in the hallways and in one of the kitchens

Restoration plans extended to the furnishings.  We collected many pieces for the house, but it was not until late 2021—nearly four years after buying the house—that the furnishing could begin. It was an easy decision to focus on Pennsylvania German objects from the eighteenth century, but we wanted to emphasize pieces from Montgomery County and Philadelphia wherever possible, in keeping with what Daniel Hiester would have most likely owned. Few pieces from the Hiester family are known to survive, but in a stroke of good fortune I was recently able to acquire a set of six Philadelphia Chippendale chairs that descended in the family.

They had long been used to furnish the president’s house at the College of William and Mary, we had them delivered, and photographed just as this article was going to press! Collecting antiques is often a combination of luck and paying attention.

Read the story behind the house, its restoration and more photos at:

Living with antiques: A Labor of Love - The Magazine Antiques

[chessielady]

I could move into this house tomorrow and would not change one thing! This is my style to a T.

[Kachina624]

Not a very comfortable looking house.  I wouldn't want to live there.  Has the aura of a museum but does have beautiful, authentic appearing antiques.  The house is beautifully restored with great bones.

[DREAMON]

I agree that the furniture does not look comfortable but that is an easy fix.

I can picture this interesting home decorated with fresh greenery and lights for Christmas..I think it would look beautiful with a fresh coating of snow on the ground.

[stevieb]

A wonderful house and an impressive restoration all the way around. Were I to live in it, I'd sacrifice some of the authenticity to have it look a bit less spare and a bit warmer.

[AuntG]

Beautiful. I might add just a little more decor.

[Sooner]

It is interesting and evocative of the time, but does not look inviting and livable to me.    Very severe vibe to that type of house for me.

[Spacrazy]

Gorgeous and absolutely fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing it here with us 💐💐

[D Kay]

Those stairs look kind of creepy to me. The house overall is kind of bare.  Not very comfy looking.

[cindyNC]

@chessielady  My style also.  Love it!