THE RICHARDS DAR HOUSE

A great way to spend a morning or afternoon, this handsome historic home, built in 1860, tells in superb architectural detail of fashionable life during Mobile's affluent ante-bellum days. The House is famous for the iron lace that lavishly decorates the front facade. The Ideal Cement Company purchased the Richards House from descendants of Captain and Caroline Richards in 1946. They restored it for use as their downtown offices, then in 1973 presented the property to the city of Mobile.

The six DAR chapters in Mobile jointly care for this historic home, the Richards DAR House Museum. Our Daughters spend many hours as docents and caretakers of this property. Several members of our chapter volunteer extensively in this effort on a regular basis, some weekly and some monthly. The Needham Bryan Chapter alone, has spent approximately 2000 hours doing the work of the 'House' as docents, helping with special events, maintenance, guiding tour guests, and other things, just in this past year (2004-2005), all on a volunteer basis.

The care of this home also includes staffing docents for historic tours by the local tour agencies, handling the rental of the home for wedding receptions and other special events, such as our annual fundraiser, "Christmas at the Richards House." This event is held annually during the first weekend of December. The house is decorated in the style of the 1860s and is open for the entire weekend for visitors. During the hours it is open live music will accompany the visitor on their tour of the decorated home. Docents are dressed in period dress and at the end of the tour which has a docent in each room of the house, refreshments are enjoyed in the dining room and a shopping tour of the specially stocked gift shop is a treat. This year's Christmas schedule is listed below.

For this effort the six Mobile DAR chapters were awarded the Historic Preservation Project Award for the year 2004-2005 by the State Society.

The Richards DAR House is also home to a fine genealogical library compiled and maintained by the Governing Board of the House. It is open for research and copying of documents on the premises. Call the House for further details.

Directions: Going East from Highway 90, (Government St.), left on Jackson St. (1-way) right on Congress St., right on Joachim St. (1-way) to 256 N. Joachim St., on left.

Hours:
Monday - Friday 11 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.
Saturday: 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 PM
Sunday: 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.

Guided Tours are available for groups of any size, and
The House can be rented for Receptions & Meetings.

Please call (251) 208-7320 for admission prices, rental prices or for further information

December 4, 2010................10:00 A. M. until 5:00 P.M. and December 5, 2010................1:00 P. M. until 5:00 P.M.

Bay area musicians will be performing throughout the weekend

Grand Christmas Tree in front parlor

Home baked refreshments served by DAR hostesses

Baked goods and a museum gift shop

Security guard on duty

We invite you to share this celebration of beauty, color, music and food. Live for a time in the hospitality of the "Old South."

For further information, please call the house museum at 251-208-7320.
For group tour reservations, call the House at the above telephone number.

For information about hotels and other accommodations in and around Mobile please call
the Mobile Convention and Visitors Corporation at 1-800-5-MOBILE.