The Rothschild House Museum

David Charles Henry Rothschild came to the United State in the mid 1840s and settled with his brother in Kentucky. His brother had come to America years before and had his own successful business, so Rothschild joined in his brother's venture. He came to Port Townsend in 1858 and had his own business entitled, "The Rothschild and Co. Mercantile." Here he sold various merchandise to settlers of Port Townsend.

As the years went on, his business became more marine-oriented, and his success continued. During this era, Rothschild lived in his Victorian-style home and adorned the walls with paintings and portraits. After Rothschild's death, the house was inherited by David's widow, Dorette. She ensured that the house received minimal changes. Dorette passed aways in 1918, and the home went to her daughter. After she passed away in 1954, the house was inherited by the last surviving member of David's family. He decided to donate the house to Washington State Parks and Recreation.

The house was nearly untouched and represented a perfect representation of life during the 1800s in Washington. All of the Rothschild House's decor and furniture has not been moved, and the house appears to be frozen in time. Because of this, the home was declared a historical landmark and opened as a museum to the public in 1962.

Rothschild House Museum , JCHS Museum. Accessed June 26th 2020. https://jchsmuseum.org/Sites/RothschildHouse.html.