Frieda Fromm-Reichmann Cottage facts for kids
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Frieda Fromm-Reichmann Cottage
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | 19 Thomas St., Rockville, Maryland |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100006277 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 13, 2021 |
| Designated NHL | January 13, 2021 |
The Frieda Fromm-Reichmann Cottage is a special old house in Rockville, Maryland. It was built in 1936 for a very important doctor named Frieda Fromm-Reichmann. She was a leading expert in helping people with their thoughts and feelings. This house was both her home and her office. It was located on the grounds of a hospital called Chestnut Lodge.
Dr. Fromm-Reichmann (1899-1957) was famous for her work. She helped create a way of understanding how people's relationships affect their minds. She also used these ideas to help people dealing with serious mental health challenges. In 2021, the cottage was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important place in American history.
About the Cottage and Its History
The Frieda Fromm-Reichmann Cottage sits in a pretty, park-like area. This area used to be part of the Chestnut Lodge hospital. The hospital helped people with mental health issues until 1999. The cottage is on the eastern side of these grounds. Today, it is surrounded by other homes in a neighborhood.
What the Cottage Looks Like
The cottage is a simple, one-and-a-half-story house. It is made of wood and sits on a strong concrete base. The base is covered with bricks. The roof has a sloped shape with windows sticking out, called dormers. Inside, the main floor has a hallway in the middle. Dr. Fromm-Reichmann's office was on one side. The dining room and kitchen were on the other side. A space that used to be a garage was changed into a waiting area for her patients.
Frieda Fromm-Reichmann's Important Work
Frieda Fromm-Reichmann was born in Germany. She was Jewish and moved to the United States in 1935. She had already been trained as a psychiatrist by top doctors in Germany. When she started working at Chestnut Lodge in 1936, she quickly became a very important person there.
She became a leader in teaching and practicing "interpersonal psychoanalysis." This is a way of understanding how our relationships with others affect our minds. She believed these methods could help even the most difficult mental health problems. Dr. Fromm-Reichmann stayed at Chestnut Lodge until 1955. She then took a year off in Palo Alto, California. She came back to Chestnut Lodge in 1956 but sadly passed away the next year. The cottage where she lived and worked is the most important place connected to her amazing life and work.
