Founded in 1982 as the Friends of Vieilles Maisons Françaises, French Heritage Society (FHS) began on the West Coast of the United States and in Paris.
Founding President Michèle le Menestrel Ullrich created the Friends of VMF as one of the first “American Friends” charitable organizations, a model that has since flourished to protect cultural treasures around the world. Founding members organized programs and trips to raise funds for architectural restoration projects identified by the association Vieilles Maisons Françaises.
In 1985, the Friends of VMF began supporting university student exchanges, an initiative that would evolve into FHS’s Education Program. In 1990, Michèle le Menestrel Ullrich established a partnership with the American Institute of Architects in collaboration with the American Architectural Foundation to create the Richard Morris Hunt Prize, a prestigious fellowship award for French and American architects.
In 1993, Princesse Marie-Sol de La Tour d’Auvergne became President of the organization and the Friends of VMF thrived, spreading across the United States to the East Coast. That same year, it responded to the disastrous flooding of the Mississippi River, which threatened some of the best examples of French architecture in the U.S., laying the foundation for FHS to become a first responder with emergency funds.
In 2002, the Friends of VMF became French Heritage Society to reflect the broadening scope of its mission. Agreements were formalized with partners in preservation la Demeure historique, le Comité des parcs et jardins de France and, later, la Fondation du patrimoine, allowing FHS to preserve architectural heritage on a wider scale.
When Hurricane Katrina unleashed its devastation in 2005, FHS worked with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and numerous local organizations to provide more than $250,000 in emergency relief to Louisiana and other affected areas.
In 2008, Elizabeth F. Stribling was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors and Denis de Kergorlay was named President, establishing FHS leadership on both sides of the Atlantic. In the years that followed, FHS continued to grow and evolve into its current form, which includes offices and staff in New York City and Paris, 10 chapters in the United States and one in France, and an ever-growing portfolio of restoration and cultural grants funded and university internships supported.
FHS’s nearly 700 grant recipients include such beloved cultural institutions as the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Grand Palais, the Hôtel des Invalides, the Musée du Louvre, Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Monticello and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, in addition to family-owned historic properties all across France.
In 2019, FHS launched its largest campaign to date, the Notre-Dame Fire Restoration Fund, on the same day the tragic fire broke out. In addition to raising over $2.6 million in emergency funds for the cathedral’s restoration from more than 3,200 donors, most of whom were in the U.S., FHS served as an important liaison to the English-speaking press, helping them keep up with the news following the fire and advocating for the ongoing importance of supporting preservation.
