Emily Carr House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Emily Carr House |
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| Type | Residence |
| Location | 207 Government Street Victoria, British Columbia |
| Built | 1863–1864 |
| Built for | Richard and Emily Carr |
| Architect | John Wright |
| Architectural style(s) | Picturesque-Italianate |
| Owner | The Province of British Columbia |
| Website | https://www.carrhouse.org |
| Official name: Emily Carr House National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated | 27 October 1964 |
| Reference no. | 90 |
Emily Carr House, also known as Carr House, is a special historic place in Victoria, British Columbia. It was the childhood home of a famous Canadian artist and writer, Emily Carr. This house and its surroundings greatly influenced her art and stories.
Contents
The Story of Emily Carr's Childhood Home
Building a Victorian Home
The house was built in 1863 for the wealthy Carr family. It was first located at 44 Carr Street on a big piece of land owned by Emily's father, Richard Carr. A well-known local architect, John Wright, designed the house. He also designed another famous building, the Fisgard Lighthouse.
The area around Carr House was very important in Victoria during the 1800s. Many rich merchants, business people, and politicians lived there. They often hired architects to build grand homes, like Helmcken House. Carr House is a great example of the Italianate villa style, which was popular back then.
Emily Carr's Early Life
The house is most famous because of its connection to Emily Carr. She was born in 1871 and spent most of her life near her family home. The environment around the house made a big impression on her. She wrote about it in all her books.
In her 1942 book, The Book of Small, Emily described Carr Street and her house around 1880:
Our street was called Carr Street after my Father. We had a very nice house and a lovely garden... Carr Street was a very fine street. The dirt road waved up and down and in and out. the horses made it that way, zigzagging the carts and carriages through it. The rest of the street was green grass and wild roses. [...] In front of our place Father had made a gravel walk but after our trees stopped there were just two planks to walk on. As far back as I can remember Father's place was all made and in order. The house was large and well-built, of Californian redwood, the garden prim and carefully tended. Everything about it was extremely English. It was as though Father had buried tremendous homesickness in this new soil and it had rooted and sprung up English. There were hawthorn hedges, primrose banks, and cow pastures with shrubberies."
Emily lived in the house for most of her childhood. She later left to study art in San Francisco, London, and Paris.
The Carr Family's Properties
When Emily's father passed away in 1888, her older sister, Edith Carr, inherited the property. Edith divided the large estate into smaller lots and sold most of them. The Carr sisters kept five of these lots for themselves.
When Emily returned to Victoria in 1913, she built her own house next to Carr House. This house was at 646 Simcoe Street. She wrote about her time there in her 1944 book, The House of All Sorts. That house still stands today. It even has a mural Emily painted on the attic roof, inspired by First Nations art.
Emily's other sisters, Edith and Alice, also built houses near Carr House. Alice Carr House was used as a kindergarten by Alice. Emily sometimes taught art lessons there too.
Restoring a Historic Treasure
Saving the House
Carr House stayed in the Carr family for many years. Later, it was sold to a private owner and rented out. The house was changed a lot after a fire in 1938.
In 1964, a Member of Parliament named David Groos saved the building from being torn down. Three years later, he gave it to the Emily Carr Foundation. It became an art gallery and school called the Emily Carr Arts Centre. In 1976, the government of British Columbia bought the property. They helped bring the building back to its original look.
Bringing Back the Past
Two different architects carefully restored the building. They removed many of the changes and modern updates made since the 1800s. The beautiful wood finishes, which Emily Carr had mentioned, were restored. The outside of the house was returned to its original design and color. This was done using old photos from Emily Carr's time.
The inside of the house also looks like it did originally. Workers carefully removed layers of newer paint and wallpaper. This helped them discover the first patterns and colors used inside.
Most of the original items from the home were gone. However, a few pieces were found and restored. The Carr family Bible was recovered. Some original door and window hardware was also found. Most items in the house today are replicas or other old pieces from that time. For example, the piano in the living room once belonged to the Carr family's neighbors.
Visiting Emily Carr House Today
Today, Carr House is a cultural center. It celebrates Emily Carr's life through tours, exhibits, and events. The Province of British Columbia owns it, and a site manager runs it.
Carr House is located at 207 Government Street. It is just a few blocks from Victoria's Inner Harbour and the Parliament Buildings. Besides the historic rooms, Carr House has a beautiful Victorian-style garden.
During the summer, you can take tours of Carr House by making an appointment. Throughout the rest of the year, there are programs and events. These events explore themes from Emily Carr's life. This includes art, caring for the environment, respecting First Nations communities, and supporting new artists and writers. Workshops on preserving history and gardening are also offered.
See also
