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2 reviews in English

  • Review from Jenni B.

    Photo of Jenni B.

    Manhattan, NY

    USA
    5.0 star rating
    3/7/2009

    The Irving House is a great historic building, and each room seems to have a story. Staff will describe life in the "old'n days" from corsets and women swolling tape worms for weight loss, to house pots, the how kettles were boiled. Of course, Irving family history education makes the visit well worth while. There are so many interesting points and stories, the most interesting to me in a bullet lodged in a door frame, fired at an Irving family member by a robber (if memory serves me correct).

    Although a visit here is always interesting, for years it was my family tradition to visit at Christmas time when the house is decorated in Victorian christmas decor. It's lovely and helps you get in the spirit.

    I suggest a visit, check out the old house and antiques, and learn more about our local history.

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  • Review from Christine R.

    Photo of Christine R.

    New Westminster, BC

    5.0 star rating
    11/9/2008 5 photos

    Irving House was built in 1865, back when New Westminster was striving to be the capital of British Columbia. It was lived in by family members up to about 1950, when it was sold to the city of New Westminster, and turned into a historical centre. Thus, if you're a history buff, love antiques (especially Victorian-era pieces), or ever watched the show "America's Castles", you should take a tour of Irving House.

    The house was built in high style by Captain Irving, a man who made a lot of money in the California, Alaska, and BC Gold Rush, and virtually poured it into the house. The architectural details of the house are interesting and well explained by the costumed guides. Since I was practically the only visitor at the time, I pretty much got my own personal tour. According to them, all the furniture and pieces displayed in the house are authentic to the period - no reproductions (except for some fake food in the kitchen, perhaps). Many belonged to the Irving family and their descendants; others were donated.

    The house is currently decorated, Victorian-style, for Christmas. Lots of garlands, an amazing Christmas dinner setting, and a beautiful little Christmas tree. Those into old-fashioned decorations should check it out.

    Legend has it too, that the house is haunted by none other than Captain Irving himself. At the very least, you can see the bed he reportedly died in, and it's one enormous piece of furniture. My guide demurred on confirming the story that an indentation of a body can sometimes be seen in the bedcovers. I saw nothing on my visit, though.

    In any case, it is New Westminster's oldest surviving home, and thus probably one of the oldest homes in the Vancouver area. It's a wonderful glimpse into what life was like in the early years of British Columbia, if you were high society folk. Admission is by donation, so it's affordable even for writers to visit.

    Listed in: Bright Lights, Royal City

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