NORFOLK, Va. - I recently visited the Hunter House Victorian Museum. I got a tour of the house and learned about the Hunter family from Hanna Kirby, the Director of Operations and Communications.
"When you walk into the house and walk into each room, it's like stepping back into time" says Kirby.
Built in 1894, this was the home of James Hunter, his wife, Lizzie and their three children, James Jr, Harriet, and Eloise. "We believe that they met at church, we don't have a lot of great records. One of the records that we do have is we believe that we have a receipt from their wedding cake." Hunter was born into a farming family in Princess Anne County, what is now Virginia Beach. He moved to Norfolk to work in the dry goods business and in banking.
The house was designed by Boston architect William Pitt Wentworth. The Romanesque style was more typical in Norfolk churches than townhouses. Kirby says, "I like to think that this house is kind of like a time capsule. About 90 to 95% of everything you see in the house is original owned by the family. And that's extremely rare for a house museum."
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The house is full of unique architecture like curved walls, stained glass cabinet doors, and even a walk-in closet. "It is a sign of luxury in the area that you had enough clothes to fill this giant walk in closet. It also has a pocket door in between which is unique that separates their two bedrooms."
None of the Hunter children married or had children. The house was essentially frozen in time after the passing of the youngest daughter Eloise in the 1960s. "You get a very personal glimpse into the Hunter family that I feel like you don't really get in a lot of museums."
The Hunter House Victorian Museum is located on Freemason Street in Norfolk. The museum is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm from April through December. Be on the lookout for special events and exhibits that change throughout the year.
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