|
In 1894, Boston architect W.
D. Wentworth designed and built an elegant Richardsonian Romanesque home on
cobblestoned Freemason Street in Norfolk. His client was James Wilson
Hunter, a prosperous merchant and banker. Hunter and his wife Lizzie moved
in with their three children, James Wilson Jr., Harriet Cornelia and Eloise
Dexter. The children never married and this was their family home until
1965.
The original design details
of the Hunter House
Victorian Museum
still delight the senses. Family furnishings fill the rooms, but a sense of
the individual personalities who lived here is elusive. No diaries reveal
intimate details of their lives, no anecdotes provide colorful glimpses of
events in their lives; the family is reflected by their time and the popular
taste of their era. The parlor, supposedly a mirror of their world, is a
microcosm of their travels, their taste and their heritage. The room has an
elliptical design with a bow window in the front and a curved door in the
back. The paintings by artists of the Hudson River Valley
school were modern when purchased by the Hunters. Their home reflects the
latest in styles in art and in conveniences; they installed steam-heat
radiators, indoor plumbing, hot and cold water and gas lighting. Intriguing
architectural details include coffered ceilings, frosted and bottled glass,
an inglenook, or chimney corner on the stair landing and spindle work on the
stair banister.
Evenings at home were spent
in the library, with its built-in bookshelves and scrapbooks of embossed
flowers. The flowers were purchased in sheets at stationery stores, then
cut-out. This was a popular pastime of the Victorian era.
The dining room looks
surprisingly masculine; the medieval tapestries lend a baronial look. It is
thought that the wooden-tapestry chairs may have been designed for the room
by the architect. The tilting water pitcher was used to serve ice water at
the table, showing off the fact that the family had one of the new-fangled
ice boxes. Adjacent to the dining room is a china room with a sink to wash
the dishes and cutlery. The kitchen is not included on the tour.
The family’s living quarters
were on the second floor where all the rooms are connected in a horseshoe
pattern. The master bedroom at the front of the house has a bow window
overlooking the street. Here you’ll see Mrs. Hunter’s desk with her fan and
dance cards as well as her mourning calling cards used when she visited the
bereaved. In another bedroom there is a crazy quilt, a family memento made
in 1887 perhaps to commemorate the Hunter’s 20th wedding anniversary. A
nearby nursery is filled with toys, although the Hunter children were all
too old for toys when the family moved here. The three children would have
taken their meals in this schoolroom rather than joining the adults in the
formal dining room. A bathroom in the back of the house features a
state-of-the-art flush toilet.
One of the pieces in the
exhibit of early 20th-century medical memorabilia is Dr. Hunter’s 1930s
battery-operated electrocardiograph machine. James Wilson Hunter, Jr. died
in Hot Springs, Arkansas of heart trouble. The third floor, which once had
guest bedrooms, is now used for storage and there is an unfinished attic
space.
Before ending your visit,
stop at the gift shop which carries delightful period items like Victorian
cards and paper dolls, children’s toys, books, Christmas ornaments and
activity books for children. Be sure to also notice the cutting garden
along the fence and the benches beneath the trees. Take the time to observe
the exterior architectural details like the arched windows and doors and the
stone balconies.
Hunter House Victorian Museum
is open April through December Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to
4:00 P.M. and Sunday NOON to 4:00 P.M. Admission is charged. The museum
hosts special events including theme teas, patriotic picnics and a Memorial
Day cemetery decoration at nearby Elmwood Cemetery. Before leaving the
Hunter House pick up a walking tour map. The Freemason Historic District is
one of three Walking Tours of Historic Norfolk. There are 23 points of
interest on this tour including private homes and public buildings.
Norfolk’s oldest house, the 1790 Allmand-Archer House is located in this
district. The stone paving on Freemason and Botetourt streets was
originally used as ship ballast. One of the neighborhood’s old churches,
the Freemason Abbey, has been converted into a delightful restaurant
and tavern. Norfolk’s Second Presbyterian Church congregation built the
church in 1873. In 1902 it was sold to First Church of Christ Scientists
and from 1948 to 1987 it was used as a meeting hall for the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. It was converted into a restaurant in 1988, while
maintaining the architectural integrity of this old historic landmark. It is
not only details like the cathedral roof trusses that make this a noteworthy
spot; the restaurant is renowned for its lobsters and serves over 1000 whole
fresh lobsters each month. For reservations call (804) 622-3966.
Directions:
From I-64 take Granby Street Exit 276, make a right turn on Freemason Street
for the Hunter House Victorian Museum at 240 W. Freemason St. The Freemason
Abbey is at the corner of Freemason and Boush streets. To obtain a free
guide to Norfolk with attraction, lodging and restaurant information call
(800) 843-8030.
|
TRAVELERS TALKBACK
Win a a free copy of the new
Williamsburg One-Day Trip Book
with your picture and byline on
the cover! (Sixteen chapters in
this book cover one day vacations in
Richmond.)
If you've visited Norfolk
recently, give us your honest
evaluation of your visit.
Click here for details and the
TRAVELERS TALKBACK form.
TRAVEL
WRITERS WANTED
FREE
trial lesson in new
"WRITING TO
PUBLISH WORKSHOP."
Send us
an
email for details. Publication
is guaranteed for those
accepted in program. Instructor is
former president of the Society of
American Travel Writers.
|