Hunter House Victorian Museum and Freemason Historic District

Sense an Opulent Era

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.