Emily Carr House

Story

Emily Carr House is a National Historic Site of Canada located in Victoria, British Columbia. It was the childhood home of Canadian painter Emily Carr, and had a lasting impression on her paintings and writings.Early historyBuilt in 1863 for the affluent Carr family,house was originally situated at 44 Carr Street on a large property owned by Emily Carr's father, Richard. The building was designed in an Italianate style by prominent local architects Wright & Saunders, who also built another Victorian National Historic Site, the Fisgard Lighthouse. The area was the heart of 19th century Victoria, with many other merchants, businessmen, and politicians such as the Dunsmuirs living in the area, many of whom commissioned other important buildings, such as Helmcken House. Structurally, the building is an excellent, and well-preserved, heritage example of the Italianate villa style popular at the time.However, the site is most notable for its association with Emily Carr. Born in 1871, Carr spent much of her life within walking distance of her family home, and the environment left a lasting impression on her which is mentioned in all of her books. In The Book of Small, a young Emily offers a description of Carr street, and her house, as it appeared 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.