Come and visit the impressive Craigdarroch castle in British Columbia. A Victorian Castle that Robert Dunsmuir built for his wife in the 1880's.
Towering high above the city of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada is a century old castle with a fascinating history. Open to tourists year round, Craigdarroch castle offers a nostalgic trip back in time to the ostentatious Victorian era where coal barons and railway tycoons decorated the West Coast with their elaborate mansions. In 1850, Scottish Immigrant, Robert Dunsmuir left his homeland to make his fortune in the coalmines of Vancouver Island, Canada. The story goes that Robert Dunsmuir promised his wife, Joan that if she would leave Scotland and join him in British Columbia he would build her a castle. However, more likely he commissioned work on the castle to rival other railway tycoons of the time who were building their own architectural marvels. In 1888 Dunsmuir acquired over 28 acres of land in the prestigious Rockland area, that had a breath-taking view of Victoria's countryside and city below.
Over the next four years, a mighty castle began to take shape. Five railway cars full of glorious hardwood finishing arrived from Chicago. The golden oak panel was destined for the main hallway and 57 stepped master staircase. The interior woodwork was valued at over $30,000. The manor contained many lavishly decorated rooms that were the height of fancy in their day. There was a library with enough bookcases to house over 1000 leather and mahogany bound books. A Double Drawing room was the pride of the castle, fifty feet long, it contained seven stained glass windows, two massive brass chandeliers in both electrical and gas light, two fireplaces, a gilt touch mirrored mantel and hand painted birds, garlands and bouquets lined the ceiling. The mansion also had a ballroom, billiard room, smoking room and exquisite dining room and kitchen. The final estimated cost of the castle in 1891 was valued at $500,000.
Robert Dunsmuir died in April of 1889, one year before the castle's completion. The entire estate passed to his wife and upon her death in 1908, Craigdarroch passed into the hands of the Dunsmuir daughters. Several years before her death, Joan was involved in a legal battle with her sons James and Alex (who died in 1900) in which Joan lost ownership of the Coal Company. Amends were never made between Joan and her son and not surprisingly, James was left completely out of the inheritance. The sisters were unable to buy each other out, so at the bidding of a contractor, agreed to subdivide the land into 144 lots. Each lot would sell for the flat rate of $2750 in a blind lottery, whereby the buyers would be assigned their lot by luck of the draw. A second lottery was held and the winner of that would possess the castle and the several acres of land it stood on. The winner of Craigdarroch was Solomon Cameron who lost possession of it in 1919 due to a foreclosure because he was unable to pay the taxes on it.
Craigdarroch Castle didn't remain empty for long before it was bought by the federal government for use as a military hospital for the treatment of "wounds, general diseases, tuberculosis, insanity, neurology, and paralysis." The reconstruction of the castle began, walls were torn down, steam heat installed, a fire escape was erected on the outside of the building and a dumbwaiter was put in for ease of food service. Seemingly the only room that remained for it's original purpose was the Ballroom in which weekly dances were held for the physical therapy of war amputees, learning to function with their new prosthesis. In 1921 Craigdarroch closed down as a hospital when the Canadian Government enforced a new policy whereby remaining war veterans would now live out their days in larger and fewer institutions.
Robert Dunsmuir's legacy soon became home to 160 college students when it was taken over by Victoria College. The double drawing room was divided into two classrooms. The library became the registrars office. The dining room took on the new role of math class, a second floor bedroom was turned into the French class and the lavish ballroom was now the College Library. Alive with the pulse of youthful vigor, Craigdarroch took the brunt of it's damage in those 21 years. Among the students to carve his initials in the expensive wood paneling was Canadian Journalist, Writer and Historian, Pierre Burton. Ironically he would later serve as Governor of Heritage Canada, advocating the preservation of the country's historic buildings. By 1946 the College was clearly outgrowing it's home. Attendance at Victoria College had grown to a whopping 600 students. The castle only housed eight bathrooms for 450 male students and 4 bathrooms for 150 women. In 1946 after a student protest claiming the former Dunsmuir home was a fire hazard, the College moved out and the decrepit castle became home to school board offices. It remained an office for the next 21 years.
In the late 50's Craigdarroch castle was beginning to get noticed as a national heritage landmark. The castle was constantly being invaded by tourists who desired to get a peep inside the mysterious manor that overlooked the city. James Nesbitt formed and headed the Castle Preservation Society in which he used his political strings to gain alliances for the preservation of Craigdarroch. Nesbitt won his final victory in 1979 when the Victoria School of Music moved their operation out of the castle. It was then that the restoration of Victoria's greatest architectural masterpiece could finally begin. Since the early 80's donations from visitors have flooded in. The Castle is slowly returning to it's Victorian Splendor. When you go through this castle for yourself, slow down and meditate on it's eventful history and you will get a feel for the many lives that graced it's halls. Perhaps you too can add your name to the guest book and join the ranks of the many who have given their support to aid a lovely Victorian Lady in her quest to go on touching the lives of future generations.
Craigdarroch Castle is open year round,
Summer 9:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Fall/Winter/Spring 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
1050 Joan Crescent
Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada
V8S 3L5
(604)592-5323
