{{Short description|Historic site in British Columbia, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Point Ellice House | image = Point Ellice House.jpg | caption = historic black and white photograph of Point Ellice House. | type = Historic house | mapframe = yes | coordinates = {{coord|48.4361|-123.3772|type:landmark_region:CA-BC|display=title,inline}} | location = 2616 Pleasant Street<br /> Victoria, British Columbia | built = 1861–1864 | built_for = Charles Wallace | architecture = Italianate | governing_body = Métis Nation British Columbia | website = {{Official URL}} | designation1 = National Historic Site of Canada | designation1_offname = Point Ellice House / O'Reilly House National Historic Site of Canada | designation1_date = 26 October 1966 | designation1_number = 101 | architect = Wright & Sanders }}
'''Point Ellice House''' is located in the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Point Ellice House was designated a National Historic Site in 1966<ref name=":0">{{CRHP|12601|Point Ellice House / O'Reilly House National Historic Site of Canada|22 January 2025}}</ref> and became a Provincial Historic Site in 1975.<ref>{{CRHP|1129|Point Ellice House|22 January 2025}}</ref> The house is also listed on the City of Victoria's heritage registry.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2021 |title=City of Victoria Register of Heritage Properties |url=https://www.victoria.ca/assets/Departments/Planning~Development/Community~Planning/Heritage/Heritage%20Register%20April%202021.pdf}}</ref> The site is under the management of the Métis Nation British Columbia.<ref name=":1">{{Cite press release |title=MNBC has been awarded the contract to operate Point Ellice House |date=12 December 2023 |publisher=Métis Nation British Columbia |url=https://www.mnbc.ca/news/mnbc-has-been-awarded-contract-operate-point-ellice-house |language=en |access-date=22 January 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110115918/https://www.mnbc.ca/news/mnbc-has-been-awarded-contract-operate-point-ellice-house |archive-date=10 January 2024}}</ref>
== History ==
=== Wentworth Wallace family === Positioned overlooking Selkirk Water/Gorge Waterway, Point Ellice House is among the oldest homes in Victoria and was constructed between 1861 and 1862 for Catherine (''née'' Work) Wallace and Charles Wentworth Wallace. To build the home, Catherine's father, John Work, sold his daughter and son-in-law a two-acre parcel from his estate for $100. Charles was invested in many business ventures in Victoria and British Columbia. By 1866 he was bankrupt, forcing the family to depart from Point Ellice House to pay off debts<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charles Wentworth Wallace Profile |url=https://pointellicehouse.com/the-families-of-point-ellice-house/charles-wentworth-wallace/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123234043/https://pointellicehouse.com/the-families-of-point-ellice-house/charles-wentworth-wallace/ |archive-date=23 January 2023 |access-date=January 23, 2023 |website=pointellicehouse.com}}</ref> alt=A sepia toned photograph of two older women and a black dog on a gravel pathway. There is a large house (Point Ellice House) behind them. A large lawn occupies the left side of the photograph.|thumb|Mary Windham O'Reilly and Kathleen O'Reilly on the back lawn of Point Ellice House
=== O'Reilly family === The O'Reilly family lived at Point Ellice House from 1867 until 1975 when the remaining O'Reilly's sold the historic house, the land, and the collection of household ephemera to the province of British Columbia.
Peter O'Reilly and his wife Caroline O'Reilly (''née'' Trutch) moved into Point Ellice House December, 1867 with their infant son, Francis (Frank) Joseph O'Reilly. Weeks later, their eldest daughter, Charlotte Kathleen O'Reilly, would be born. The couple would have two more children, both born at Point Ellice House: Arthur John "Jack" O'Reilly (born in 1873) and Mary Augusta O'Reilly (born 1869).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Families of Point Ellice House |url=https://pointellicehouse.com/the-families-of-point-ellice-house/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927014419/https://pointellicehouse.com/the-families-of-point-ellice-house/ |archive-date=27 September 2021 |access-date=January 25, 2023 |website=pointellicehouse.com}}</ref>
Peter's employment as Gold Commissioner, Judge, and Indian Reserve Commissioner gave him the financial freedom to make extensive changes to the house, including the addition of an entire wing in the late 19th century. Diaries and letters sent between family members discuss house renovations and the ongoing work of maintaining kitchen and flower gardens.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BC Archives - O'Reilly fonds finding aid |url=https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Document/Finding_Aids_Atom/MS-2501_to_MS-3000/ms-2894.pdf |access-date=January 25, 2023}}</ref>
== History of Site Management == Point Ellice House was purchased from the O'Reilly family in 1975 by the Province of British Columbia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens |url=https://nationaltrustcanada.ca/destinations/point-ellice-house-museum-gardens |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=National Trust for Canada |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2002, the province sought to outsource the sites management to a non-profit society. A willing non-profit was not found until 2004 when the Capital Mental Health Association agreed to manage the site. In 2009, the Point Ellice House Preservation Society took over operations but was replaced by the Vancouver Island Local History Society (VILHS) in 2019. The VILHS ran the site until March 2023 but they were unable to continue, citing a lack of sustainable funding from the provincial government.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knox |first=Jack |date=March 23, 2023 |title=Point Ellice House closes: 'We weren't bluffing' |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/point-ellice-house-closes-we-werent-bluffing-6744230 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=Times Colonist}}</ref> In May 2023, the province contracted The Forager Foundation to act as an interim operator of the site, until a permanent organization could be found.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Point Ellice House remains open to public |date=5 May 2023 |publisher=Government of British Columbia |location=Victoria |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023TACS0022-000669 |language=en |access-date=22 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Kiera |date=27 July 2023 |title=Exploring the history of Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens |url=https://martlet.ca/exploring-the-history-of-point-ellice-house-museum-and-gardens/ |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=The Martlet}}</ref> In December 2023, it was announced that the Métis Nation British Columbia would be taking over the sites management, beginning in January 2024.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kloster |first=Darron |date=14 December 2023 |title=Metis Nation of B.C. set to take over Point Ellice House |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/metis-nation-of-bc-set-to-take-over-point-ellice-house-7986063 |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=Times Colonist}}</ref>
== Architecture == Architects Wright & Sanders chose an Italianate Villa-style design that was popular during the 19th century.<ref name=":0" />
== See also == * List of National Historic Sites of Canada in British Columbia * List of historic places in Victoria, British Columbia
== References == {{reflist}} {{NHSC}} {{British Columbia parks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Point Ellice House}} Category:Buildings and structures in Victoria, British Columbia Category:1862 establishments in Canada Category:National Historic Sites in British Columbia Category:Métis Nation British Columbia