whitehern historic house and garden

Whitehern is in the city where I live and I never tire of visiting. It's not often that you can visit a grand, historic home that is fitted entirely with furnishings, china and other household items that belonged to the family who actually lived there. The guides are well informed, the house is not so large as to be overwhelming and the tiny, walled garden is an oasis of peace in the middle of a mid-sized, busy urban centre.

My bridal shower was held in the stables at the Whitehern. I absolutely loved it. We had beautiful weather which is always nice, and the backyard grounds are just gorgeous on a beautiful day. The stables seemed to be able to fit approximately 60 or so people. It has its own kitchen with supplies and bathrooms to the side down a small corridor. I would recommend this location to anyone looking for a cute shower location. The only thing I didn't like were the chairs in the room. They snag clothes and are not the most comfortable.

my family of four had a great visit at Whitehern. Beautiful building, so well furnished. Our excellent guide brought the story of the family to life. She really made it happen. Suggest every one visit Whitehern. Coupons are in the entertainment book.This family did so much for Ontario, visit and find out!

I agree with other reviewers who said that the guide makes it a great place to visit. We were greeted by a costumed guide who gave us a very thorough history of the house and family. What makes this house unique is the fact that the family left a detailed history as well as their original furnishings and possessions. It really gives you an idea of what life was like for them at that time. If you enjoy history, or touring historic homes, you'll enjoy Whitehern.

For anyone who likes Victoriana a visit to Whitehearn will delight. The historic home of the Mquesten family was given to the city and the house was restored in the 1970’s. Quite a lot of the surrounding gardens are gone as it is now adjacent to the City of Hamilton' s City Hall and Parking lot and on the other side a YWCA. That said, one can still imagine the home surrounded by green lawns and the walled garden that is still intact is well tended and is a popular place for music venues . During the summer music and lunch in the garden is a popular event as are wedding venues and lots of children’s programs. Guides here are well versed in the history of this family and adults and children will find this tour interesting. The interior of the home is filled with Victorian furniture and all the nick knacks that go along with that period. The dining room is set as it would have been in the 1980’s beautiful china and silver , lots of family portraits and for some reason that always fascinates me a picture of Christopher Columbus glowers over all. Children will delight in seeing the toys of that era as well. This place in Hamilton really is worth a visit and if you visit in the summer do try to attend the music in the garden. It is a quiet oasis in the city.

The guide is what made this a great place, she was extremely thorough in giving us the background of the family that owned it through the years. What makes this place so great is that the family and various other characters stored virtually everything they had in the attic so that there are not only furniture pieces but also apparently thousands of letters which the guide was very familiar with.50% of the value is in seeing the place itself, and 50% is the guide's information.

This location, the house and coach building are an outstanding reflection of the history of the time and people in the Hamilton area. The sad part is that there were no family heir to carry on the active life within this house. My daughter had her wedding in the gardens and most of the guests toured the house during chair/table re-arrangement. They all enjoyed the tour, the knowledgeable staff and the history.Slightly hidden behind the city hall, free parking on weekends.

My daughter and I loved our guided tour of Whitehern House. Joe was the individual working that day and I can't say enough about his knowledge on the family and house. We were so taken with the history of the place that later on that evening i spent quite a bit of time reading through all of the letters posted on line at whitehern.ca and drawing out the family tree for my daughter. The grounds are beautiful as is the house. We will be back!

One of Hamilton Civic Museums - and a previous residence of one of the city's wealthier families of generations past. This July an event was organized and held for anyone that is a fan of the English period television series - Downton Abbey. Although the time in which the series takes place is more modern than the era that the mansion in Hamilton was first built; and lived in by generations of McQueston's ( professions included doctor(s) and lawyer(s)) .... the house and its artifacts portray a gentile era in time similar in the stories of both these families. The garden of the walled property located near Hamilton City Hall is free for anyone to stroll through. It is lovely border garden ( English in style ) with a flagstone patio.The event was a garden party - some participants came dresses in Victorian-style dresses and fancy wide brimmed hats for the occasion. The event was so well attended and enjoyed that many are hoping a similar event can be held again during the summer or autumn months. The house is not wheel chair friendly - or - easy to get around to someone with problems walking or climbing stairs. The garden is accessible to all.

Beautiful home, artifacts and story. We found this very interesting. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. The garden is beautiful (and free). Would recommend for adults and older children.

Nothing extraordinary about the house. Nice piece of Hamilton history though. The garden is nice and would be better when the flowers are blooming..

Authentic history right here in Hamilton.The tour guides are top notch, I would recommend 8 and up.Although they have programs for children that my daughter just loved when little, such as making an old fashion block puzzle.Amazing venue for small weddings!

You are greeted at the door by a maid and she is also your guide. She was very informative. We were very lucky because there was only the 2 of us in the tour. Beautiful old mansion.

Stopped by here on the recommendation of the staff at Dundurn Castle. Totally worth it! Finding the entrance was problematic - it's through the grand main door, but in winter you need to ring the bell. I was shown around by a guide one-on-one, and found it most enjoyable. An intriguing insight into 20th century Canadian heritage.

Right in the heart of downtown Hamilton . This 19th century home can be easily overlooked . It is not that large but it is beautiful . The guides in period costumes explain everything very well . Do not miss the grounds . They are beautiful especially the garden around the back .