🏰✨ Craigdarroch Castle: A Time-Travel Adventure!

🏰 The Basics: A 4.5-story Victorian mansion built 1887-1890 by Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish coal baron who struck it rich on Vancouver Island. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💎 👰♀️ Origin Story: Meant to be a social hub for his three marriageable daughters… but he died a year before it was finished. 😢🏗️ The decor ended up a mix of styles! 📉 Family Drama: The castle saw the Dunsmuirs’ rise… and fall. After financial troubles, its treasures (wood furniture, china, silver, silk) were auctioned off in 3 days! 🏷️💸 🏥🏫 Reinventions: From military hospital (1919) to Victoria College (1903), then a school office (1929)… finally a museum! 🏛️📚 Now restored to evoke the Dunsmuir era. 👩💼 Friendly Ghosts: The volunteers are AMAZING—so passionate about sharing stories! 🗣️💖 ⏳ My Regret: Thought I’d squeeze in the castle + Fisherman’s Wharf… nope! Need 2 days here. 😅📅 #CraigdarrochCastle #VictoriaBC #HistoryLovers 🌍🏰