Ireland House – Burlington’s celebrated pioneer homestead

December 2017

The City of Burlington is a modern city in the Golden Horseshoe area of southern Ontario, but one that also proudly celebrates its heritage.  A popular museum in the city is the Ireland House Museum, located at 2168 Guelph Line.

Built between 1835 and 1837, Ireland House was the home of Joseph Ireland, one of earliest settlers in Nelson Township, now the City of Burlington.

Twenty-eight-year-old Joseph Ireland, a recent immigrant from Bowes, Yorkshire, England, purchased the land in 1820 that would become the future site of the family home.

The house has withstood time and the development of the surrounding area, remaining in the Ireland family until 1985, when the house and remaining property was bought by the City of Burlington and turned into a museum.

The Ireland House Museum is a local treasure that consists of 4 acres of woodland, the original family home, gardens, potting shed, cottage/drive shed, and picnic areas. 

The house was restored to illustrate three distinct time periods that represent the generations of the Ireland family who lived in the house: 1850s, 1890s and 1920s. Ninety percent of the furnishings are original to the Ireland family, courtesy of Helen Ireland Caldwell, first cousin of the last resident of the house, Lucie Marie Ireland Bush.

Visitors can experience and explore the history of Ireland House through guided tours, education programming, historical demonstrations and special events. 

The property consists of 4 acres of woodland, gardens, potting shed, cottage/drive shed, and picnic areas.

Today, visitors can experience and explore the history of Ireland House through guided tours, education programming, historical demonstrations and special events offered year-round and conducted by historical interpreters.

The next time you’re in Burlington, make sure to visit this historical treasure.

Sources: https://museumsofburlington.ca/ireland-house.