The Eckhart House

Have you ever dreamed of visiting another time period? Travel back in time and visit the “Crown Jewel” of Wheeling, WV! Wheeling, once viewed as the gateway to the west, is teeming with history and was noted for its wealth back in the Victorian era.

The Eckhart House is a three-story house in the Queen Anne style that was built for a wealthy family in 1892. Many of its rooms have been preserved to look like they’re from the Victorian era. Additionally, the Eckhart House also is houses a tea room and a gift shop.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Eckhart House offers a wide variety of activities that would appeal to any lover of Victoriana. The owners, Joe and Gretchen Figaretti, work hard towards creating an atmosphere that immerses you into a different time.The house has been preserved so visitors feel like they’re visiting the residence of upper class Victorians. With the home tour, you can see the rooms that the house’s original family lived in and hear stories about the stories that unfolded in the house and in the area. Being in the center of Wheeling’s Old Town, Eckhart House also hosts historical walking tours where a professional shows visitors all of the most historically significant buildings in the area and tells interesting stories about them. There are even special tours for students that combine the two and have special information about the Industrial Revolution.

Thirsty for a true Victorian experience? Eckhart House offers traditional Victorian tea times that allow visitors to spend an afternoon in another century that are hosted by the owners. Visitors will be entertained and given a historically accurate tea, complete with delights including scones, tea sandwiches, and tea cookies. The traditional teas are fun for the whole family, but there are special tea parties for children that are complete with storytime and would be perfect for birthday parties.

There are also special event teas, such as Easter teas and Christmas teas, which are full of holiday charm. The gourmet teas that are served are also available in the gift shop, which is full of items with a Victorian flair.