Date of construction: 1892

Perhaps the most visible building from this corner is the New England Hotel at 1312 Government Street. The Steitz brothers, Fritz and George, built the original New England Restaurant in 1858 and sold it in 1876 to Henry and Louis Young, immigrants from Bavaria. In 1892, they demolished the building and built a new luxury hotel designed by John Teague. The design used iron structural piers throughout while the interior featured hot water, electric heating, and full-length windows with red plush drapes. There was a restaurant on the main floor, a richly decorated dining room, and rooms for private parties. Michael Young died in 1934 and the hotel went into liquidation. It was somewhat restored in 1968 and was the home of Ivanhoe’s Restaurant for years. However, in February 1878, the hotel was closed for good when the owner could not afford to make the building comply with the fire regulations of the day. The lower storey is used for commercial enterprises but the upper storeys were vacant in 2009.

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This Hallmark Heritage Society project was funded by the HBC Foundation and the BC150-Heritage Legacy Fund

Project manager and researcher: Helen Edwards

Principal Photography & Consultant: Ron Bukta, West Ventures Photography