E2024-G146

The Introduction of Western Residential Housing: Missionary Wilson’s House

Narrative

Missionary Wilson's House is the oldest Western-style house in Gwangju, said to have been built in 1920 by the American missionary Robert M. Wilson (1880-1963), who was the second director of Jechungwon Hospital (which later became Severance Hospital). The two-story grey brick building is currently used as the office of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea. Chunghyeonwon, an orphanage led by Bak Sun-i, first began at Missionary Wilson's House following the Korean War (1950-1953). Today, the house is used as a venue for the Jeong Yul-seong Music Festival.