Government House was built in 1823 as the riverside country residence of the Governor-General of India, later used by the viceroys. Its lawns and colonial architecture make it part of the chain of Raj-era sites that define Barrackpore's riverfront.
The grounds include a marble fountain said to have been brought from the Taj Mahal by Lord Hastings. It pairs well with nearby Flagstaff House and the Gandhi Memorial Museum.