Oak Hall (Niagara Falls, Ontario) facts for kids

Oak Hall is a huge, three-story stone house with 37 rooms. It was built in the late 1920s for a very rich miner named Harry Oakes (1874–1943). You can find it in Niagara Falls, Ontario, not far from the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

In 1959, the Niagara Parks Commission bought Oak Hall. They opened it to visitors in 1964. The house used to have its own 9-hole golf course, which became a public course in 1966. Since 1982, the offices for the Niagara Parks Commission have been inside the mansion. But don't worry, some of the old, historic rooms are still open for you to see!

History of Oak Hall

Early Days of the Property

The land where Oak Hall stands was once part of a bigger area called 'Clark Hill Islands'. This property was sold and divided in 1898. It changed owners several times until Walter Schoellkopf (1882–1955) bought it in 1916. The Schoellkopf family came from Niagara Falls, New York, just across the Niagara River. They were important in developing power from water in the area.

Sir Harry Oakes and His Home

Eunice and Harry Oakes in Toronto in the 1930s

In 1924, Harry Oakes and his wife, Eunice, bought the land from the Schoellkopfs. They hired a company called Findlay and Foulis to design and build their new home, Oak Hall. The mansion was finished by 1928 and cost about $500,000 at that time.

Harry Oakes loved golf. He hired a famous golf course designer, Stanley Thompson, to build a nine-hole course on his property. The golf course was ready in 1929 and was known as the "Sir Harry Oakes Private Course." The Oakes family lived at Oak Hall until 1935. Harry Oakes then moved to the Bahamas.

After Harry Oakes passed away in 1943, Lady Oakes gave the mansion to the Government of Canada. It was used as a hospital for soldiers from the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1952, the government no longer needed the house, so it was given back to the Oakes family. Sir Sidney Oakes, Harry Oakes' oldest son, lived there for a few years before moving back to the Bahamas.

Oak Hall and the Niagara Parks Commission

In 1959, the Niagara Parks Commission bought Oak Hall. They opened it to the public in 1964. When they bought the house, they also got some special furniture. This included dining chairs that were used when Edward, Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII), visited the area in 1919.

In 1966, the commission opened the golf course on the property to the public. They wanted more people to visit the grounds. The golf course offices were set up in the old garage. To make better use of the mansion, the commission moved its main offices to Oak Hall in 1982. They are still there today. Even though most rooms became offices, three rooms were kept just as they were. The Prince of Wales' dining chairs are still on display in the dining room.

Visiting Oak Hall Today

Oak Hall is open for visitors to explore. You can see the Great Hall, which is a reception area. You can also visit the dining room and the living room. The commission also displays its collection of art about Niagara Falls here.

The offices for the commission's chairman and general manager are on the east side of the building. This is where Sir Harry and Lady Oakes' bedrooms used to be. The chapel, which was built for the family's private worship, is now the office for the commission's information technology manager. Its tall, pointed ceiling is still there, and from the window, you can see views of the river and islands below.

See also

• Harry Oakes
• Niagara Parks Commission