Oak Hall (Niagara Falls)
Encyclopedia
Oak Hall is a 37-room, three-story Tudor-style mansion built by American mining millionaire Harry Oakes
(1874-1943) located in Niagara Falls, Ontario
, approximate 1/4 mile southwest of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls
. The building has housed the offices of the Niagara Parks Commission
since 1982, while the grounds contain a 9-hole golf course
established in June 1966.
). The property was sold off and split in 1898 and went through several ownership changes until Paul A. Schoellkopf bought the property in 1916. The Schoellkopf family was based across the Niagara River
in Niagara Falls, New York
and were pioneers of hydraulic power development in the region.
Harry Oakes and his wife, Lady Eunice Oakes, bought the property from Schoellkopf in 1924 and constructed the Oak Hall building, which was completed by 1928. The Oakes family lived there until 1935, when Oakes wound up his affairs with Canada (due to what he believed was over-taxation of his gold mines) and moved to the Bahamas.
After Oakes' violent death in the Bahamas in 1943, Lady Oakes deeded the mansion to the Canadian Government to be used as a convalescent hospital for the Royal Canadian Air Force
. In the early 1950s, Harry Oakes' son, Sir Sidney Oakes, lived there with his wife before moving back to the Bahamas.
The Niagara Parks Commission purchased Oak Hall in 1959, and in 1964 opened it to the public. Furnishings included dinner chairs used during a visit to the area by Albert Edward
, Prince of Wales
in 1919.
A par-3 golf course was opened on the grounds in 1966 in efforts to attract more visitors to the grounds, with the golf course offices housed in the former garage area. The Parks Commission still sought to utilize the mansion fully, and in 1982 moved their central offices from Queen Victoria Park
to Oak Hall, where they remain today (the golf offices were moved to a gatehouse on the outer grounds). Though the majority of the rooms were converted to office space, three rooms remained in their historic state, with the Prince of Wales' dinner chairs still on display in the dining room.
Oak Hall is open to the public. Visitors can view the Great Hall reception area, the dining room and the living room, as well as the commission's collection of art related to Niagara Falls
Harry Oakes
Sir Harry Oakes, 1st Baronet was an American-born British Canadian gold-mine owner, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. He earned his fortune in Canada and moved to the Bahamas in the 1930s for tax purposes. He was murdered in 1943 under notorious circumstances in the Bahamas...
(1874-1943) located in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
, approximate 1/4 mile southwest of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls
Horseshoe Falls
The Horseshoe Falls, also known as the Canadian Falls, is part of Niagara Falls, on the Niagara River. Approximately 90% of the Niagara River, after diversions for hydropower generation, flows over Horseshoe Falls. The remaining 10% flows over the American Falls...
. The building has housed the offices of the Niagara Parks Commission
Niagara Parks Commission
The Niagara Parks Commission, or Niagara Parks for short, is an agency of government of Ontario which maintains the Ontario shoreline of the Niagara River.- History :...
since 1982, while the grounds contain a 9-hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
established in June 1966.
Property History
The Oak Hall grounds were originally part of the Clark Hill Islands property (see Dufferin IslandsDufferin Islands
Dufferin Islands are a group of scenic man-made islands located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, approximately 1/2 mile south of the Horseshoe Falls...
). The property was sold off and split in 1898 and went through several ownership changes until Paul A. Schoellkopf bought the property in 1916. The Schoellkopf family was based across the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
in Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
and were pioneers of hydraulic power development in the region.
Harry Oakes and his wife, Lady Eunice Oakes, bought the property from Schoellkopf in 1924 and constructed the Oak Hall building, which was completed by 1928. The Oakes family lived there until 1935, when Oakes wound up his affairs with Canada (due to what he believed was over-taxation of his gold mines) and moved to the Bahamas.
After Oakes' violent death in the Bahamas in 1943, Lady Oakes deeded the mansion to the Canadian Government to be used as a convalescent hospital for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. In the early 1950s, Harry Oakes' son, Sir Sidney Oakes, lived there with his wife before moving back to the Bahamas.
The Niagara Parks Commission purchased Oak Hall in 1959, and in 1964 opened it to the public. Furnishings included dinner chairs used during a visit to the area by Albert Edward
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
in 1919.
A par-3 golf course was opened on the grounds in 1966 in efforts to attract more visitors to the grounds, with the golf course offices housed in the former garage area. The Parks Commission still sought to utilize the mansion fully, and in 1982 moved their central offices from Queen Victoria Park
Queen Victoria Park
Queen Victoria Park is the main parkland located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada opposite the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Established by a Provincial Park Act in 1885 and opened in 1888, the park is operated by the Niagara Parks Commission and is considered the centerpiece of the...
to Oak Hall, where they remain today (the golf offices were moved to a gatehouse on the outer grounds). Though the majority of the rooms were converted to office space, three rooms remained in their historic state, with the Prince of Wales' dinner chairs still on display in the dining room.
Oak Hall is open to the public. Visitors can view the Great Hall reception area, the dining room and the living room, as well as the commission's collection of art related to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...