Oak Hall Administration Office

The stately building which dominates the cliff above the Dufferin Islands Nature Area is today the administrative headquarters of The Niagara Parks Commission. The history of Oak Hall dates back to the days of the pioneers. Three of the most famous families of original settlers in the area once resided on this property. The story of the building can be divided into several periods that are separated and distinct. From 1798 when the land was granted by the crown to James Skinner, U.E.L. until 1898, one hundred years later, it was the home of the Clarks, Streets and Macklems, the families that controlled the mills of Bridgewater. This was the pioneer industrial village on the present site of Dufferin Islands. It was then known as Clark Hill.