HISTORY | Willowbank School

Preserving the Past

The natural and cultural history of this area is incredibly rich and interwoven:

Willowbank is located in the village of Queenston, halfway between Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake. This region has been a place of human habitation for millennia.

First Nations peoples identified the Queenston waterfront and the Willowbank ravine specifically as an important terminus on the river. The mouth of the ravine was the logical starting point for a portage route that would bypass the falls, a route that to this day is known as Portage Road. Archaeological remnants on the Willowbank site have been found dating to the Archaic period, over 9,000 years ago.

European settler society has also defined this area for its proximity to the Niagara River, with Queenston once existing as a bustling merchant town.

9000 BCE:

Nomadic hunter gatherers start making camps at Willowbank suggesting regular use of its ravine off the Niagara River to begin the portage around the falls. Archaeological remnants on the Willowbank site have been found dating to the Archaic period, over 9000 years ago.

1834:

Alexander Hamilton and wife Hannah Jarvis commission master builder John Latshaw to build the Greek Revival mansion, and they name the property Willowbank, named for the willow trees growing at the southern end of the property. Hamilton (1790-1839) served in the War of 1812 and held a number of public offices in the Niagara region, including postmaster, surrogate court judge and Niagara District sheriff. His wealth is reflected in the design of this impressive home which is built of local whirlpool sandstone and characterised by the rare features of eight hand-carved columns running its full two-story height, and by a front doorway of Greek design.. Following Hamilton’s death in 1839, his widow Hannah and their 10 children managed the estate until 1888.

1985:

The estate passed to its third owner in less than twenty years. J. Anthony Doyle was a developer who set out to restore the house to its 19th century beauty and considered many different uses for the property, including an inn, conference centre and winery. J. A. Doyle went on to propose a residential subdivision in the western half of the Estate and applied for a demolition permit in 2001 – in part to force a decision on the land.

2001:

Enter The Friends of Willowbank led by the late Niagara-on-the-Lake heritage crusader Laura Dodson. With the help of the American Friends of Canada, an organization established by the late Bluma and Bram Appel, The Bright-Urban Family and an anonymous American donor came through with more than one million dollars. Dodson and her husband Jim also contributed their personal savings and Laura’s visionary leadership brought about the founding of the school whose purpose was to bring students in to learn the art of restoration by working under experienced instructors, and applying their craft while restoring local buildings.

2005:

The exterior of the mansion and the surrounding lands are protected by an Ontario Heritage Trust conservation easement. The property is also designated by the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act; designation requires that any alterations, including demolition, require approval from the municipal heritage committee and the local council. An extremely smart move by Laura and The Friends of Willowbank to protect Willowbank.

2014:

HRH The King Of Wales, then Prince, agreed to be the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts royal patron. By 2016, it had received a royal stamp of approval. Former leader of the school, Julian Smith was honoured for his work in promoting the school with his appointment to the Order of Canada in the 2017 honours list.HRH remarked the following regarding his patronage: “Willowbank is devoted to the shift towards a more ecological, sustainable approach... My aim is to support and encourage these kinds of approaches.”

School of Restoration Arts

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Willowbank’s historic campus and the combination of theory and hands-on classes are unique. The instructors were extremely passionate about what they do and my classmates were always incredibly supportive. The three-year program was truly inspiring and transformative and has prepared me in unpredictable ways for my career.

Jasoda Silva, Class of 2019

Preserving the Past

The natural and cultural history of this area is incredibly rich and interwoven:

School of Restoration Arts

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