When you go to Niagara Falls, you may notice the name Oakes in many spots near the Falls itself. The well-known name comes from Sir Harry Oakes who was born in Sangerville, Maine on December 23, 1874.. He also was a gold mine owner, philanthropist, and a notorious murder victim.
As he relates to Niagara Falls, Sir Harry Oakes has three specific areas and buildings named after him. Oak Hall, Oakes Park, and Oakes Garden Theater in Niagara Falls are all named after the major contributor, Sir Harry Oakes.
In 1924, Sir Oakes purchased property and decided to build an enormous, 37-room mansion. This enormous Tudor-styled mansion served as Sir and Lady Oakes residence from 1928 to 1935. In 1982, the Oak Hall mansion became the headquarters for the Niagara Parks Commission.
In midst of the Great Depression, Sir Oakes donated approximately sixteen acres of land, which is now the central part of Niagara Falls, Ontario. From this point, he employed numerous crews and workers to construct and landscape a community park. He also paid for the project, the labor, and the supplies. On August 31, 1931, the park officially opened and was named Oakes Park. Even today, the park is used as a recreational area.
Lastly, the Oakes Garden Theatre, which opened in September of 1937, was designed as an amphitheater. As another humanitarian donation, Sir Oakes donated the property which the theatre occupies in 1936.
Harry arrived in Northern Ontario with $2.65 in his pocket. When he left for the Bahamas he had amassed a fortune of over $200 million.
In 1912, in partnership with the four Tough brothers, Harry staked the claims that became the first operating mine in the area. Harry later staked claims along the shores of Kirkland Lake. He sold his shares in the Tough-Oakes mine to partially finance what became known as the Lake Shore Mines, which became one of the richest gold mines in the world.
