The original Oban House was built by Capt. Duncan Milloy, a sailor and owner of the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company. He enlarged a small house built in 1822 by Mary Secord and the family boarded visitors for many years in their home.
However, when Duncan died at the Oban House in 1871, leaving his wife and four children behind, the family continued to live here until his son, Capt. William “Bill” Milloy, opened the residence as the Oban Inn in 1895.
The Second Empire-style building, with a mansard roof (drops along the side of the building) and dormers, was later expanded with another storey. The Milloy family’s misfortunes grew and the property changed hands several times until the 1960s, when Edna Burroughs purchased the inn and continued to operate it with her son, Gary.
A devastating fire on Christmas Day in 1992 destroyed the inn, leaving only the foundation. Honouring both the heritage of the business and the built heritage landscape of our community, an exact replica of the former structure was rebuilt on the site.
It reopened in November 1993. In 2006, the inn underwent a significant transformation, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the long tradition of hospitality. Today, the inn celebrates 200 years of hospitality.
