Massive 3-story mansion built in the late 1800s to coincide with the completion of the Lower Steel Arch & Michigan Central Railway (MCRR) Bridge from the U.S. into Canada. Sitting beside the train tracks right at the border, the house functioned as a post office, a temporary stop-over where the rich upper-class could enjoy a cognac and cigar in comfort while awaiting proper clearance, and a storage office for border records. A brief stay by the King of Belgium adds to the colourful history. Further details can be found in the comments in the main gallery below.

A big thanks to S.Z., historian for the City of Niagara Falls, for providing details. Apologies for the photo-heavy nature of this post, at 40 pics. I whittled out the 'useless' pics and was still left with this many. I hope it is worth it though!


Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 01 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
April 1883 - Construction begins on the Lower Steel Arch & Michigan Central Railway (MCRR) between Canada and the U.S. This was to be a rail bridge only. On December 1st 1883, the bridge was officially completed at a cost of $700,000 dollars. On December 6th 1883 at 11:41 a.m., the first crossing of this new bridge was made. It consisted of an engine pulling a tender and passenger car.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 02 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
It was the dream of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt needed a rail link between Canada and the U.S., but was not prepared to pay the high rental price which the owners of the Lower Arch Bridge (seen in the background) were asking for in lieu of using their bridge.


Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 03 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
This 3-story mansion was the original receiving headquarters for trains coming across the bridge. In the background to the right of the house, one can see the bridge extending into the U.S.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 04 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The different floors of the house had various functions. The main floor had a post office and customs check....



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 05 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
There were also several lavish rooms with fireplaces where visitors to Canada could relax and enjoy upper-class comforts while waiting for official clearance.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 06 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 07 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The 2nd floor of the mansion had several guest rooms featuring overnight accommodations, if necessary.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 08 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 09 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The rooms were opulent enough that even King Albert of Belgium stayed here for two nights in the late 1910s during a trip to Niagara to visit Hon. N. W. Rowell, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 10 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The 3rd level was an administrative office used to store business records pertaining to immigration.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 11 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 12 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
In the 1940s, the mansion was sold and converted into regular residential real estate. Several of the retrofits left bizarre modifications that can still be seen....



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 13 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
Some doors, like this one in the ground floor bathroom, are several feet off the ground and lead nowhere. This one is permanently sealed shut. In the next shot too, in one of the boarding rooms, one can find bizarre doorway changes.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 14 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 15 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The pics from this point forward in the gallery start off at the very top of the house and descend floor by floor. It is like a trip through time, each floor of the house containing newer and newer relics.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 16 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 17 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 18 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 19 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
This torn up section reminded me of how Fortress never misses taking a look underneath to see how the flooring has changed. In this house it is well worth-it, as old newspapers can be found spread out underneath.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 20 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 21 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 22 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 23 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 24 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 25 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 26 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 27 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 28 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 29 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 30 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 31 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 32 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
If this entire monstrosity is made of copper/brass, it is a sheer miracle that the thieves have not hauled the entire thing out of here. Note the unique newel post too. So much to be seen in this house if you inch your way through in the dark.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 33 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 34 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 35 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
The location of this pic remains a mystery, but the best guess from Niagara's town historian is that the identical buildings may be the rear edge of the property of Cataract Tourist Camp, now long defunct.



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 36 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 37 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 38 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr


Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 39 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr
Finally back down at ground level, the last room of the house brings us almost up to the present with a few belongings strewn around from a recent squatter...



Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - 40 by Ground State Photos, on Flickr

Terrific photos and story GS! I definitely got my flooring fix in, such wonderful details in that place! You're right, so bizarre to see those floating blind doors. Great oddities throughout this one and I'm really digging the historical pics too. I never get tired of seeing that bridge.

awsome set! Really cool place, basically untouched.

Too many great features to comment on all of them. Awesome house & that giant radiator, wow.

Great work brother man!!!!!!!

Amazing descriptions with pictures!
was interesting to learn about it!

Some of the houses posted on here aren't overly nice looking, but this one has a certain something (at least to me). Shame its left to rot along with other creatures within it. That's fresh plywood too. Nice explore Sir!

My wife and I appreciated the historical detail, and the attention paid to buttons, newspaper dates, etc. Wonderfully detailed shots look almost three-dimensional.

Nice! I was here three weeks ago and it was sealed up tight.

Thanks for the comments, all. This is definitely an under-appreciated house sitting in a very forgotten corner of Niagara. It probably won't remain that way for much longer - both Brock and Carleton University (seriously!) are vying for interest in buying up this entire area and making a new university campus in downtown Niagara.

Posted by phrenzee Nice! I was here three weeks ago and it was sealed up tight.

That was well after my visit, actually. I knew it wouldn't stay open for very long. In fact, it was a complete surprise finding it open when I did. I have been checking this place for close to three years. In the beginning, my glance through a side window revealed the 'fireplace cat' so freshly dead that I thought it sleeping and I rapped on the glance (boards weren't up yet then) to try and get its attention.

There are stills secrets to be found here. I spent way too much time in the upstairs levels and got panicky, leaving before getting a chance to explore the basement.