St. Davids in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Woodbourne House 1839

Photographed by Kevin Westell, September 17, 2025

1. Woodbourne House 1839 - Marker

Inscription. Niagara-on-the-Lake • 1839 • O.H.A Designated Building

Erected by Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1839.

Location. 43° 9.389′ N, 79° 6.206′ W. Marker is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It is in St. Davids. It is at the intersection of Four Mile Creek Rd (Route 100) and Warner Rd, on the right when traveling south on Four Mile Creek Rd. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 214 Four Mile Creek Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1P0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Golden Horseshoe

and in Niagara Canada.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as

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the crow flies: The Burning of St. Davids 1814 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Headquarters of DeRottenberg (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); S.S. No. 5 St. Davids School Bell (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); St. David's - Queenston United Church - War Memorial Plaque (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Secord Mill 1782-83 (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Lowrey Park (approx. half a kilometer away); Sheaffe's Path to Victory (approx. 1.7 kilometers away); Indian Ossuary (approx. 2 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

More about this marker. This marker indicates that this building has been designated of cultural heritage significance under the Ontario Heritage Act. The reasons for its designation can be read at See Also link No. 1 below. The building is described in the Niagara-on-the-Lake heritage register as Woodbourne House; and currently branded as the Woodbourne Inn.

Regarding Woodbourne House 1839. William Woodruff was born in 1793, and grew up in St. David's. He fought in the War of 1812. In 1815, he opened a store on nearby York Rd. In 1839, he built this house, naming it Woodbourne

Woodbourne House - east side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, September 17, 2025

2. Woodbourne House - east side

Photo faces west from Four Mile Creek Road. The marker (right, beside door) may be concealed from some angles by an evergreen bush. The right-hand part is the original 1839 building; on the left is the 1880 Victorian-style wing. The left-hand flag is the flag of the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

House - "Wood" after his family, and "bourne" being an old-fashioned name for a creek. (William Lyon Mackenzie King hid here briefly while a fugitive in 1837.) Wings were added in 1865 and 1880. Woodruff held various government positions. The building stayed with descendants of Woodruff until its sale in 2014. After renovations, the building is currently operated as the Woodbourne Inn, which rents out 8 rooms.

Also see . . . Woodbourne Inn connects St. Davids past and present, article by Niagara-on-the-Lake Local. (Submitted on September 19, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario.)

Woodbourne House - north side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, September 17, 2025

3. Woodbourne House - north side

Photo faces south and south-west from Warner Road.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. This page has been viewed 33 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 19, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.