The Schoolmaster's House today sits proudly on one-half of an acre, its elegant English gardens and tranquil surroundings ensuring a pleasant and memorable stay. The land on which the home is situated originally was granted to Captain John D. Servos in 1816, for service to the Crown during the War of 1812. Today, Servos and his many descendents may be found resting peacefully in and about Town, in our historic church yards and cemeteries.

In 1818 Servos sold the property to Garry Camp, a millwright. A few months later Camp obtained a mortgage from Robert and Peter McDougall, Merchants of York. Later in the same year Camp sold the property to the McDougalls for twice the sum, suggesting a house had been built and providing an accurate estimate of the home's true vintage.

In subsequent years the house was rented to a private tutor, noted Loyalist scholar Dr. J Whitelaw (who's headstone, on close inspection, may also be found in St. Andrew's Cemetery across the way), who moved to Niagara on the Lake from Kingston, Ontario. Whitelaw tutored the children of the many United Empire Loyalist families who had settled in the region after migrating north from the United States in the latter part of the 18th century, following America's War of Independence.

It is believed that the "ell", or annex portion of the house was added around 1830 and used by Whitelaw as a classroom, now the first floor Porter Room. Above, on the second floor, the configuration and room size of the addition suggest the rooms were used, at one time, as a dormitory. In 1850 a stable was added and is especially notable for its distinctive Cat's Slide roof.

Other notable historic features include our early Niagara door-case, with original sidelights and pilasters, and original spring latch. A central chimney serving the main house has a bake-oven in the basement below and back-to-back fireplaces on both the first and second floors.

There still remains a built-in recession for wood storage in the first floor chimney, in the alcove joining dining room to parlour. The restored windows are the typical twelve over twelve sash on the first floor and twelve over eight on the second floor, with flush beaded shutters (in keeping with the original interior flush beaded doors) outside.

Another interesting historic feature is the original cupboards over the mantels on the second floor, which were used as book cupboards by Dr Whitelaw and his students.