Description of Historic Place

Bampfield Hall, situated on Zimmerman Avenue in Niagara Falls, is a beautiful two-storey home with a bright blue exterior accented with white and yellow trim. It was built primarily in the Gothic Revival style, with pointed windows, a jerkinhead roof and decorative bargeboards, blended with a Second Empire mansard roof on the tower and iron cresting on the main roof.

The building was recognized for its heritage value by the City of Niagara Falls, By-law 00193.

Heritage Value

The Bampfields were one of the most prominent families in Niagara Falls and their wealth was due to their success in commercial development. Bampfield Hall is the second home of James Bampfield, who owned and operated the Great Western Restaurant in the train station on Bridge Street and was a stockholder in the Niagara Falls Electric Light and Power Company. This house was built in 1875 for his wife Margaret, who apparently never liked their first house (First Bampfield House). Their son, James Bampfield Jr., is remembered for bringing electricity to Niagara Falls, and later lived with his family in the cottage next door. For generations Bampfield Hall remained the property of the Bampfields and was finally sold by the family in 1969.

Bampfield Hall is a blend of the Gothic Revival Style and the Second Empire Style. The gables exhibit gingerbread trim and a variation of the pointed (lancet) windows associated with Gothic details as well as a jerkinhead roof. The tower's brackets and iron cresting are details common to the Second Empire period. The windows retain their original sashes. The front door, located in the base of the tower, retains its cut and etched glass panel in the upper section of the door. The house is made of red brick which was subsequently painted over with a vibrant blue colour. These features combine to create a very unique and recognizable house among the other buildings in the neighbourhood.

Bampfield Hall is set along historic Zimmerman Avenue and its orientation is towards the Niagara River. The house is a short distance from the commercial area along Queen and Victoria Street, which was advantageous to the Bampfields as they rose to become prominent in commercial dealings in Niagara Falls. Situated across from a beautiful church and in close proximity to a number of buildings with unique historical character, the house contributes to a wider heritage setting and encourages tourism in the area. Its current use is as a Bed and Breakfast.

Source: Schedule “B” to By-law No. 2000-193, Planning and Development, City of Niagara Falls.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of Bampfield Hall include its:
- jerkinhead roof, gables with gingerbread trim and a variation of pointed (lancet) windows associated with Gothic details
- tower with brackets and iron cresting common to the Second Empire period
- front door with cut and etched glass panel
- location along Zimmerman Avenue and its proximity to the Niagara River
- proximity to the commercial district
- contribution to the overall heritage character of the area