The imposing mansion at the heart of Willowbank was built in the early 1830s for Alexander Hamilton, a son of one of Upper Canada's founding figures, and its columned Greek Revival design remains among the finest of its era in the province. The surrounding grounds hold archaeological traces of human activity stretching back thousands of years, and the property was designated a National Historic Site for its architectural and cultural significance.
Since the mid-2000s the estate has housed the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, an independent college offering a diploma in heritage conservation where students learn traditional building crafts on a living heritage campus. The site hosts tours, lectures and public events, blending its role as a working school with that of a preserved historic landmark.
