115 William Street - Ship's Chandlery

This house began life as a general store, and then a home for Captain James Andrew and his sisters.

James Andrew came from Scotland as a youth and took up a career on the lakes, becoming a master mariner. He switched to shipbuilding about 1861 and built many swift schooners before the demand for large sailing ships dropped. His yard then turned to the building of small steamers and tugs. In 1887 his yard on the west bank of the Sixteen was commissioned by Armstrong and the Marlatt brothers to build a yacht, "Aggie". In 1896 he built "Canada", winner of the trophy which became known as the "Canada's Cup".

In 1891 James Andrew moved to this home on William Street where he lived with his sisters. The west wing of this home began its life as the Oakville branch of the general store and ships' chandlery at Burlington Beach run by partners of William Chisholm and Joel Smith. The Oakville Establishment or the Oakville Shop was operating in 1828, within a year of William Chisholm's purchase of the lands at the mouth of the Sixteen in 1827.