It all started in 1836 when James Little, an Irish immigrant to Canada, bought up vast tracts of land on the south side of the Grand River.

They sold to Bridget Britton, who leased part of the inn to William Lyon Mackenzie who used it as his campaign office during the Haldimand Bi-election of 1851.

When business started to decline, Matthew called on his son Walter to come down from Toronto and open a pool room in the old hotel.

Walter would ring out the number of foot-long hot dogs that were needed and Mrs. Caroline Richardson would send the cooked food down to the restaurant.

Weeks after opening, the Leousis' changed the name to The Oasis Drive-In after looking out over the Grand River on a hot summer day.

The Oasis slogan from the early 1990s was This Is No Mirage!, which appeared on a billboard sign on Haldimand Highway #6 North coming into Caledonia from Hagersville.