home > Welcome to Hamilton!
By Daniel Cumerlato
Hamilton
is a secret paradise and remaining such is all about the charm of our
fair city. Believe me when I say that everyone who lives here and gets
to know it’s rich history and hidden beauty does not leave. In fact,
Steph and myself lived in Toronto for a year, and even though we were
captivated by all of its heritage, and the wonderful people who live there,
our hearts remained in Hamilton. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere
else. For those interested in what makes Hamilton great, this is a small
reference of some of the sites to see if you are every in the area. The
article covers a fair number of beautiful structures, but doesn’t
even begin to explain all of the hidden charms of the city.
The
West End
________________________________
Leading
from McMaster to the Downtown core, the West end is filled with character
that is only seen in small town life. King Street West is the location
of Westdale’s mini-downtown core. The residential and commercial
seem to mix perfectly within the heart of the community. In the mini-downtown
you will find many ‘mom and pop’ shops that are as Hamilton
as the Ti-Cats. In the middle of it all is the only remaining single-screen
movie theatre in the entire city.
McMaster
University is the most prominent landmark in the area, which acts as a
marking point for the entrance street to Little Dundas (Dundas’ quaint
downtown core – See the Surrounding Cities section). The historic
Westdale high school is situated just down the street from the University
and is a true landmark in itself.
Downtown
________________________________
The
heart of Downtown Hamilton, located at King and James Streets, is most
unique, but also full of quite scrutinized structures. From the beautiful
and abandoned Lister Block, past the Gothic Piggott building, and over
to the historic Royal Connaught Hotel, this downtown core has seen much
decay since the bustling early 1900’s.
Downtown
may seem a bit frightening at the moment with some worn and abandoned
buildings, past all repair, but still remains as a reminder that we need
to improve. See past the core and know that Hamilton is loaded with stories
of history and events that are as unique as the city itself.
A
major redevelopment project is underway that may see the demise of some
of the history, but will see the rise of Hamilton as a city. A lot of
the buildings that are set for demolition have already been left for dead
and these decaying structures would not be repairable. Downtown needs
a face-lift and with the rise of Hamilton’s economy, I’m happy
to say one is definitely up and coming.
The
North End
________________________________
A
Roman-style building, and one of the most beautiful structures I have
ever seen resides in the North-end of the city and is known as the Customs
House. Most visitors to Haunted Hamilton recognize that this is home to
the famous Dark Lady, a spirit that moves within these walls, and subject
of the poem written by Alexander Wingfield, who was a customs agent back
in 1873.
If
you look as far back into the history of Hamilton, you will find that
one of the first settlements was in the North-end. The Land family
(www.tbaytel.net/bmartin/rland.htm) built their home on the south
side of Barton Street, between Leeming Street and Smith Avenue.
A
lot of the North-end’s history gets thrown away due to the fact that
it is very industrial. Everyone who lives in Hamilton knows that the factories
are a big part of our heritage, and help shape our total city image. The
Steel factories and industrial buildings reside in the North-east side
of the city. Some might consider the following a bit unorthodox, but I
find the factories to be grand, a true landmark. Unfortunately, since
factories cause pollution and pollution makes things dirty, a lot of the
North-end is considered low-cost, but Hamiltonians know better.
The
East End
________________________________
The
East-end has many homes that would be considered new within Hamilton standards,
even though most neighborhoods were built up in the 1940s and 1950s. Ivor
Wynne Stadium (Home of the Tiger-Cats! Eat ‘em raw!) is a grand site
settled amoung many newer Victorian-type homes. It’s a true symbol
of Hamilton’s past and has been home to many events where Hamiltonians
have banded together as friends to show their pride for our great city.
Further
east, we come across the home of Haunted Hamilton’s Monthly Meetings.
The Pumphouse (Historic Museum of Steam and Technology at: (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/hamilton/steam.htm)
was built to impress its visitors when opened in 1860 and christened by
the Prince of Wales during the first royal tour of the Canadas. The
Steam pumps within the building are larger than life and truly impressive
to see in action.
Also
in the East-end just off of Quigley road, is the former home of the Veevers
brothers. When they were alive, a deal was struck with the city that ensured
all maintenance done on the property was paid for, in exchange that the
brothers leave the house to the city in their will. This home is a relatively
rare example of a pre-Confederation stone farmhouse.
Formaly
near Nash and Barton (moved to Battlefield Park in 1999) was the oldest
remaining unchanged home in Hamilton. The Nash-Jackson House (http://www.battlefieldhouse.ca/nash.html)
built in 1810 now stands near the Battlefield House in Stoney Creek. Leone
Jackson donated the house to the city after her death in 1996.
The
South End
________________________________
Since
we have lived in the South-end of the city for the last year and a half,
and this being the area of the city most rich in Victorian history, it
holds a very special place in our hearts. Both Steph and myself picture
the Durand, Corktown, McNab, and surrounding areas as the epitome of Hamilton’s
rich past. To gaze upon some of the mansions behind the Aberdeen neighborhood,
is to truly see beauty.
There
are so many homes to go through, many that haven’t been profiled
by either website or newspaper. Some of the more popular include, Ivey
Lodge, the extremely unique Ballinahinch, Whitehern, St. Mark’s Anglican
Church, The Myler House, and Hamilton’s only viable castle situated
behind a modern mini-mall. If you visit Hamilton, make this area a must
on your itinerary.
The
Hamilton Mountain
________________________________
The
Mountain neighborhoods were home to some of the earliest settlements in
Hamilton. Famous family names such as, Burkholder, Hess, Ryckman, and
Young, all settled on the mountain. The Burkholder clan called home near
Mohawk Road, in between Upper Wentworth and Upper Sherman, around the
current location of Burkholder church and cemetery. The Ryckman and Hess
clans were around the Hwy. 53 and Upper James area and the Young clan
were at Stonechurch and Upper Wellington.
Historic
homes that reside on the mountain include many turn of the century farm
homes, and older Victorian styles that were not named, at least not on
paper.
The
Bellevue (aka The Innis House) was the most famous 19th century, limestone
mansion on the escarpment. This famous historic home had just recently
met its doom in 1999, when a greedy landowner demolished the structure.
It was formally located in the empty lot at Concession and Belvedere.
The
Surrounding Cities
________________________________
With
any article on Hamilton, we cannot forget (and I stress this) about the
surrounding cities of Hamilton-Wentworth. Every one of them is just as
rich in history as Hamilton itself. Here is a quick reference of just
a few of the structures you will find:
Ancaster:
The
Hermitage
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/wentworth/hermitage.htm
The ruins of a 155-acre estate. Built in 1855 the building almost burned
to the ground in 1934. Located on Sulpher Springs Road.
Stoney Creek:
The
Battlefield House
http://www.battlefieldhouse.ca
The former home of the Gage family, and situated on the site of the Battle
of Stoney Creek. Built in 1796 and remodeled in the early 1800’s.
The Old Powerhouse
Restaurant
http://www.theoldpowerhouse.com
Located on Jones Street in downtown Stoney Creek, this was the first commercial
structure, an electric powerhouse, built in 1894.
Dundas:
http://www.downtowndundas.ca
The
entire downtown core – Little Dundas is the epitome of what is historic
in Hamilton-Wentworth. The town shows pride in their history with all
of the 19th century buildings that are kept up to their original beauty.
The most prominent building would be Dundas Town Hall, built in 1849.
To be truthful, I wish some of Dundas’ pride in their core would
rub off on Hamilton.
Final
Thoughts
________________________________
Hamilton is a city rich in history and full of pride. All of the people living here know the secret of why Hamilton ranks up with the best places to live on the planet. Knowing this secret is what makes us unique, in our culture, how we treat each other, and the way we live our lives.
This article is dedicated to all those out there who feel the way Haunted Hamilton feels about our great city.
Many thanks go to the Special Collections Department at the Hamilton Public Library for some of the pictures above.
