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The Extraordinary History of FlamboroughAdditions and corrections to the First WDHS Edition
Contrary to what most people think, history is constantly being revised and enhanced as errors in interpretation are discovered and new stories found. In this fact, local history is no different.
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Page 2
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Addition to "Beginning the Conversation":
This land is ancient. In 2019 Waterdown District High School student Jacob Micallef holding a tooth from a woolly mammoth he had found in Highgate, Ontario. Mastodons and woolly mammoths roamed Southern Ontario 10-12 000 years ago. |
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Page 31
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Change ". . . and one local legend says that he even came to Flamborough itself" to " . . . including West Flamboro Village (see page 104)"
Delete "The story goes that" |
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Page 35
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Addition to The Mississaugas of the Credit River following the War of 1812:
On January 8th, 2019, the Mississaugas announced that they were to be known by their pre-1847 name “The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.” |
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Page 40
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Addition to Alexander Brown, Merren Greirson and Waterdown:
Alexander Brown built his first sawmill north of Dundas Street, on the opposite side of Grindstone Creek from the end of present-day Nelson Street. 
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Page 46
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New Section "The British North American House":
Built in 1824, the stone edifice at the corner of Dundas and Mill Street is one of the oldest stone structures in Southern Ontario. Originally called "The British North American Hotel," this establishment was the last old time stand-up bars in Ontario and maintained segregated male and female front rooms until 1966. |
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Page 48
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New Section: "The First Municipal Election in East Flamborough: The Race for Waterdown's Widows"
Ebenezer Griffin drew up the first assessment roll for the township, when Waterdown was a community of 165 people, in 1841. The first election, held following the creation of the Province of Canada (1841-1867) at the North American Hotel (today's "American House") was conducted soon after with Alexander Brown (Tory Party) and Thomas Stock (Reformer) as candidates, with James MacMonies Sr. as the township's clerk. The election was detailed in an article published by an unknown author in the Dundas True Banner on March 30th, 1899. A problem emerged with " . . .both parties straining every effort to win, so much so that by three o'clock [it] was found that almost every available vote had been cast and each candidate had the same number of votes." The Tory supporters were worried because they knew that MacMonies would give the deciding vote, and he was known to be friends with Thomas Stock. Alexander Brown acted quickly, exploiting the rule that allowed widows with property assessed in their names were eligible to vote, and gone to collect Widow Kinsula. This triggered a frenzied dash into the village by the candidates to collect its eligible widows. "As soon as Mrs. Kinsula had cast her vote, not trace of Samuel Anderson [the proprietor of the North American Hotel] could be seen, until about 20 minutes before the poll was to close, when who should appear but Samuel Anderson with his double team [a carriage pulled by two horses], coming at a furious rate down Dundas Street, then proudly and gallantly handing out a lady in black, closely veiled, escorting her up the stairs to the table, where on giving her name it was found properly recorded." Widow Bigelow cast her vote for Thomas Stock, who, claiming victory, ensured there were no hard feelings by buying everyone a drink. His gesture had the effect of "allaying all anger and discord so much that an impromptu meeting was organized upstairs where the candidates set them up again . . . [Alexander Brown] declared that though beaten, he would try it over the next year." |
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Page 50
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Addition to "Religious Life in Waterdown":
In 2018, 21 Mill Street North was renovated by its owners, Birmingham Consulting Inc. Two of the original church pews were sent to Waterdown District High School and installed in the classrooms of Mr. Robert Flosman & Mr. N. Tidridge. Three pews remain in their original home on Mill Street. |
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Page 56
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Addition to "Waterdown High School":
Waterdown District High School's 215 Parkside location was built in 1993 for 16.5 million dollars and was the first secondary school constructed since the Wentworth County Board of Education was formed in 1969 (it would be merged into the Hamilton-Wentworth Board of Education in 2001). |
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Page 60
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New Section "The Kirk Hotel" (adapted from Lisa Jefferies' notes)
The land on the corner of Main and Dundas streets once belonged to carriage manufacturer Thomas English. In 1868, William Heisse built a hotel which was renamed the Right House Hotel in 1875. In 1888 Patrick Kirk purchased the building and over the next three generations, converted it from a frame hotel to into a brick building, and a pantry and kitchen were added. A stream once ran through the back of the property (now the parking lot) and was allegedly used to help douse the Great Fire of 1922. The hotel remained in the Kirk Family's possession until 1966. In 1995 the bar was reopened as a family restaurant/pub and christened with a new name: The Royal Coachman. Addition to "Violence":
A 1967 history of Waterdown and Flamborough records the following, undated, anecdote about early life in the village: In the early days a gun was a household necessity and hunting an industry. Deer and bears were the biggest game, but rabbits and squirrels were also shot for food. Many shooting matches were held, and skill with a gun was greatly admired. There was one man who spent a lot of time and money practicing. He could do incredible feats with a rifle. If anyone was foolish enough to throw a half dollar in the air, he never saw it again. This man kept a store for a while. He had a little feud in a friendly way with the schoolmaster of the day. To torment him a little one day, he went out on the store verandah from which he could see the schoolhouse about a hundred yards away. He took his rifle and began shooting at the bricks of the schoolhouse chimney. Gradually he shot them loose and they fell into the chimney one by one closing it and smoking the pupils and teacher out. On another occasion, to create a diversion, he sent a few men out to dig up a few groundhogs which were plentiful. They brought in a dozen or so in bags, and he had them taken out in the centre of the crossroads of the village [Mill and Dundas?] and released. He sat on the porch with his rifle and shot them all before they could run away. He was as good with a revolver as the gunners depicted in the Western stories, and from all accounts he had occasion to use his skill. |
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Page 62
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New Section: "The Millpond or Reid's Pond"
During much of the 19th century a millpond pooled in the centre of the village, providing a focus for many community events. Historian Jonathan Vance, in his book A Township At War, provides a wonderful description of the millpond before it was drained for the railway line in the early 20th century: "It was the sort of place we imagine as typical of Victorian Canada. A favourite with fishers and swimmers, its banks were dotted with scattered groves of trees whose boughs nodded and bobbed into the water. A few barns, greying and weathered even then, stood on the east bank, leaning slightly to one side or the other, as if they were relaxing; beyond them, the headstones of the Union Cemetery were strewn across the hillside like dominoes. A courting couple might drift across the water in the communal punt - no one seemed to own it, but it was always there, pulled up on the shore and waiting to be used. Children splashed and chattered at its margins, while elders gazed into its mirrored surface as they debated and solved the world's problems. It was tranquil, unspoiled, and idyllic. But it couldn't co-exist with the railway. The creek bed was the best route through the village and down the escarpment, and everything in the railway's path must be sacrificed to progress." |
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Page 66
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Addition to "Fires":
In 1983, local historian Dr. Don Woods drew a map identifying the locations of the ruins of the mills along the Grindstone Creek. 
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Page 70
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Correction: "The Second World War and Memorial Park"
Renamed "Memorial Park, Waterdown's Backyard"* Memorial Park was dedicated on August 18th, 1949. *"Waterdown's Backyard" was coined by Cameron Scot during a meeting of a Public Art Focus Group for Memorial Park at the Waterdown BIA Office on June 5th, 2019. |
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Page 72
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New Section: "Waterdown Transformed"
Following the Second World War a flood of people left the cities looking for a place to live "in the country." In a few short decades Waterdown was completely transformed into a suburban hub as more and more surveys were added to every nook and cranny of the village. The common sight of open fields within the village boundaries vanished by the turn of the century. Waterdown Suburban Development Timeline: 1945 - Waterdown Heights (Wellington Street & Churchill Street) 1952 - Hawksview Gardens Subdivision Registered (Howard Blvd & Orchard Drive) 1954 - Waterdown Gardens Survey Registered (James Street & Margaret Street) 1958 - Margaret Gardens Survey Registered (north James Street) 1962 - Berry Hill Court 1964 - Village Plaza (Hamilton Street - east side) 1967 - Sewers installed in the village 1968 - First apartment building (Waterdown Towers, 100 John Street West) built on John Street (overlooking Memorial Park). Other apartment buildings will be built in 1972 (50 John Street West) and 1973 (75 John Street West). 1970 - Glenlea Survey Registered (Nancy Crescent) 1971 - Edith Court 1971 - Braeburn apartment building built 1975 - Buchan Court Survey Registered 1977 - Waterdown Standpipe constructed on Main Street North (replacing original water tower built in 1928) 1981 - Renwood Park Survey Registered (Flanders Drive) 1988 - Waterdown Shopping Centre built at 255 Dundas St E 2000 - Fortinos Plaza built at 115 Hamilton St N *Thanks to Alissa Golden, Heritage Project Specialist, City of Hamilton, for her work creating this list. |
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Page 73
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New Section: "The Internet comes to Waterdown and Flamborough Schools"
In 1994 the Wentworth Board of Education allocated funding to allow its schools to have access to the Internet. Originally only one or two computers per school could access the rapidly expanding World Wide Web, but by 1996 multiple computers at each site had the ability to connect. Source: Honywill, Brad. (1996, January 25). Graduating to the Net: Schools on move to information highway. Hamilton Spectator, D12. |
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Page 75
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New Section: "Forced Amalgamation with the City of Hamilton: A Chainsaw Massacre, Eloping with Burlington and the ill-fated City of Wentworth":
On June 6th, 1996, the City of Hamilton voted to adopt the recommendation of a 1995 Constituent Assembly and annex the surrounding municipalities, including the Town of Flamborough. The move to dissolve the municipal governments at the Head of the Lake was widely unpopular, with 94% of suburban residents (95% in Flamborough) voting against joining Hamilton during a citizen-led referendum on February 8th, 1997. The Hamilton Spectator's Ray Di Gregorio reported that "In Flamborough, more people cast ballots in the citizen-led referendum than in any municipal election in the history of that community." Shortly after a report was made by Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman to the Municipal Affairs Minister Al Leach recommending that the Town of Flamborough be divided between Hamilton, the Regions of Halton and Waterloo, as well as Wellington County. Flamborough Mayor Ted McMeekin was quoted by the Hamilton Spectator saying "This is saying to the community, 'We'll be bringing a chainsaw through your heart and then slide this way through your kidneys.' There's blood everywhere. This is the [Premier Michael] Harris chainsaw massacre."" Deep divisions marked the debate over the next few years as various plans were debated by Hamilton and its suburban communities. Throughout 1998 Burlington Mayor Rob MacIsaac met with Flamborough Mayor Ted McMeekin to discuss merging the two municipalities. A Burlington-Flamborough Union was discussed at a 150-strong public gathering at LaSalle Park Pavilion on January 28th, 1999. The joining of the two communities seemed certain until the plan was scuttled a month later by a 5-4 vote of the Flamborough Town Council over a motion to study the proposed amalgamation. As annexation by Hamilton dominated local politics at the close of the 20th century, Dave Braden, deputy mayor of Flamborough warned reporter Joanna Frape "It would be so unpopular there may actually be a revolt if we're pulled into Hamilton." A planned merging of Flamborough, Dundas and Ancaster was even discussed by their respective representatives in 1999 as a way to avoid joining Hamilton. On August 28th of that year the councils of Flamborough, Dundas and Ancaster simultaneously voted (7 to 1, 9 to 0 and 5 to 1) to unite as the City of Wentworth. On November 26th, 1999, David S. O'Brien, the special adviser on restructuring appointed by the Progressive Conservative Government, announced that the proposed City of Wentworth would not be approved and that Hamilton's suburban governments would be merged into a new "supercity." Municipal Affairs Minister Tony Clement introduced legislation creating a new City of Hamilton the following month, but gave Flamborough the option of staying out in favour of being divided by neighbouring regions - an alternative residents and Council voted to take. The proposal (supported by local residents) submitted to Minister Clement offered the following: - Eastern Flamborough would become part of the City of Burlington and the Region of Halton. - The northwest corner would join the Township of North Dumfries and the Region of Waterloo. - And everything else would join the County of Brant. Clement ultimately rejected the plan and ordered the Town of Flamborough to merge with Hamilton. The forced marriage came into effect on January 1st, 2001, with Ancaster's Robert Wade elected as the mayor for the "New" City of Hamilton. The Waterdown District High School Choir sang out at Hamilton's City Hall as the newly elected Council was sworn in beginning another era for the region. Sources: (1999, January 28). Burlington-Flamborough union discussed. Hamilton Spectator, A6. (2000, April 3). Flamborough's plan for its future; Here is the full text of the proposal Flamborough council has sent to Municipal Affairs Minister Tony Clement. Hamilton Spectator, A08. Di Gregorio, Ray. (1997, February 10). Results please organizers: Voters arm local politicians for Queen's Park 'fight.' Hamilton Spectator, A3. Dunphy, Bill. (1999, November 27). Suburban politicians vow identities will survive. Hamilton Spectator, D02. Frappe, Joanna. (1999, August 24). Suburban Politicians Predict Bleak Future. Hamilton Spectator, A1. Hepfner, Lisa. (1999, August 30). Tri-Towns Spurn Hamilton: Ancaster, Flamborough, Dundas Councils Want to Form City of Wentworth. Hamilton Spectator, A1. Hughes, Rick. (2001, January 5). City marks historic moment. Hamilton Spectator, A03. Humphreys, Adrian. (1997, February 12). 'Harris chainsaw massacre' spilling 'blood everywhere': Flamborough mayor angry. Hamilton Spectator, A11. Little, Joan. (2000, March 27). Will amalgamation happen? Final answer?. Hamilton Spectator, A13. Mahoney, Jeff. (1999, February 24). Flamborough spurns merger with Burlington. Hamilton Spectator, A1. Nolan, Dan. (1999, December 7). Megacity leaps 1st hurdle; Flamborough can choose Hamilton or divide into neighbouring regions. Hamilton Spectator, A01. Prokaska, Lee. (1999, August 27). Three Towns Begin Merger Talks. Hamilton Spectator, A3. |
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Page 75
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New Section: "Flamborough Separatism"
In his 2003 article "Flamborough group releases battle plan," The Hamilton Spectator's Peter Van Harten described a stirring scene at the abandoned Flamborough Townhall (163 Dundas St E):
"In a bold move, rebels from the "Free Flamborough" forces occupied -- for more than an hour -- a City of Hamilton outpost in Waterdown that used to be known as the Flamborough town hall. Armed with nothing more than umbrellas and infant strollers, several dozen of them unfurled a discarded Flamborough flag found in a closet. They tied yellow ribbons around the microphones in the abandoned council chamber and duct-taped a Free Flamborough banner to the wall, just below portraits of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. And although they joked about retaliation from imperial forces in Hamilton, it was all serious business." Led by Peter Cooper, the Committee to Free Flamborough (CFF) was determined to led the former township out of the City of Hamilton. Together with now-MPP Ted McMeekin, the CCF submitted 11,000 signatures from Flamborough to the legislature at Queen's Park supporting deamalgamation later that year. The group even solicited advice and support from Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion. Still active, the CCF continues to advocate for Flamborough's independance from Hamilton. Sources: Fragomeni, Carmela. (2003, December 4). Petition's in premier's hands; McMeekin registers 8,000 signatures supporting separation of Flamborough. Hamilton Spectator, A10. Van Harten, Peter. (2003, May 17). Flamborough group releases battle plan. Hamilton Spectator, A13. |
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Page 75
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Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger threatening Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring with attack in a September 20th tweet during the 2018 municipal elections.
New Section: "The 2018 Scramble for Waterdown"
During the 2018 municipal elections Burlington mayor Rick Goldring blindsided Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger by asking the provincial legislature for the green-light to annex Waterdown. Eisenberger retaliated by threatening to request his city's own merger with Burlington. The City of Cambridge even began discussing grabbing parts of northern Flamborough. The debate made national headlines, but fizzled after the election saw Goldring defeated, and with him any plans to pursue Waterdown. Source: Van Dongen, Matthew. (2018, September 18). Burlington mayor asks to take over Waterdown. Hamilton Spectator. |
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Page 77
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Addition to "The Souharissen Natural Area":
On November 7th, 2018, a Sacred Fire Marker was dedicated by Eugene, Cindy and Angel Kahgee, as well as Councillor Judi Partridge and Mississaugas of the Credit Councillor Erma Ferrell. 
Cindy, Angel & Eugene Kahgee are joined by Erma Ferrall and Judi Partridge. November 7th, 2018. Photograph by Mac Christie.
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Page 86
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The abandoned Clappison Drive-In, ca. 1990.
George Sjoerd Westra
New Section: "Clappison Drive-In":
Built in 1959, the Clappison Drive-In was located on Parkside Drive and could accommodate 930 cars. The theatre finally closed in 1985. |
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Page 89
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Addition to "Flamborough Centre":
Flamborough Centre Public School piloted one of the first Internet-based initiatives in the Wentworth County Board of Education. In 1996 the school participated in a program, Kids From Kanata, that linked them through daily emails with a northern Indigenous community. Source: Honywill, Brad. (1996, January 25). Graduating to the Net: Schools on move to information highway. Hamilton Spectator, D12. |
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Page 104
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New section: "Tecumseh visits West Flamboro Village"
The following account was discovered in "Notes on Niagara, No. 32: 1759-1860" and was transcribed from one of Niagara's local newspapers at the time: REMINESCENCES OF TECUMSEH, 1813: Mrs. Van Every of West Flamboro, told her children, about 1860, what she could remember of the great warrior, Techumseh. "The Indians were near us. Tecumseh went off about five miles from West Flamboro village, near the great burial ground where your father and the late Hon. Jas. Crooks dug up the big copper kettles, pipes, beads, clay crocks and tomahawks without number. He was dark copper color, six feet in height, broad shouldered, deep-chested. He had long arms, a prominent brow, firm chin, Roman nose, piercing eyes and black hair. He wore a toque of eagle plumes, silver half moon ornaments in his fine robe and beads on moccasins and leggings. He was quiet, lonesome, proud. His wigwam stood north of our house. He often warned his people against firewater. He harangued thousands of Indians, who were still as statues of stone. When he raised his arm, they said "Hough!" meaning "Attention!" He was a man no one could forget, a perfect Demothenes in eloquence. He swayed his hearers like reeds. His words were like an electric charge. My brother at 16 would dress up in Indian fashion and repeat the speeches of Tecumseh, which seemed to have fixed themselves in the minds of my mother and brother. Some sentences I remember. They ran as follows: "The Pale Faces who fought against our fathers, the British are our enemies. They came to us hungry, and they cut off the hands of our brothers, who gave them corn. We gave them rivers full of fish and they poisoned our fountains. We gave them mountains and valleys full of game, and in return they gave our warriors rum and trinkets and --- a grave. The shades of our slaughtered fathers can find no rest, their eyes can see no herds on the hills of light in the hunting grounds of the dead. Until our enemies are no more, we must be as one man, one chief whose name is DEATH! I have spoken." Tecumseh was a remarkable man. Brave, merciful, he did everything in his power to prevent cruelty in his followers. He did what many white men have not done – conquered his love of drink. He travelled from the Gulf of Mexico to the North, trying to form all the tribes of Indians into one Confederacy, and shewed great administrative powers, so that his memory should not be forgotten. |
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Page 130
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Addition to "Freelton":
This hand-drawn map appears in Paul Anthony Lennox’s 1977 McMaster University thesis The Hamilton Site: A Late Historic Neutral Town. The map highlights the various “Neutral” (Chonnonton) sites located in West Flamborough and Beverly (see pages 3 and 4). Commenting specifically on the Hamilton Site, a 6-acre Indigenous community located on the south half of Lot 5, Concession VIII, in the Township of West Flamborough, Lennox writes: The foregoing analysis has indicated that the Hamilton site is a large double-palisaded late history Neutral town which probably formed the capital of a northern tribal tier of history Neutral settlements. The late date of its occupation is indicated by glass bead serration, and the possibility exists that it was one of the eighteen settlements visited by the Jesuit missionaries, Brebéuf and Chaumonot, in the winter of 1640-41. Our best dating estimate for Hamilton [archeological site] falls between 1638 to 1651 when the Neutral were dispersed from their homeland by [the Huadenosaunee Confederacy]. Source: Lennox, Paul Anthony. The Hamilton Site: A Late Historic Neutral Town. BA Thesis. McMaster University, 1977. |
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Page 132
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Correction:
"The effigies of Joseph Brant and his wife" should read "The effigies of Joseph Brant and an unidentified woman" |
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Page 133
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New Section "The Looting of the Freelton/Misner Archaeological Site":
In 1985 Gordon Jackson, George Parkin and Gary Richer became the first people to be charged under the 1974 Ontario Heritage Act after they looted a previously untouched 17th century Indigenous (Chonnonton) archaeological sites located near Freelton. Led by Jackson, a former member of the Ontario Archaeological Society, the men plundered the area, including exhuming and desecrating 65 bodies. Before being disturbed, the area was considered the most intact sites of its kind ever uncovered in Ontario. Source: "The Freelton/Misner Site Looting and Prosecution" by William A. Fox. KEWA (Newsletter of the London Chapter, Ontario Archaeological Society), May 1985. Hamilton, Michelle. Collections and Objections: Aboriginal Material Culture in Southern Ontario. Toronto: McGill-Queen's, 2010. |
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Page 135
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Addition to "Conclusion":
In 2016, the Waterdown BIA estimated the community's population to be 19,876. The City of Hamilton expects that number to grow to 39,400 by 2031. (source) |