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Those are amazing. Thanks for posting. Now we can see what was once where Jackson Square, AGH, Hamilton Place, etc are.
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one question
why does every hamiltonian refer to neighbourhoods as surveys, when everyone else I know in Ontario uses the term subdivision? It is completely unheard of, I did a double take the first time I heard my 'subdivision' refered to as a survey. And as far as I know, it's a local phenomenon. neat pics, neat to see way back when. I just wish some were in colour :P but whatever. I just noticed the caption in one picture stating survey. haha |
That downtown 1910 shot confuses me because I'm fairly certain I can see the Royal Connaught in it. I'm fairly certain the Connaught didn't even exist yet in 1910.
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Great pictures! Can't wait to see more.
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The confusion over the 1910 Gore Park photo is strange. I checked the source picture and the date did say 1910, so in fact the date is wrong since the Royal Connaught did not open until 1916. Thanks for pointing it out to me.
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Outstanding!
Thanks for posting these. It's great to see old pictures that have buildings which are still up today. Very cool to see the Community Theatre sign showing that Hitchcock's Spellbound is playing Can someone post any pics from the 70's? It's a special thing for me since that's when I was a young punk. |
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...Hamilton24.jpg
I grew up in Bridgeview Survey. That first photo of the 1948 aerial is amazing - no parking lots and a continuous streetwall on every artery. We moved to Hamilton in 1951 when I was a child and that is exactly how I remember downtown. It was a bustling happening place with sidewalks crowded with pedestrians and shoppers. I'm dismayed to see it now, especially around Gore Park. |
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the hamilton that we see in these photos is looooooong gone and will never return: market square; the jockey club; hell, even centre mall's gone now. i've got a couple dozen hamilton history books packed away in boxes - too depressing to look at.
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These photos are great! I have a bunch of Hamilton history books displayed in my bookshelf, no need to be ashamed. It's just a way of looking into the future, really. If you look at these pics, and see how urban planning then worked, we can use it as examples for the future (ie: return of Street Rail).
There were some great pics I hadn't actually seen b4 tho, like the Main/Huxley shot. I think that theater is a collectors/comic shop now called 'Weird Things'. The bldg's still there, but the awning is gone. Was the airport actually at Reid/Dunsmure? If you look at google maps sat image, it looks like the aiport was a lil more north by Melvin/Woodward (it's neat b/c it looks like the outline of runways): http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en...=16&iwloc=addr |
Some More Pics
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4.../po1955hpl.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...960dbeland.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...zellershpl.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...69rchapman.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...son1959hpl.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...954ppowell.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...itol1947AO.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...roosthrose.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ott1929HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...SLDMissett.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4.../HAM1949AO.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...0bgreen30s.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ter/survey.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ING1961HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...KING30SHPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...SON1947HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...r/MA1960HS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...r/WES50SHS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...er/SC60SHS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...MAC1957HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...r/HAMOLDHS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...r/JAMESHPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...RIAL1962HS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...GBERS50SHS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ALRD1954HS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ALS1958HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...NAL1958GPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...GHSC1960HS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ORK1965HPL.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4.../MTN1958HS.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...aber1930hs.jpg |
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...roosthrose.jpg
I soooo gotta show my Grandma this, I've heard her talk about this place at least 10 times whenever old downtown Hamilton is brought up. |
By the way, what is this place to the left of Old City Hall? Looks like a gaint parking garage......
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...r/HAMOLDHS.jpg |
your answer
yep.... that's a parking garage..... it forced the farmer's market out and as a result they would close of York St. and allow the vendors to set up their stalls there.
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Wow that all angers me. There used to be an absolutely beautiful streetwall on the West side of James South beside the Piggot. Looks like Toronto almost. Those buildings didn't even look that old. Pointless destruction.
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http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...960dbeland.jpg
My records say that HSR 197 was sold to the Canada Coach Lines in 1951. Is there any way we can confirm the date of this picture? http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...MAC1957HPL.jpg The house my Dad grew up in is the one right on the left edge of the photo, on the street that's a half circle (Binkley Cres) http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...aber1930hs.jpg My Grandmother would pass this spot everyday going to school in Westdale. |
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Re: HSR 197
No way in photo to confirm year except the car next to the bus. It certainly looks more 60ish rather then something from early 50's, even the clothes on the pedestrians suggest the year is correct..... can anyone help?
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Hsr 197
I blew up the photo section for anyone to identify the model year of the car.... also gonna show my mechanic. So what year is the car in the photo below. The picture was taken circa 1960.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...ter/hsr197.jpg |
[QUOTE=hamtransithistory;3578294]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...960dbeland.jpg
well, that is definitely a 1959 Chevrolet beside the bus. |
I'd be interested to see the Jackson Square area buildings in the years leading up to demolition. I've seen the pictures from their glory days but I wonder just how bad did it get?
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^^ From what I hear, York Blvd especially was pretty bad... like Barton St bad.
I have no clue, I'm way too young to remember anything like that. This info is from my family. |
Jon's request re: pre Jackson Square pics.......
Here are some pics before Jackson Square was built.... what a seedy area.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...tspectator.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...tarial-hsa.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...publibrary.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...rengravers.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...wspectator.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...erhead-hsa.jpg http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...js69lbloom.jpg |
What a serious loss. I'd gladly trade Jackson Square and even Stelco Tower to have that great streetwall back.
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Photos wanted.......
If you have or have access to any photos to the east end power line corridor could you please post. This includes views on Stratherne Ave, Bell Ave, or area south of TH&B tracks.
The original 1898 power line does still exist in Smithville, and Ontario hydro left one tower standing with a plaque at Greenhill Ave. Photos should be from the 50's or earlier. Also, anyone with any photo of the Piggott bldg. when the spire was illuminated at night by white lights or colored at Christmas please submit. I know these may be hard to come by but someone somewhere will have some pics..... thanks..... |
When looking at the air photos what buildings are everybody using to orient themselves? Personally, my eye is always drawn to either the Lister or the Pigott building and then I think, "ah! now I know what I'm looking at"
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What is particularly distressing about the destruction of much of downtown in the name of urban renewal, is that much of that land stood empty for a very long time - long enough for amusement park rides to be set up at King & James!!!! Hamilton has never recovered from such wanton destruction and it is galling that the present City government hasn't learnt a damn thing from this tragedy.
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LOL.... Pigott bldg.....
when i was in grade 7 at Viscount Montgomery School. my math teacher would say... if you don't pass this test then go jump off the Pigott bldg. That was in 1956. When i married he became a cousin.... small world eh?
anyhow back in the 50's the Pigott bldg was the key focal point.... I even got to ride to the top and have a look in 1958. |
I think things could have been a lot worse. At least we did get the construction of City Hall, the Art Gallery, Board of Ed. building, Stelco Tower, Jackson Square, etc. It would have been so much worse if those buildings were simply ripped down. We wouldn't even have a downtown if that were the case. At the time, building all of those civic buildings was probably almost as ambitious as Harry Stinson's 100 story tower is now.
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Jaborandi.... send in the clowns
Heck, I remember working at Westinghouse at JS in the Thompson Bldg and going to Tim Hortons on King west at 3 a.m. in the morning and seeing the clowns and so forth from the construction of JS to the west towards Bay St.. What a hoot..... i loved each minute of it.....
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I dunno and I'm probably going to get grilled for this but I don't think there anything particularly special with what was replaced by Jackson Square.
I definitely do see the destruction by York Boulevard (old City Hall and Market Square) though. |
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I believe that is the line you are talking about. (powerline) |
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...zellershpl.jpg
This is probably the most disconcerting shot... Think of what's there now if you were to stand on that spot on the roof of Jackson Square. Hardly any shops left along James and King William to generate that kind of foot traffic, Zellers is now a dead parking lot, York Street doesn't even exist anymore, the Lister's been left to rot and the property next to it to fall down. Two-way traffic on King William (cars parked the opposite way). City Hall has been replaced with City Mall. Grafton's looks gorgeous in this pic. The pic below this one with "expropriation sale" in the windows is even more :( |
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A few power pics
Came across some photos of stuff you may c but never take note of. Feel free to add photos of similar items below. All pictures courtesy of archive.org and are in the public domain.
The developement of electrical power started about 1900 from the Niagara area to points in Ontario. Here are some early pics of the transmission lines/towers and some still do exist. The pic below is the Niagara/Dundas/London corridor line. This view looks north towards the Dundas substation. The line on right is incoming from Niagara, the line on left outgoing to London. This line still exists today from Dundas to Ingersoll and also along Hwy 6 from Waterdown to Guelph. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...00listuo-3.jpg The next pic is of the same line while workers erected the towers. Note the fact no safety gear...... http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...00listuo-2.jpg Next is that same line from Niagara Falls at the Welland Canal. Note the workmen on the canal tower finishing it off while the line is only strung to the shorter tower on the left. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...00listuo-1.jpg Next is the switching station from the first line to reach Hamilton, before Niagara power lines. This station served the line from Decew Falls to Hamilton and was situated north of CNR tracks at Strathearne Ave in Hamilton http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...0listuoft-.jpg This power line below ran from Niagara Falls ON via Chippewa, Fort Erie & Buffalo to Syracuse NY. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...e00lundr-2.jpg This line was part of the original Niagara to London Line. It still exists today running from London to Stratford. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...e00lundr-1.jpg This dual line ran from Niagara along the escarpment to a point near Stoney Creek at Ridge Rd. It then descended and travelled diagonally across the beach strip, where it headed northease across Burlington, meeting with the CNR tracks past Guelph Line. This line may still exist in the Hwy 20 Fonthill area. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...00lundrich.jpg Finally the original Decew Falls line to Hamilton. Part of this line still exists in the Pelham area. Ontario Hydro left one tower standing to mark the historical site of the line to Hamilton. It stands at Greenhill Ave at the foot of Cochrane Rd. http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f4...00listuoft.jpg |
HSR 197 King and James
This picture must have been taken no earlier than 1957. Notice the car next to HSR 197 has double headlamps.
I love these pictures. Would love to see more.:) |
I would love to view your pics, but I keep getting the message to Upgrade - Insufficient Band Width. Do I have to go into Photo Bucket to view these pics?
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Nobody can see those pics until next month. Free Photobucket accounts have a monthly cap on bandwidth. For these pics, it has been exceeded for the current month.
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Welcome Rene Craik.
The bandwidth has exceeded, many too many people have been looking at it and hogging up the server. You'll have to wait awhile. |
(why does every hamiltonian refer to neighbourhoods as surveys, when everyone else I know in Ontario uses the term subdivision? It is completely unheard of, I did a double take the first time I heard my 'subdivision' refered to as a survey. And as far as I know, it's a local phenomenon.)
Part of the reason was George Hamilton laid out his village based on the "survey". The survey ran from "lower baseline"(Burlington St.) to "upper baseline"(Rymal Rd).The east & west sides I have forgotten. The survey was started in the east end, moving 1 concession west each time he reached a baseline. Because he had to scramble up and down the escarpment each time he went north and south, the links on his measuring "chain"gradually got thinner and therefore the chain got longer!!This is why we have "jogs" on Main st. at such places as Queen st. and Sherman ave. |
Regarding stuckinexeter's photos...
OK.
So it's now February, 'next month'... How come they're not showing up? : ( |
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You'll have to wait a little longer, but they will show up eventually. I don't know what day exactly, but definitely within February. |
Thanks.
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So I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for photos in the same vein as stuckinexeter's, where to find them, etc. I'm mostly interested in pre-1970s material.
The Local History collection at the HPL is a great resource...but I'm wanting to find what I find online. Besides; it might be the last day of the month before these photos become available to view. |
Wow.
There are some incredible shots in this thread.
Sobering. Memory-inducing. Fascinating. Thanks to those who have contributed so far...and I'm hoping there'll be some more coming. |
Many thanks to all posters
A true trip down memory lane.
There was one picture of the canal taken from the Hamilton side. The Lady Hamilton (?) is alongside there. She used to do summer excursions mostly to Port Dalhousie and some moonlight cruises. If anyone else recalls, there was a ferry service that went from either the foot of James or John, over to the canal in the summer. I recall it vividly but don't think I've ever seen any pictures of the one(s) in service in the 40's and 50's. I've seen pictures of narrow beam boats that serviced the hotels there in the 20's and 30's but these were very beamy craft and not at all suited for venturing past the canal into the lake. |
Old pics of Hamilton
I would like to see the caption on the seventh (7th) picture corrected. It lists the company on the left of Depew Street, as being Dominion Bridge Company. This is in error, the name of the company at the time, 1937, was HAMILTON BRIDGE Company Ltd. This name was changed in the mid 1950s to Bridge and Tank Co. of Canada Ltd.- Hamilton Bridge Division. Dominion Bridge never was located there, they were in Toronto and Montreal and a few places in Western Canada.
I worked for Hamilton Bridge for over 36 years and my father for some 30 years, thus I should know the area quite well. Dominion Foundries and Steel Company Ltd. (DOFASCO), is the company on the right side of the picture, and they had a company named Dominion Castings, which was located a bit further North and just to the South of the rail line above Burlington Street and Procter and Gamble Ltd. |
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