Development of Hamilton Beach Has Been Rapid

scotto

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Development of Hamilton Beach Has Been Rapid
Hamilton Spectator 1915
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Veteran Resident Tells of Early Days

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Hotels Were Common Thing On Sandstrip


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Great Season Expected This Coming Year

Today the summer season at Burlington beach comes to a close, and from now until the end of this month business men, who with their families have enjoyed the breeze of the lake during the hot weather, prepare to leave for their winter homes. Never in the history of the resort has there been such a demand for houses for the summer months, and old sages predict that next year the demand will be even greater. The growth of the beach proper, from about the power house to the Beach road, during the last fifteen years has been remarkable. Probably no one on the sand-strip has witnessed this growth better than Robert Fletcher, who resides at station 4 the year round, and who eighty-four years first saw the light of day in a house about two hundred feet from where the canal now is. Mr. Fletcher was the only son of Erin and Mrs. Fletcher, and was born about two years after they immigrated to this country from England.
He has resided on the sand-strip all of his life, and despite his ripe old age, enjoys good health and has the use of all his faculties.

IN THE EARLY DAYS

When Mr. Fletcher was a boy, the beach was one vast stretch of waste land, with only a house dotted here and there. In a disastrous fire, his father lost his home near the canal, and, in building a new house, selected a site between station 4 and the Beach road. Mr. Fletcher lives in the house just opposite the homestead. Four years ago he celebrated his golden anniversary. About a year later his wife died.

BRIDGE NOT BUILT
When he was a young man, Mr. Fletcher did consider sailing on the Great Lakes, and later was ferryman at the canal. At that time the canal was not quite so large as it is now, nor was it built of concrete, but, instead of common logs. The ferry had a heavy chain attached at both sides, and the ferryman’s duty was by means of hand power, to turn a large wheel which wound up the chain, while either went slack, similar to an incline. No charges were made to persons wishing to cross this stretch of water, and the ferry ran when anyone was ready to go across. The old ferry lies on the shore at the present day, about a hundred feet north of the canal. Of the few families who resided on the beach, practically all (difficult to read) sand-strip, and for several months. Mr. Fletcher was employed at this work. During the summer months trains were run every hour between Hamilton and Burlington, stopping the canal, about station 12, Dynes and the Beach road. In the winter months the train ran only in the morning and the evening. In exceptionally hot weather so many sand flies would get on the rails that for days at a time it was impossible to run the trains over the line. At times the flies would be over a foot in depth.
About fifteen years after the railway was built, or about 25 years ago, the present radial company commenced operations, and things from then on continued to improve.

HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. Fred Corey was the proprietor of a “wet inn” at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands. The Bungalow, owned by John McNeil, was doing business between station 16 and 18. Later it was called the Arlington. At the canal there was the Ocean House now owned by John Perry, and another hotel which was owned by a Mr. Baldrie. At this time there was also what was Martin’s Pleasure gardens, at station 8, which was owned by John Martin. At this point there was a pier built on the pier side, and boats with picnickers and sightseers came daily to see the gardens. There were also a number of games and amusements of various sorts staged each week at this point. A few years ago there was a hotel at station 8 owned by George Snook, afterwards run by Mr. Martin and later by Fred Freed, who at present lives in Dundas. Whisky at that time sold for 20 cents a gallon, but the Beach hotel proprietor usually received so many barrels of whisky for so many fish. Both were plentiful on the Beach 30 years ago. The growth of the Beach in those days was not very fast, but each year saw some improvement.

COMMISSION NAMED
Not many years ago, the government, noticing the development of the Beach, appointed a commission to look after the affairs along the strip. The first two commissioners were Bill VanAllen and W.J. Morden. As a result of the death of Mr. VanAllen and the resignation of Mr. Morden, Commissioner Col. J.J. Grafton and James Crooks were appointed and at present fill the office. From a summer population a few years ago of less than 200 people, the sand-strip now has residing on it each summer considerably over 3,000 people. Property which ten years ago sold for two and three dollars a foot now is worth thirty or forty dollars a foot.
This summer over 30 new houses were built on the strip and even this did not satisfy the ever increasing demand. Next summer promises to be one of the best yet and houses are now being rented (the rest is unreadable)
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#3
Scott, the 1915 news paper article that you posted (Development of Hamilton Beach Has Been Rapid) indicates that in 1915 , there was a post office on the beach.

"HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. (Fred Corey was the proprietor of a "wet inn") at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands."

Do you know when the post office was first set up on the beach?
And, do you know what is Meant by Fred Corey's ("wet inn")?
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#4
Scott

1915 news paper article (Development of Hamilton Beach Has Been Rapid)
""HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. Fred Corey was the proprietor of a "wet inn" at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands." ... "COMMISSION NAMED
Not many years ago, the government, noticing the development of the Beach, appointed a commission to look after the affairs along the strip. The first two commissioners were Bill VanAllen and W.J. Morden. As a result of the death of Mr. VanAllen and the resignation of Mr. Morden, Commissioner Col. J.J. Grafton and James Crooks were appointed and at present fill the office. From a summer population a few years ago of less than 200 people, the sand-strip now has residing on it each summer considerably over 3,000 people."

Scott, do you know if the post office opperated year round, or just during the summer months?
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#5
Back to the issue of the Beach's post office. Perhaps when the post office was first established, Hamilton Beach was considered a 'postal village'.

'postal village'

"a postal village is generally a community, settlement, or hamlet (place) that has a post office. And is designated as such by the postal administration.
It may be seen as a rural neighbourhood.

This term seems to have been most common in the latter half of the 19th century when it was in common use in maps and gazetteers.

The term is generally used for a community within a township - (rural region) as opposed to an incorporated village, or other municipal government. By establishing a post office in a particular community it receives official recognition, often for the first time, for a name, an important step in the development of any community."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_village
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
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#6
Scott
If you notice David has referenced the 1915 article you posted re: Beach Flourishing. After all the back and forth re: the ferry it was right in this article. Nice to know we are logical enough to have worked it out.

BRIDGE NOT BUILT
When he was a young man, Mr. Fletcher did consider sailing on the Great Lakes, and later was ferryman at the canal. At that time the canal was not quite so large as it is now, nor was it built of concrete, but, instead of common logs. The ferry had a heavy chain attached at both sides, and the ferryman's duty was by means of hand power, to turn a large wheel which wound up the chain, while either went slack, similar to an incline. No charges were made to persons wishing to cross this stretch of water, and the ferry ran when anyone was ready to go across. The old ferry lies on the shore at the present day, about a hundred feet north of the canal. Of the few families who resided on the beach, practically all (difficult to read) sand-strip, and for several months. Mr. Fletcher was employed at this work. During the summer months trains were run every hour between Hamilton and Burlington, stopping the canal, about station 12, Dynes and the Beach road. In the winter months the train ran only in the morning and the evening. In exceptionally hot weather so many sand flies would get on the rails that for days at a time it was impossible to run the trains over the line. At times the flies would be over a foot in depth.
About fifteen years after the railway was built, or about 25 years ago, the present radial company commenced operations, and things from then on continued to improve.
 

Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#7
David
I don't think that the Beach was ever a "postal villiage" Again from the Diaries Thompson got his mail in the following ways. He went "up to Hamilton" for the mail. His son William came "down from Hamilton" and had picked up his mail. Captain Davis visited and brought his mail. A tug made a stop at the light because they were bringing his mail. He would walk to Wellington Square to get his mail. There was a definite change from the Custom House cheque being picked up and cashed in Hamilton to being picked up and cashed in Wellington Square. Seems his mail was always hand picked up or delivered out of friendship. Nothing to do with any other responsibility for it's delivery.
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#8
Drogo "I don't think that the Beach was ever a "postal villiage" Again from the Diaries Thompson got his mail in the following ways. He went "up to Hamilton" for the mail. His son William came "down from Hamilton" and had picked up his mail. Captain Davis visited and brought his mail. A tug made a stop at the light because they were bringing his mail. He would walk to Wellington Square to get his mail. There was a definite change from the Custom House cheque being picked up and cashed in Hamilton to being picked up and cashed in Wellington Square. Seems his mail was always hand picked up or delivered out of friendship. Nothing to do with any other responsibility for it's delivery."

Drogo can you give the dates for when Captain Thompson was the lighthouse keeper? Maybe sometime after he retired the beach became a postal village.

I'm still interested in knowing when the post office was established on the beach.
***************
 

Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#9
David
Thompson was the lighthouse keeper from Apr 1846 to 1875 when he retired because he was not in good health. His diaries are a daily snippet of the major events on the Beach. He had residents he really liked and that was apparent and some that could do nothing right. He even gives some of them niknames.
 

scotto

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#11

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#12
Scott "I only know of one post office on the Beach, it is now a residential home at 924 Beach Blvd, I don't know if it is that old. It could very well be that old, I have sent an email to the owner to see if they know the year it was built."

Scott, the 1915 news paper article says in part, "HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. Fred Corey was the proprietor of a "wet inn" at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands."

So is the building that the post office is currently in, near Station 12?
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#14
Scott, "The Beach Road of today use to be part of Beach Blvd that we have today, Beach Blvd at that time was named Beach Road."

Scott, does Beach BLVD run north and south along the length of the beach. The 1915 news paper article seems to imply it ran east and west.
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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#15
Scott, “The Beach Road of today use to be part of Beach Blvd that we have today, Beach Blvd at that time was named Beach Road.”

Scott, does Beach BLVD run north and south along the length of the beach. The 1915 news paper article seems to imply it ran east and west.
Beach Blvd does run north to south, the news article may of been referring to other sections of Beach Road that did run east to west.
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#16
Scott, the 1915 news paper article(Development on Hamilton Beach has been Rapid)

"HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. ... this then would have been in 1885... About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. Fred Corey was the proprietor of a "wet inn" at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands. The Bungalow, owned by John McNeil, was doing business between station 16 and 18. Later it was called the Arlington. At the canal there was the Ocean House now owned by John Perry, and another hotel which was owned by a Mr. Baldrie. At this time there was also what was Martin's Pleasure gardens, at station 8, which was owned by John Martin. At this point there was a pier built on the pier side, and boats with picnickers and sightseers came daily to see the gardens. There were also a number of games and amusements of various sorts staged each week at this point. A few years ago there was a hotel at station 8 owned by George Snook, afterwards run by Mr. Martin and later by Fred Freed, who at present lives in Dundas. Whisky at that time sold for 20 cents a gallon, but the Beach hotel proprietor usually received so many barrels of whisky for so many fish. Both were plentiful on the Beach 30 years ago. The growth of the Beach in those days was not very fast, but each year saw some improvement."

And the post office on the beach was established in 1884.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/...rval=24&&PHPSESSID=ihp42d041vnie82eb82bal9a32

so I wonder if the post office was set up on the beach as much to service the people staying at the hotels, as much as for the permanent residences.

And I wonder if the news papers in 1884 had anything to say about this.
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#17
Scott, I find the 1915 news paper article ‘Development on Hamilton Beach Has Been Rapid’ a little confusing, with respect to the names and dates of hotels.

It states in part,

“HOTELS FLOURISHED
Thirty years ago there were no less than nine hotels in operation along the Beach strip, although the population was considerably less than 200. About 100 yards south of the beach road, there was the Kings Head Inn, owned by the Fitches. Below station 4 was the Dynes. At station 8 was a hotel owned by Ben Fold, who, while out fishing, was drowned in the lake, and whose body has never been recovered. On the bay side at this station there was another hotel owned by George Snook. Fred Corey was the proprietor of a “wet inn” at station 9, and Captain Campbell kept another one at station 12, where the post-office now stands. The Bungalow, owned by John McNeil, was doing business between station 16 and 18. Later it was called the Arlington. At the canal there was the Ocean House now owned by John Perry, and another hotel which was owned by a Mr. Baldrie. At this time there was also what was Martin’s Pleasure gardens, at station 8, which was owned by John Martin. At this point there was a pier built on the pier side, and boats with picnickers and sightseers came daily to see the gardens. There were also a number of games and amusements of various sorts staged each week at this point. A few years ago there was a hotel at station 8 owned by George Snook, afterwards run by Mr. Martin and later by Fred Freed, who at present lives in Dundas.”

So given that the article was written in 1915,it would seem that this paragraph is refering to hotels that were on the beach in 1885. The part that I’m having trouble with, is the sentence’ “At the canal there was the Ocean House (now owned by John Perry), and another hotel which was owned by a Mr. Baldrie.”

But this thread indicates that the Ocean House burned down in 1895.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-2165.html

so is this a case of a confusion of names and dates? Or, is it that by 1915, a new hotel had been built on the location of the former Ocean House, and was owned by John Perry?
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#19
Well for some reason, the URL that I provided in my last post doesn't work. So I did a Google surch to try and find the page again. And I found it. The problem is, it's only part of what I had originally read. So somewhere on the site is a link to open the intire article. But I don't know what link that is. So because the article provides a great over view of the beach history, I am providing the Google result.

1. "The Heritage of the People Closed against Them:" Class ...
] › ... › Urban History Review › October 2001
Abstract Following serious flooding in the 1970s, Hamilton, Ontario politicians and planners... | Article ... October 1, 2001 | Cruikshank, Ken; Bouchier, Nancy B. | Copyright ... Within another generation, the beach strip ceased to be an attractive ...
 
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scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#20
Well for some reason, the URL that I provided in my last post doesn’t work. So I did a Google surch to try and find the page again. And I found it. The problem is, it’s only part of what I had originally read. So somewhere on the site is a link to open the intire article. But I don’t know what link that is. So because the article provides a great over view of the beach history, I am providing the Google result.

1. "The Heritage of the People Closed against Them:" Class ...
www.highbeam.com › ... › Urban History Review › October 2001
Abstract Following serious flooding in the 1970s, Hamilton, Ontario politicians and planners... | Article ... October 1, 2001 | Cruikshank, Ken; Bouchier, Nancy B. | Copyright ... Within another generation, the beach strip ceased to be an attractive ...
It will take me a while to read all of this, I will add some quotes as well.
 
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