scotto
05-14-2014, 12:26 PM
David has asked for built date for the Brant Inn, I have gone through many of the books on the subject and a clear date doesn't come up.
I have attached some parts of few books on the subject, however it is difficult to separate the history writings of the Brant Hotel and the Brant Inn, so I have added both here;
COLEMAN, A.B.
From; Burlington, The Growing Years by Dorothy Turcotte
(condensed, unrelated history skipped)
Alfred B. Coleman was born in Woolwich, England in 1865, and came to Canada with his parents when he was still a boy. The family settled first in Hamilton, then came to Burlington.
In 1899, he purchased the Brant House property and built a huge modern hotel on the site. This was called the Brant Hotel, and immediately became the holiday resort of choice for many Canadians and Americans. Steamers came from Hamilton to dock in front of the hotel in Brant's Pond, bringing crowds of guests for picnics and day trips.
As soon as the hotel was completed, the Coleman family moved to Toronto where A.B. was involved in several major building projects. In 1909, the family moved back to Burlington, taking up residence in the Annex, a building next to the hotel which had been built around the original Brant home. Around this time, Coleman purchased a small piece of property across the road on the lakefront and built a wooden building which he called his "country club" This was meant as a place for men folk to gather to drink, smoke, play cards or billiards and otherwise socialize.
Meanwhile, A.B. began to develop the nearby Indian Point property at the mouth of Waghuata Creek, as the Indians called it, or Indian Creek as' we know it now First he made the Point accessible by building a road and a footbridge, then he laid out a six-hole golf course. Next he built several large bungalows which he rented to wealthy patrons. This later became an exclusive residential district, with attractive stone gates at each of the two entrances. However, A.B. retained ownership of the houses until his death in 1939. At that time, the estate sold the homes and gave the roads to the town of Burlington. For a long time, the streets were unnamed, but in 1951 members of the Coleman family chose names such as Algonquin, Iroquois, Indian and Mohawk for the streets.
When the federal government expropriated the Brant Hotel as a military hospital in 1917, Coleman turned his attention to his "country club" He expanded it into a first class hotel with fine dining and dancing. While Coleman was always interested in building, he was not interested in management. The Brant Hotel had always been managed by others; so was the Brant Inn. In 1937, the managers were Murray Anderson and Clifford Kendall. When A.B. Coleman died in 1938, this team purchased the Brant Inn and turned it into one of the most famous night spots in North America.
________________________________________
Here is a bit more information on Coleman’s work.
“A. B. Coleman, general contractor and lumber dealer, is an energetic, progressive, and rising man who has done much for Burlington. He commenced business as a contractor at eighteen years of age. A few years later he bought out the old planing mill on Ontario Street, which he operated successfully until his business demanded larger premises. In the winter of 1895 he built the large new mill on Ontario Street, which was, unfortunately, destroyed by fire on June 21st, 1898. In the winter of 1899 lie commenced to promote the Hotel Brant, and after a year of persevering effort succeeded in obtaining the necessary capital. The hotel was built the following year, and opened on July 2nd. Mr. Coleman has built a great many houses in Burlington, both for himself and others, as well as the greater part of the Beach. He has executed many large contracts in Ontario, and during the past summer has been engaged -on some large buildings in Toronto, Durham, Fort Erie and Low.”
http://canada.yodelout.com/burlingtons-up-to-date-planing-mill-and-lumber-yard/
05-14-2014, 12:26 PM
David has asked for built date for the Brant Inn, I have gone through many of the books on the subject and a clear date doesn't come up.
I have attached some parts of few books on the subject, however it is difficult to separate the history writings of the Brant Hotel and the Brant Inn, so I have added both here;
COLEMAN, A.B.
From; Burlington, The Growing Years by Dorothy Turcotte
(condensed, unrelated history skipped)
Alfred B. Coleman was born in Woolwich, England in 1865, and came to Canada with his parents when he was still a boy. The family settled first in Hamilton, then came to Burlington.
In 1899, he purchased the Brant House property and built a huge modern hotel on the site. This was called the Brant Hotel, and immediately became the holiday resort of choice for many Canadians and Americans. Steamers came from Hamilton to dock in front of the hotel in Brant's Pond, bringing crowds of guests for picnics and day trips.
As soon as the hotel was completed, the Coleman family moved to Toronto where A.B. was involved in several major building projects. In 1909, the family moved back to Burlington, taking up residence in the Annex, a building next to the hotel which had been built around the original Brant home. Around this time, Coleman purchased a small piece of property across the road on the lakefront and built a wooden building which he called his "country club" This was meant as a place for men folk to gather to drink, smoke, play cards or billiards and otherwise socialize.
Meanwhile, A.B. began to develop the nearby Indian Point property at the mouth of Waghuata Creek, as the Indians called it, or Indian Creek as' we know it now First he made the Point accessible by building a road and a footbridge, then he laid out a six-hole golf course. Next he built several large bungalows which he rented to wealthy patrons. This later became an exclusive residential district, with attractive stone gates at each of the two entrances. However, A.B. retained ownership of the houses until his death in 1939. At that time, the estate sold the homes and gave the roads to the town of Burlington. For a long time, the streets were unnamed, but in 1951 members of the Coleman family chose names such as Algonquin, Iroquois, Indian and Mohawk for the streets.
When the federal government expropriated the Brant Hotel as a military hospital in 1917, Coleman turned his attention to his "country club" He expanded it into a first class hotel with fine dining and dancing. While Coleman was always interested in building, he was not interested in management. The Brant Hotel had always been managed by others; so was the Brant Inn. In 1937, the managers were Murray Anderson and Clifford Kendall. When A.B. Coleman died in 1938, this team purchased the Brant Inn and turned it into one of the most famous night spots in North America.
________________________________________
Here is a bit more information on Coleman’s work.
“A. B. Coleman, general contractor and lumber dealer, is an energetic, progressive, and rising man who has done much for Burlington. He commenced business as a contractor at eighteen years of age. A few years later he bought out the old planing mill on Ontario Street, which he operated successfully until his business demanded larger premises. In the winter of 1895 he built the large new mill on Ontario Street, which was, unfortunately, destroyed by fire on June 21st, 1898. In the winter of 1899 lie commenced to promote the Hotel Brant, and after a year of persevering effort succeeded in obtaining the necessary capital. The hotel was built the following year, and opened on July 2nd. Mr. Coleman has built a great many houses in Burlington, both for himself and others, as well as the greater part of the Beach. He has executed many large contracts in Ontario, and during the past summer has been engaged -on some large buildings in Toronto, Durham, Fort Erie and Low.”
http://canada.yodelout.com/burlingtons-up-to-date-planing-mill-and-lumber-yard/