Hotel Brant

Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#41
Drogo, do you know when the canal reserve seased to exist?
Other than Dynes granted land (they squatted on more) and the King's Head Inn, the Beach was a military reserve. No one cared about that. They squatted everywhere. When they opened the canal they had a reserve however if it was a 1/4 mile then the Joice's house was on the reserve. I think, Scott would know, that there is probably still a certain width either side of the canal that one branch of the government has a hold on. They would almost have to have it to control safety issues.
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#42
Other than Dynes granted land (they squatted on more) and the King's Head Inn, the Beach was a military reserve. No one cared about that. They squatted everywhere. When they opened the canal they had a reserve however if it was a 1/4 mile then the Joice's house was on the reserve. I think, Scott would know, that there is probably still a certain width either side of the canal that one branch of the government has a hold on. They would almost have to have it to control safety issues.
If you look on each side of the canal, the only private property that is close would be the small cul-de-sac on the Burlington side. And Burlington is about to expropriate the first two properties. That would bring government to .20 miles from the north wall of the canal, on the Hamilton side it is .32 miles before private property starts. As for the land in between, it is a collage of government ownership with both municipalities, the Province, Transport Canada, PWGSC, who ever owns CCIW and the Port owns land.
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
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#43
Drogo “The power house was on the edge of Brant's Pond north of the old outlet. In fact if was about half way between the old outlet and Brant's house. Very close to where Brant Coleman incorrectly marked the outlet inside Brant's Pond. The cut through the Beach was man made.”

Drogo after the canal was cut through the beach, was there a portion of the natural outlet that remained? I was under the impression that with the opening of the canal, the outlet had been filled in.

I don’t know where ‘Brant’s Pond is/was. So was the power house built on the canal reserve?

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Sorry David
I'll try to give you some reference points that will help you when we get rattling on.

The Beach is somewhere between 4 to 5 miles long and runs on a basically north south line. My point of view will be north is my head and south is my feet. Right is the Lake and left is the Bay. My feet are planted in Van Wagoners Beach. About my waist is the canal. It is slightly north of the centre of the beach. Now I didn't think this out so lets just say about my bikini top is the old outlet. Top of my head is the end of the Beach and Joseph Brants property. Brant goes to the left. Now Brant's Pond came from the top of my head to just north of the bikini top. That is the right side of a triangle. That triangle in the Bay is the Pond. It was so shallow that from the beach left across the bay was reeds and almost another beach with an opening in it's middle. Excellent fishing however.

Now to answer your question the power house was at my shoulder. North of the 1/4 mile. I do not believe the canal reserve was ever on Joseph Brants part of the beach.

What was Brant's Pond is now all filled in behind the hospital and all of the water treatment buildings are on the landfill.

This little body gauge might just work. You hear us talk about station 9 and 10. 9 is just above my knee and 10 about mid thigh.

I for one will try to remember to give you a reference on topics of interest to you.

The other question you brought up was did they fill in the old outlet. Yes and no. The road was on the lake side and that was filled in. When you look at some old pictures you can see where the water is still showing coming from the Bayside across the beach. It was most vital to have a road so that was done however there is a lot of writing about the condition of the road and who was going to have to pay to fix it.

Hope things puts the Beach in alittle perspective.
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
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#44
If you look on each side of the canal, the only private property that is close would be the small cul-de-sac on the Burlington side. And Burlington is about to expropriate the first two properties. That would bring government to .20 miles from the north wall of the canal, on the Hamilton side it is .32 miles before private property starts. As for the land in between, it is a collage of government ownership with both municipalities, the Province, Transport Canada, PWGSC, who ever owns CCIW and the Port owns land.
Thanks Scott
It would seem totally logical that those responsible would want breathing room for safety and maintanence issues.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#45
Drogo, thank you so much for giving me your outline of the beach, and the locations of the natural outlet, the canal, Brant’s Pond, and the power house. This really helps me.

I should point out for the other members that I am parcially blind, so am not able to see any of the maps that have been posted.

Again Drogo, my deepest appreciation.
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
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#46
David
Actually I feel rather stupid because Scott mentioned you had a vision problem but it still didn't connect that what we are taking for granted you aren't. If you aren't understanding where something is just ask me. Don't ask where the old amusement park was because I'll have to tell you to kiss my butt on the bayside. Hope you are laughing at that one.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
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#47
scotto
06-20-2014, 07:44 PM
“If you look on each side of the canal, the only private property that is close would be the small cul-de-sac on the Burlington side. And Burlington is about to expropriate the first two properties. That would bring government to .20 miles from the north wall of the canal, on the Hamilton side it is .32 miles before private property starts. As for the land in between, it is a collage of government ownership with both municipalities, the Province, Transport Canada, PWGSC, who ever owns CCIW and the Port owns land.”

Scott, so then could any private person or company ever build on the canal reserve? You indicate on the ‘Burlington Canal Bridges’ thread that the Hamilton and North West Railroad (H&NW) built the turntables for its various swing bridges on the north side of the canal. Clearly this would have been within the canal reserve.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-2173.html

and therefore the H&NW would have had tracks on the reserve. Similarly, the Hamilton Radial Electric Railroad’S (HRER) tracks were on the reserve.




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scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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#48
I have gone through many of my books on the subject and found very little about the Canal Reserve, my thinking would be if a private company wanted to add infrastructure at no cost to the government, then one would assume that any land needed would be given up at a very low cost if any at all.
 

scotto

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#49
The Globe, July 21, 1877

BRANT HOUSE AT BURLINGTON BAY
Nestling under the shadow of Burlington Heights at the head of Lake Ontario lies the picturesque village of Burlington, once known as Wellington Square. This village derives much of its importance from its proximity to the City of Hamilton, being situated in full sight of it, and at a distance of about six miles, at the point where a neck of land runs across from the north to the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming the safe and capacious harbour of Hamilton, known as Burlington Bay. The Hamilton and North-Eastern Railroad coming from Georgetown runs along this neck of land to Hamilton, crossing the Burlington ship canal on an iron swing bridge erected by the Hamilton Bridge Company at a cost of $50,000.
Besides possessing the natural advantage of scenery caused by a diversity of shape assumed by land and water, the corner formed by the junction of the peninsula with the mainland on the north shore is also famous as having been the residence and first burial place of the celebrated Indian Chief Joseph Brant, or, as he was called in the Mohawk language "Thayendanegea.".
This celebrated adherent of the British cause during the Revolutionary war received for his services to the English Government a grant of about 10,000 acres in the neighbourhood of Burlington, of which a tract of 600 acres has remained Intact in the hands of Mr. Benjamin Eager; of this tact of laud some twenty-eight acres have been rented by Mr. J. Morris, of Hamilton.
This lot comprises the homestead, which was in the possession of Brant's grand nephew, Mr. J. Simcoe Kerr until the death of the latter in 1875. The original house built by Joseph Brant in the year 1800, of cedar logs rafted from the Thousand Islands, still remains, although no external vestige of it can be seen, as it has been surrounded by a modern edifice built in an attractive style, forming the " Brant House", a favourite summer resort of the citizens of the Ambitions City. This house is situated on the low bluff overlooking Lake Ontario and Burlington Bay. and is, from its airy and healthful situation, specialty adapted for a summer residence for ladies and children. The grounds around the house are arranged for croquet cricket, and lacrosse, while the house itself is furnished for the accommodation of about 100 guests. In this house is still shown the room in which Brant in a fit of passion stabbed his son, in evidence of which the visitor has pointed out to him the blood stains on the floor. Among other historical object are the old Council Tree, an oak of immense age, the trunk of which some six feet in diameter, remains a shattered wreck of bye-gone days. From this trunk some gnarled limbs, themselves the size of ordinary trees, stretch out About ten yards from this oak is shown a mound where Brant was buried prior to his removal to the burial ground of the Mohawk Church near Brantford. In this mound are supposed to lie the remains of about 300 warriors, the contemporaries of Brant. Returning to the Brant House, we find that the proprietor has provided, along the waterfront of about a quarter of a mile, swimming for the children, tables and benches under trees for picnic parties, and a large marquee, 60 by 30 feet, for dancing, which are provided to excursionists free of charge. Along the beach are row-boats, yachts, and bathing machines. In the house are provided temperance drinks, tea, coffee and ices for excursionists, About 50 yards from the house are the bar, billiard room, and a double bowling alley. At the west end of the house is a bowling green, overlooked by a room, where the ladies can see the doings of their "lords and master". The Brant House may be reached by the steamers Bouquet, Denis Bowen, and Armenia, which run four times daily each from Hamilton to a new dock almost at the door of the house, and by the H. & N. W. Railway, which runs trains hourly to a platform at the gate of the grounds. A culvert 30 feet wide and 6 feet deep has been constructed to allow the waters of the lake to pass the house into the bay and obviate any possible evil remits from stagnant water. Mr. Morris hopes by moderate changes and courteous attention to the travelling community of Ontario to make the Brant House one of the most popular summer resorts of the Dominion.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
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#50
Fred Briggs
10-31-2010, 11:33 AM
The Federal Govenment took it over for a Military Hospital in WWI. The new Joseph Brant Hospital occupies the site now. You can read a lot more of the history in "From Pathway to Skyway Revisited" by Claire Emery Machan. There's also about a page on it in "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte, if you have a copy of that."

Here is a bit more history on the Hotel Brant.

"...the hotel owner A.B. Coleman as early as March, 1917 negotiated with the military commission to rent the establishment for the use of returning wounded and convalescing soldiers.
An initial deal was said to have been reached between the Military Hospital Commission and Mr. Coleman for a yearly rental of $7,000, "but when the lease was drawn up for the signature a week later, Mr. Coleman refused to sign it," and held out for an annual rental amount of $12,000 which the commission declined to pay.
Having felt they had an agreement and in immediate need of the establishment, the commission decided to commandeer it, along with nine adjoining cottages. The proprietor insisted in a phone conversation with The Star that no request to turn the building over had been made, and that in his opinion the deal between himself and commission had been called off."

http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/Brant/branthistory.html



http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/Brant/brantarchives.html


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