Hotels on the Beach

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#41
Scott,
“Drogo and myself have discussed the outlet many times, which would be pre-canal history. We are always looking for more info on the original outlet, but there is very limited info out there.”

Scott and Drogo, what I meant to say is, a thread on early beach history (I.E. the military reserve, the private property (were there any houses in 1835) and the log roads across the beach.
________________________________________
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#42
Scott
“As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach. The best known, and still the oldest operating tavern in Ontario is Dynes, established in 1846. City folks gladly braved the deplorable dirt road or the choppy ride
across the Bay in order to enjoy one of John Dynes' famous fish or duck dinners.
Dynes Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1882, but was quickly rebuilt. Its grounds were the site of many large picnics and sports events. For example, when the plumbers and gasfitters held their picnic at Dynes, about 600 people attended to enjoy baseball, swimming races off the floating wharf, a fishing match, and dancing to Makins' string band. For many years, Dynes was headquarters for the Annual Beach Fete which featured swimming and boating races, sports, and even in later years, aviation stunts over the lake. When Dynes discontinued the Fete, it was carried on by another group of people under the name of Beach Day.
Other hotels along the Beach were Wells' Tavern, the Lakeside, the Sportsman's Arms, Corey House owned by Jake and Lou Corey, Perry's Hotel and Martin's Pleasure Gardens.”

Scott, in the ‘Then and Now’ thread you have a picture of the Angus Inn.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-23.html

do you have any information on when the Angus Inn was built? I think Fred told me that the inn was located at 4th Avenue.
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#43
Scott,
“From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.

As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach.” … “The new hotel brought so many excursionists to the Beach that a writer in The Times on August 21st, 1879

complains that "the sidewalks from the Canal to the Ocean House are blocked by a lot of hucksters, targets for shooting and other obstructions . . . the hucksters come not only from Hamilton and vicinity, but from Toronto, Caledonia and other places. . . If the annoyance is allowed to go on it will seriously affect the popularity of the Beach."
In the spring of 1895, however, steps were taken to tidy up the (Canal Reserve). A photographer's gallery, an ice cream stand, an ice house and a candy shop were ordered removed.”

… The Perry House burned in April, 1918, victim of a spark from a passing train. Flames this time burned the Cataract Power Company's high tension wires so that for a time the radial cars were unable to run. Fortunately, within a few months, John Perry was operating the Lakeside Hotel on the same site. (The new hotel building cost $120,000, and re¬mained until the new Canal bridge was built in the 1950's).”

Scott,
(1) what was the ‘Canal Reserve’? and who gave the orders to ‘clean it up’?
(2) did the construction of the ‘canal bridge’ in the 1950’s, have anything to do with the end of the ‘Lakeside Hotel’? was this ‘bridge’ the temporary bascule bridge’ that was built on the north side of the canal?
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-2173.html

if it did, it would seem to indicate that the Lakeside Hotel was on the north side of the canal.

Can I ask you to indicate which side of the canal the various hotels were located on? and where they were located in relation to each other.

Here is the URL for the thread ‘Hotel Brant’.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1771.html







________________________________________
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#44
Scott, in the 'Then and Now' thread you have a picture of the Angus Inn.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-23.html

do you have any information on when the Angus Inn was built? I think Fred told me that the inn was located at 4th Avenue.
The Angus Inn was located about a quarter mile south of the Lift Bridge near the exit to Eastport Dr., that would be before 1st Avenue (Manor Ave.) It was the largest restaurant near the amusement park, I would assume that it had the same timeline as the amusement park, but without checking the beach records at the library, I couldn't give an exact year that it was built.
 

scotto

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#45
Scott,
(1) what was the 'Canal Reserve'? and who gave the orders to 'clean it up'?
(2) did the construction of the 'canal bridge' in the 1950's, have anything to do with the end of the 'Lakeside Hotel'? was this 'bridge' the temporary bascule bridge' that was built on the north side of the canal?
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-2173.html

if it did, it would seem to indicate that the Lakeside Hotel was on the north side of the canal.

Can I ask you to indicate which side of the canal the various hotels were located on? and where they were located in relation to each other.

Here is the URL for the thread 'Hotel Brant'.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1771.html

I have a map dated 1877 showing the "Canal Reserve" extending about one quarter mile on each side of the canal. I can only assume that the government of the day thought it to be of military importance in the event of any conflict. I cannot speculate on who would order a clean up without the facts to back it up.
The Lakeside Hotel was on the south side of the bascule bridge and would of been in the way of the approach road leading to the new Lift Bridge. If somehow it survived the construction, it's back door would of been on Beach Blvd, now Eastport Dr.
The temporary bridge was a wooded structure that replaced the north span of damaged bascule bridge, all was removed once the Lift Bridge was completed.
There were many, many hotels on the Beach over the years as already commented on in this thread, I wouldn't have the time to create timelines and locations.



May 2nd, 1876
From Henley's Blog;


Down along the Beach Strip. just north of the Burlington Bay canal, the favourite resort hotel was being upgraded substantially because of the imminent construction of the Hamilton and Northwestern Railway in the area.

The Spectator provided a detailed description of the changes to Ocean House as well as a call for better roadway access to the resort:

"If the Beach does not prove to be a particularly attractive place of resort during the present summer, it will certainly not be the fault of the spirited proprietors of the Ocean House. The drive to it has been greatly improved by the construction of a good clay road on the last mile and a half, which was formerly loose sand, and which nothing faster than a walk could be driven. It is the Ocean House itself, however, which has undergone the principal improvement. In connection with it a large new building has been erected to the southward. This building is about a hundred feet long by forty in width, and two stories high. On the ground floor is a bowling alley, 65 feet long, also a billiard room for three tables, a retiring room and a bar-room. On the second storey is a ball room the full width of the building, and 70 feet long, attached to which are a refreshment room, and a ladies' dressing room. One of the chief objects in the construction of the new building is to withdraw from the hotel proper the confusion attendant upon crowds of guests who visit the Beach for an afternoon merely, and thus leave it more quiet and retired for its permanent guests. With this view, the bar will be removed to the new building and the present bar-room turned into a ladies' refreshment room. The room to the front of it will become the public reception room, with a piano and other attractions. With these improvements, the Ocean House will become a very attractive watering place, and scarcely fail to tempt visitors from a distance as well as from the city. If the proper authorities, whoever they may be, would make the roads along the Beach all that they ought to be, nothing would be wanting to make this one of the most enjoyable retreats in Canada. The proprietors of the hotel have done much in this direction themselves, but it is not properly their work and it is unfair that the burden should fall upon them."


"The Brant House is the name of a new summer hotel located at Wellington Square, upon the Simcoe Kerr estate, which, as our citizens are aware, is one of the finest sites for such an enterprise to be found in the country."

Hamilton Spectator May 22, 1876

Across the harbor from the city of Hamilton, in the north east corner of Burlington Bay, a new location for picnics and other enjoyments was nearing completion on May 22, 1876.

The Brant House would soon be one of the favourite destinations for Hamiltonians wishing to escape the city for the day:

"The necessary wharves are in course of construction for the accommodation of pleasure steamer, yachts, etc., and such enlargements and additions to the existing buildings are being made as will afford ample accommodation for pleasure seekers. The grounds are extensive and beautiful, the air pure, the means of access cheap and plentiful, and the additional attraction is furnished by the historic interest attached to the former council ground and burial place of the great Brant. The house bids fair to be a powerful competitor for public favour." To promote passenger traffic to the Brant House as well as locations on the Beach Strip, the owners of two steamers provided free rides on May 20, 1876:

"On Saturday afternoon, the pleasure steamers the Florence and Transit made a free trip to the Beach, carrying passengers. There was a large crowd on board and all seemed to enjoy the trip. The Transit made to the Beach from her wharf in thirty minutes, and ran very smoothly."
 

Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#46
Scott,
“From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.

… The Perry House burned in April, 1918, victim of a spark from a passing train. Flames this time burned the Cataract Power Company's high tension wires so that for a time the radial cars were unable to run. Fortunately, within a few months, John Perry was operating the Lakeside Hotel on the same site. (The new hotel building cost $120,000, and re¬mained until the new Canal bridge was built in the 1950's).”

if it did, it would seem to indicate that the Lakeside Hotel was on the north side of the canal.

Can I ask you to indicate which side of the canal the various hotels were located on? and where they were located in relation to each other.

Here is the URL for the thread ‘Hotel Brant’.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1771.html
________________________________________
The Lakeside was definitely on the south side of the canal. Today the road comes across the canal on the lake side of the lighthouse. Earlier it came across on the Bay side of the lighthouse. There is a picture on this site of the Lakeside Hotel on the old road. It was just past the lighthouse keeper's house. Just about the same spot that Corey Hotel sat in 1833. I don't know for sure exactly where it was but Baldry's was right in that area as well. People stayed there overnight to catch the early ferry. Thompson often makes comments about things going on at Baldry's so it was close enough for him to be able to see details of the happenings there. I'm sure Scott will have more answers and I would also like to know where The Sportsman Arms was.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#47
Scott,
““From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.

“On December 20th, 1874, George Thompson wrote that "The Old Tavern burned." The embers glowed until the 30th. About a month later, three men from Hamilton came to look at the site, and within four days work had begun on a new tavern. "The Old Tavern" was Baldry's. From its ashes, like the phoenix, rose a new hotel, the Ocean House.

Drogo,
do you think that any news paper articles on the opening of the Ocean House, would indicate whare Baldry's had been located in relation to the Ocean House?
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
2
18
#48
Scott,
““From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.

“On December 20th, 1874, George Thompson wrote that "The Old Tavern burned." The embers glowed until the 30th. About a month later, three men from Hamilton came to look at the site, and within four days work had begun on a new tavern. "The Old Tavern" was Baldry's. From its ashes, like the phoenix, rose a new hotel, the Ocean House.

Drogo,
do you think that any news paper articles on the opening of the Ocean House, would indicate whare Baldry's had been located in relation to the Ocean House?
I have some news articles. I will take and look and see what I have.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#49
Drogo
“I have some news articles. I will take and look and see what I have.”

Drogo, thank you. While you are looking at the news articles, could I possibly ask you to watch for something else as well?

This page indicates that there was another hotel to the south of the Ocean House, that wasn’t destroyed. Can I ask you to see if the name of that hotel is noted?

“The Ocean House, just south of the Burlington Canal was burned down on the 17 July along with the Grand Trunk platform and telegraph office. The Burlington Fire Dept. managed to save another hotel to the south of the Ocean House.”
http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/brookes/default.asp?ID=Y1895
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
481
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#50
scotto
07-07-2013, 12:51 PM
“From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.


As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach. The best known, and still the oldest operating tavern in Ontario is Dynes, established in 1846. City folks gladly braved the deplorable dirt road or the choppy ride
across the Bay in order to enjoy one of John Dynes' famous fish or duck dinners.” …”The Ocean House was a popular resort until Wednesday, July 17th, 1895. On that day, the hotel was unusually busy as the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and the Victoria Yacht Club were having" a joint regatta.
According to the Hamilton Herald report, when one of the Ocean House bartenders opened the cellar door, smoke and flames poured out. Within minutes, the whole annex was ablaze, and soon after the entire hotel went with it. Hamiltonians could see the flames across the Bay. Many watched from the tower of the City Hall and other vantage points in the city.”

Scott, this Wikipedia page states that when the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club built its facility on the beach, The Department of the Interior and Department of Marine and Fisheries leased a water lot to it.

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

do you know anything about these departments on the beach?
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
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#51
A bit more about the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.

1896 – “The schooner W. J. SUFFELL was no respecter of the high and mighty of Hamilton society. On her way down from Cleveland with a cargo of coal, she scooted into the Burlington Canal with the aid of a good north-east wind. Capt. Corson, doing something like the proverbial
"sixteen knots and a Chinaman"
, was steering pretty close to the south pier all the way through, so that the schooner's big main boom was extending over the pier and ripped the porch off the prestigious home of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.”
http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/Brookes/default.asp?ID=Y1896#p16.96.37
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#52
scotto
11-08-2013, 05:09 PM
Scott,
(1) what was the ‘Canal Reserve’? and who gave the orders to ‘clean it up’?
(2) did the construction of the ‘canal bridge’ in the 1950’s, have anything to do with the end of the ‘Lakeside Hotel’? was this ‘bridge’ the temporary bascule bridge’ that was built on the north side of the canal?
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-2173.html

if it did, it would seem to indicate that the Lakeside Hotel was on the north side of the canal.

Can I ask you to indicate which side of the canal the various hotels were located on? and where they were located in relation to each other.

Here is the URL for the thread ‘Hotel Brant’.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1771.html





“I have a map dated 1877 showing the "Canal Reserve" extending about one quarter on each side of the canal. I can only assume that the government of the day thought it to be of military importance in the event of any conflict. I cannot speculate on who would order a clean up without the facts to back it up.”

Scott, I presume that you meant the ‘canal reserve’ extended ¼ miles on either side of the canal? If this is correct, then given what I indicated in the previous post,it would seem to mean that the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, was built on the ‘reserve’. So other than the light house and the light house keeper’s dwelling, were there any other buildings on the canal reserve? And if there were, then what was the point of the canal reserve?
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#53
Scott, I presume that you meant the 'canal reserve' extended ¼ miles on either side of the canal? If this is correct, then given what I indicated in the previous post,it would seem to mean that the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, was built on the 'reserve'. So other than the light house and the light house keeper's dwelling, were there any other buildings on the canal reserve? And if there were, then what was the point of the canal reserve?
The Yacht Club isn't shown on the map because it wasn't built yet, shown on the map is one building on the north side of the canal that is unnamed and the railway swing bridge. On the south side the Ferryman has a house just behind the lighthouse, south of that are three buildings belonging to the Perry's and south of their land is the Ocean House. The lighthouse keeper's house (there are two buildings) is on the bayside of the roadway and a small parcel of land is sectioned off and the owner's name is unreadable.
Once again I can only assume the that the government of the day seen the military importance of the canal area, but 1877 is a long stretch from the War of 1812.
 

scotto

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#54
A little more info from Dorothy Turcotte's book, the Sand Strip.

The name of John Galt is usually associated with the settlement of the city of Guelph. However, there is a connection between Galt and the Canal. In the late 1820's, Galt stood on the banks of the Canal watching construction. It occurred to him that this was a very important development,
both commercially and militarily. With the new Desjardins Canal cut through Burlington Heights, and now the Burlington Canal, he would be able to take supplies to his settlement
at Guelph so much more easily. Galt applied to the lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, Sir Peregrine Maitland for a grant of three or four acres on each side of the Canal on which to built a wharf, a warehouse, a general store, and facilities for a manager. It would be the start of a commercial village to be operated by Galt's employers, the Canada Company. Galt got his land in 1827, but the directors of the Canada Company were less than enthusiastic about the project. They wanted Galt to devote his time to selling land to settlers at Guelph.
At about this time, a group of 57 immigrants arrived at the Canal en route to Guelph. They had been sent to Venezuela before being shipped back to New York, and from there to Canada. They were all in poor health, too weak to work, and on the verge of starvation. Galt dipped into the Canada Company funds to arrange for their accommodation while they recovered from their ordeal. He also gave each family 50 acres of land. When the Canada Company found out, they
were scandalized and immediately dismissed Galt. Thus ended his dream of a settlement at the Canal.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#55
Scott,
“A little more info fro Dorothy Turcotte's book, the Sand Strip.

The name of John Galt is usually associated with the settlement of the city of Guelph. However, there is a connection between Galt and the Canal. In the late 1820's, Galt stood on the banks of the Canal watching construction. It occurred to him that this was a very important development, both commercially and militarily. With the new Desjardins Canal cut through Burlington Heights, and now the Burlington Canal, he would be able to take supplies to his settlement at Guelph so much more easily. Galt applied to the lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, Sir Peregrine Maitland for a grant of three or four acres on each side of the Canal on which to built a wharf, a warehouse, a general store, and facilities for a manager. It would be the start of a commercial village to be operated by Galt's employers, the Canada Company. Galt got his land in 1827, but the directors of the Canada Company were less than enthusiastic about the project. They wanted Galt to devote his time to selling land to settlers at Guelph.
At about this time, a group of 57 immigrants arrived at the Canal en route to Guelph. They had been sent to Venezuela before being shipped back to New York, and from there to Canada. They were all in poor health, too weak to work, and on the verge of starvation. Galt dipped into the Canada Company funds to arrange for their accommodation while they recovered from their ordeal. He also gave each family 50 acres of land. When the Canada Company found out, they were scandalized and immediately dismissed Galt. Thus ended his dream of a settlement at the Canal.”

Scott, this reads as if the Desjardins Canal had been completed in the 1820’s. it wasn’t. it wasn’t finished until 1837. The Desjardins Canal Company itself, was only incorporated in 1826.

“On 30 January 1826, the Desjardins Canal Co. was incorporated. It was the brain-child of one Peter Desjardins, who realized that the digging of a channel through Burlington Beach was about to change Burlington Bay into Hamilton Harbour. Therefore, he decided that a tail should be added, extending westward through the Dundas Marsh to the village of Dundas. This village had grown up along the banks of Spencer's Creek, which supplied excellent water-power, and Dundas together with Crook's Hollows, above the Escarpment, was becoming an industrial area of some importance. It was logical that a good means of transport would be an asset, but Dundas would wait eleven years for this project to bear fruit.”
http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/Brookes/default.asp?ID=S2#p02.11

“Wednesday, 16 August 1837, was a gala day in Dundas. At long last the Desjardins Canal was officially opened "in great pomp and parade", to use the words of the Hamilton Gazette. The steamboat EXPERIMENT,"as gay as a newly decorated bride" led the way, followed by the BRITANNIA, crowded from stem to stern. Bringing up the rear was the
"new and beautiful little BURLINGTON, built purposely, we understand, for the canal by that enterprising and worthy gentleman, William Chisholm, Esq., M.P.P."
To quote further from the Gazette, -
"We believe that Dundas never before presented so gay a scene, the streets, hotels, etc. being completely crowded. We understand that everything went off most pleasantly during the day, but we regret to say, not so pleasant during the evening - as Solomon knows to his cost!"
The reporter is referring to Solomon Brega, a newspaper publisher, who, as a result of the political heat of the times, plus an overdose of wine, became so foul-mouthed that he was hurled bodily through the front door of the hotel. This was hardly a suitable ending for such an auspicious occasion, but then, these were exciting times.”
http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/Brookes/default.asp?ID=Y1837#p04.37.8

and I don’t think it was for some years after the Desjardins Canal opened to Dundas, that the road was carved out through the forest from Dundas to Guelph.






***************
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
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#56
scotto
07-07-2013, 12:51 PM
From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.


As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach. The best known, and still the oldest operating tavern in Ontario is Dynes, established in 1846. City folks gladly braved the deplorable dirt road or the choppy ride
across the Bay in order to enjoy one of John Dynes' famous fish or duck dinners.
Dynes Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1882, but was quickly rebuilt. Its grounds were the site of many large picnics and sports events. For example, when the plumbers and gasfitters held their picnic at Dynes, about 600 people attended to enjoy baseball, swimming races off the floating wharf, a fishing match, and dancing to Makins' string band. For many years, Dynes was headquarters for the Annual Beach Fete which featured swimming and boating races, sports, and even in later years, aviation stunts over the lake. When Dynes discontinued the Fete, it was carried on by another group of people under the name of Beach Day.
Other hotels along the Beach were Wells' Tavern, the Lakeside, the Sportsman's Arms, Corey House owned by Jake and Lou Corey, Perry's Hotel and Martin's Pleasure Gardens. The best of these hotels had wharfs on the bayside of the beach strip. Steamers from Hamilton brought boatloads of fun-seekers to these wharfs and, the proprietors hoped, into the hotels. Ontario and Mazeppa were two of the popular ships on this run.
On one occasion, the steamer Ontario had trouble docking at Martin's in rough weather. Some of the passengers were impatient and began to jump from the ship onto the wharf. Rotten planks on the dock gave away, plunging some of the people into the bay. Three children were drowned. At the investigation which followed, emotions ran high with the proprietor being accused of neglect and even murder. In the end, however, no charges were laid.
On December 20th, 1874, George Thompson wrote that "The Old Tavern burned." The embers glowed until the 30th. About a month later, three men from Hamilton came to look at the site, and within four days work had begun on a new tavern. "The Old Tavern" was Baldry's. From its ashes, like the phoenix, rose a new hotel, the Ocean House.
When the Ocean House opened for business in May of 1875, Captain Campbell, who replaced George Thompson as lighthouse keeper, reported that more than 430 vehicles crossed the Canal by ferry to visit the new establishment.
The following year, the Birley brothers added an annex to the Ocean House. It contained a bowling alley, billiard room, a bar, and a ballroom.”

Scott, this page indicates that the Ocean House was built in 1874, with and addition in 1876, and an annex added later.

“The Ocean House, just south of the Burlington Canal was burned down on the 17 July along with the Grand Trunk platform and telegraph office. The Burlington Fire Dept. managed to save another hotel to the south of the Ocean House. The hotel had been built by the late N. F. Birely in 1874 and enlarged in 1876. Some years later, an annex was erected. The property was owned by the Birely Estate and the hotel was managed by the Birely Brothers.

http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/Brookes/default.asp?ID=Y1895
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
481
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#57
scotto
07-07-2013, 12:51 PM
“From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.


As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach. The best known, and still the oldest operating tavern in Ontario is Dynes, established in 1846. City folks gladly braved the deplorable dirt road or the choppy ride
across the Bay in order to enjoy one of John Dynes' famous fish or duck dinners.
Dynes Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1882, but was quickly rebuilt. Its grounds were the site of many large picnics and sports events. For example, when the plumbers and gasfitters held their picnic at Dynes, about 600 people attended to enjoy baseball, swimming races off the floating wharf, a fishing match, and dancing to Makins' string band. For many years, Dynes was headquarters for the Annual Beach Fete which featured swimming and boating races, sports, and even in later years, aviation stunts over the lake. When Dynes discontinued the Fete, it was carried on by another group of people under the name of Beach Day.
Other hotels along the Beach were Wells' Tavern, the Lakeside, the Sportsman's Arms, Corey House owned by Jake and Lou Corey, Perry's Hotel and Martin's Pleasure Gardens. The best of these hotels had wharfs on the bayside of the beach strip. Steamers from Hamilton brought boatloads of fun-seekers to these wharfs and, the proprietors hoped, into the hotels. Ontario and Mazeppa were two of the popular ships on this run.
On one occasion, the steamer Ontario had trouble docking at Martin's in rough weather. Some of the passengers were impatient and began to jump from the ship onto the wharf. Rotten planks on the dock gave away, plunging some of the people into the bay. Three children were drowned. At the investigation which followed, emotions ran high with the proprietor being accused of neglect and even murder. In the end, however, no charges were laid.
On December 20th, 1874, George Thompson wrote that "The Old Tavern burned." The embers glowed until the 30th. About a month later, three men from Hamilton came to look at the site, and within four days work had begun on a new tavern. "The Old Tavern" was Baldry's. From its ashes, like the phoenix, rose a new hotel, the Ocean House.
When the Ocean House opened for business in May of 1875, Captain Campbell, who replaced George Thompson as lighthouse keeper, reported that more than 430 vehicles crossed the Canal by ferry to visit the new establishment.
The following year, the Birley brothers added an annex to the Ocean House. It contained a bowling alley, billiard room, a bar, and a ballroom.
The new hotel brought so many excursionists to the Beach that a writer in The Times on August 21st, 1879

complains that "the sidewalks from the Canal to the Ocean House are blocked by a lot of hucksters, targets for shooting and other obstructions . . . the hucksters come not only from Hamilton and vicinity, but from Toronto, Caledonia and other places. . . If the annoyance is allowed to go on it will seriously affect the popularity of the Beach."
In the spring of 1895, however, steps were taken to tidy up the Canal Reserve. A photographer's gallery, an ice cream stand, an ice house and a candy shop were ordered removed. Seats were placed under the trees, and orders were given that swimming in the Canal and camping were forbidden.
The Ocean House was a popular resort until Wednesday, July 17th, 1895. On that day, the hotel was unusually busy as the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and the Victoria Yacht Club were having" a joint regatta.
According to the Hamilton Herald report, when one of the Ocean House bartenders opened the cellar door, smoke and flames poured out. Within minutes, the whole annex was ablaze, and soon after the entire hotel went with it. Hamiltonians could see the flames across the Bay. Many watched from the tower of the City Hall and other vantage points in the city. Those who owned boats went out onto the Bay to watch the conflagration. The resort was never rebuilt.”

It seems that the Ocean House Hotel had an outdoor skating rink (for some reason called ‘the New York Skating Rink’). In 1885 , the rink was redesigned by architect Charles Willer Mulligan.
http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/architects/view/1496

I wonder when the skating rink was first built.
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#58
scotto
07-07-2013, 12:51 PM
“From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.


As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach.Other hotels along the Beach were Wells' Tavern, the Lakeside, the Sportsman's Arms, Corey House owned by Jake and Lou Corey, Perry's Hotel and Martin's Pleasure Gardens.
There seems to be some confusion on my part about the different hotels that were in business near the canal, mostly the Lakeside Tavern. I had thought that the Perry Hotel and the Lakeside were different buildings, but looking at the attached pictures, the first shows the Perry Hotel with the family posing outside, the second is the in my opinion the same building but it has sign on the front with Lakeside posted on it.
The third is the Lakeside Tavern that was removed to allow the construction of the road for the new Lift Bridge.
The last is a picture showing the same direction, but with old Lakeside or Perry's building in the distance.

Perrys.jpg
Lakeside.jpg


Lakeside2.jpg
burl230.jpg







Thanks to the Hamilton Public Library
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#59
scotto
07-07-2013, 12:51 PM
From the book, "The Sand Strip" by Dorothy Turcotte.


“As the years went by, a number of hotels sprang up along the Beach. The best known, and still the oldest operating tavern in Ontario is Dynes, established in 1846. City folks gladly braved the deplorable dirt road or the choppy ride
across the Bay in order to enjoy one of John Dynes' famous fish or duck dinners.
Dynes Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1882, but was quickly rebuilt. Its grounds were the site of many large picnics and sports events. For example, when the plumbers and gasfitters held their picnic at Dynes, about 600 people attended to enjoy baseball, swimming races off the floating wharf, a fishing match, and dancing to Makins' string band. For many years, Dynes was headquarters for the Annual Beach Fete which featured swimming and boating races, sports, and even in later years, aviation stunts over the lake. When Dynes discontinued the Fete, it was carried on by another group of people under the name of Beach Day.
Other hotels along the Beach were Wells' Tavern, the Lakeside, the Sportsman's Arms, Corey House owned by Jake and Lou Corey, Perry's Hotel and Martin's Pleasure Gardens. The best of these hotels had wharfs on the bayside of the beach strip. Steamers from Hamilton brought boatloads of fun-seekers to these wharfs and, the proprietors hoped, into the hotels. Ontario and Mazeppa were two of the popular ships on this run.
On one occasion, the steamer Ontario had trouble docking at Martin's in rough weather. Some of the passengers were impatient and began to jump from the ship onto the wharf. Rotten planks on the dock gave away, plunging some of the people into the bay. Three children were drowned. At the investigation which followed, emotions ran high with the proprietor being accused of neglect and even murder. In the end, however, no charges were laid.
On December 20th, 1874, George Thompson wrote that "The Old Tavern burned." The embers glowed until the 30th. About a month later, three men from Hamilton came to look at the site, and within four days work had begun on a new tavern. "The Old Tavern" was Baldry's. From its ashes, like the phoenix, rose a new hotel, the Ocean House.
When the Ocean House opened for business in May of 1875, Captain Campbell, who replaced George Thompson as lighthouse keeper, reported that more than 430 vehicles crossed the Canal by ferry to visit the new establishment.
The following year, the Birley brothers added an annex to the Ocean House. It contained a bowling alley, billiard room, a bar, and a ballroom.
The new hotel brought so many excursionists to the Beach that a writer in The Times on August 21st, 1879 complains that "the sidewalks from the Canal to the Ocean House are blocked by a lot of hucksters, targets for shooting and other obstructions . . . the hucksters come not only from Hamilton and vicinity, but from Toronto, Caledonia and other places. . . If the annoyance is allowed to go on it will seriously affect the popularity of the Beach."
In the spring of 1895, however, steps were taken to tidy up the Canal Reserve. A photographer's gallery, an ice cream stand, an ice house and a candy shop were ordered removed. Seats were placed under the trees, and orders were given that swimming in the Canal and camping were forbidden.
The Ocean House was a popular resort until Wednesday, July 17th, 1895. On that day, the hotel was unusually busy as the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and the Victoria Yacht Club were having" a joint regatta.
According to the Hamilton Herald report, when one of the Ocean House bartenders opened the cellar door, smoke and flames poured out. Within minutes, the whole annex was ablaze, and soon after the entire hotel went with it. Hamiltonians could see the flames across the Bay. Many watched from the tower of the City Hall and other vantage points in the city. Those who owned boats went out onto the Bay to watch the conflagration. The resort was never rebuilt.
Other hotels on the Beach lasted longer, but some suffered the same fate.
In 1860, Mrs. Fish's tavern was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.
(The Perry House burned in April, 1918, victim of a spark from a passing train.) Flames this time burned the Cataract Power Company's high tension wires so that for a time the radial cars were unable to run. Fortunately, within a few months, John Perry was operating the Lakeside Hotel on the same site. (The new hotel building cost $120,000,)) and re¬mained until the new Canal bridge was built in the 1950's.”

Scott, this is somewhat vague, as it doesn’t clearly indicate if the Perry House was saved or burned down intirely. But the reference to the ‘new hotel building’ makes me think that it was totally destroyed.

I wonder if there were any 1918 news paper articles written on the Perry House fire that would shed some light on this.


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scotto

Administrator
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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#60
scotto

Scott, this is somewhat vague, as it doesn’t clearly indicate if the Perry House was saved or burned down intirely. But the reference to the ‘new hotel building’ makes me think that it was totally destroyed.

I wonder if there were any 1918 news paper articles written on the Perry House fire that would shed some light on this.


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I will have to look into this, looking through the pictures, Perry's hotel is the same identical building as the picture showing a sign with the Lakeside hanging on it. But as I wrote earlier, the Lakeside from the 50's is not. It is a completely different building. I will have to check the timelines.
 
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