On September 18, 1669, a small French expedition led by Robert Cavalier, Seigneur de la Salle, landed somewhere at the western end of Lake Ontario en route to the Indian village of Tinawatawa. It was believed that Read more
During the sixteenth and seventeenth century, several noted European explorers sailed westwards in a belief that they would discover a route to the Orient. Among those who crossed the Atlantic hoping to discover that a passageway existed was Robert Read more
From the first days of settlement, the Methodist church was central in the lives of the Rock Chapel community. The congregation was one of the earliest to be established at the Head-of-the-Lake and although there was no church building Read more
When the survey of West Flamborough Township was completed in 1793, this southeastern section of the township fronted onto the triangular water body that became known as Coote’s Paradise, so Concession 1 contained land that was almost entirely below Read more
The little settlement of Rock Chapel, located close to the brow of the Niagara Escarpment in the southeast corner of West Flamborough Township, covers just a small area – but its landscape tells the story of a rich geological Read more
In 1819, Alexander Brown was among the residents of East Flamborough Township who signed the circulated questionnaire from Robert Gourlay, commenting on the conditions and incentives for those interested in settling in Read more
The first European settler to establish himself on the escarpment in East Flamborough Township was Alexander Brown. Born in the Parish of Glencairn, Dumfriesshire, Scotland on December 24, 1776, he was just Read more
Between 1860 and 1870, the commercial section of Dundas Street was filled with hotels and taverns; directory listings of Waterdown businesses record that there were as many as eight hotels in operation during this decade – one more than Read more
During its long history as one of the oldest buildings in the Village of Waterdown, the American Hotel has changed little in appearance from its date of construction c.1824-1830.
Known by a number of names during its more than Read more
Settlement in Waterdown and eastwards along Dundas Street dates from 1806, almost immediately after the British Crown came to an agreement with the Mississauga Indians for the purchase of their lands which stretched from the East Flamborough Townline to Read more
