Memorial Park
Memorial Park, previously a sand and gravel quarry, was created to be actively used by the community in memorial to those who served in the Second World War. In 1946 a group of community minded citizens got together to develop a memorial park. This group used their own money to purchase 10 acres at the north end of the existing park, bordering Parkside Drive, for $1,275. The property was owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson and was a sand pit but as Mrs. Anderson was in favour of the development of the park, she sold the land at less than the appraised value.The group then formed the Waterdown and Community Memorial Park Committee which was comprised of representatives of the Waterdown Women’s Institute, the Waterdown Board of Trade, and the Waterdown Amateur Athletic Association, all of which had substantial influence.Between 1946 and 1949 the funds raised were enough to grade the property, seed it, install bleachers and floodlights and develop the origi-nal ball diamond, as well as pay back the original investors for the purchase of the property. Use of heavy equipment was donated, the Women’s Institute purchased the bleachers, and materials and seed were heavily discounted by the suppliers.In 1949 arrangements were made to purchase the remaining southerly portion of the land from Mrs. Anderson, for $2,000. The local Agricultural Society (Fall Fair Board) donated $300 towards this purchase, as well as $700 for grading and levelling. Mr. John Connon of Connon Nurseries was renting this land from Mrs. Anderson and he agreed to vacate the land and remove all of his shrubs and bulbs before May 1, 1950.On 18 August 1949 the Waterdown Review re-ported that the park was officially dedicated as a memorial to the more than one hundred residents from the village and township who has served in W.W.II and to the “Memory of the Fallen’, in particular the eight young men from the area who had died overseas.Waterdown Memorial Park is an integral part of the community and provides a family friendly green space in the heart of the town.
The Wallace House
Built c.1845 by Burwell Griffin, this fine stone residence was once a farm house on property that extended northwards to Parkside Drive and from Hamilton to Mill Street. Originally designed to face Dundas Street, the lane which led to this house later became the well travelled village road known as Main Street. One of the earliest buildings in the village, the land on which the Wallace house sits passed through a succession of owners before it was sold in 1846 to William Magill. Magill is regarded as the builder as its late Georgian and Neo-Classical features date c. 1840-1850, and its position faces Dundas Street and not the toll road built in 1853 (present day Main Street). Its Salt Box shape is particulary interesting as it is a design commonly seen in New England but rarely seen in this area of Ontario, especially as a feature of a stone construction. In 1853 the property was sold to Hugh Creen, described in the 1865 Wentworth County District as a “gentleman”. Hugh Creen was the father of John Creen, Proprietor of the Upper Mill Site in Waterdown in the 1860’s. In 1951 the house was purchased by renowned architect and restoration expert Arthur Wallace and his wife.
103 Main Street North
On the corner of Main Street and Cedar Street, this typical centre gable, one-and-a-half storey home dates from the late 1860’s. It was once owned by the Smith family, well known Market Gardeners. The farm, one of the largest in the area, was irrigated by a huge water tank filled with water pumped from a swamp which was located behind Cedar and John Street.
The Clunes
This fine Waterdown residence, built c. 1900, was once the home and office of Dr. John Owen McGregor. Dr. McGregor, who began his career as a general practitioner in Dundas, came to Waterdown in 1884 and was widely known throughout the area as a kind, hard-working doctor.During his lifetime he served as a member of County Council, Director of the Union Cemetery, and owner of both a drugstore and meeting hall. Dr. McGregor died in 1928 after administering to the sick in the district for 48 years. The unusual house was constructed by John Reid, a builder well known throughout the Waterdown area for his unique architectural style.
The Flamborough Review
The Flamborough Review has been circulated weekly throughout the area since May, 1918 when Mr. Harold Green published the first edition. Prior to moving to this location in the 1950’s the paper was published in the old Bell Tower, which was situated where Memorial Hall stands, and then from a building on Flamboro Street. The upstairs of this two storey structure was designed as a residence but has now been converted into offices to accommodate publication of the paper. When the Flamborough Review was first published the editors printed three hundred copies for the area. The former Flamborough Review building has been renovated into a commercial/residential space.
The Royal Coachman
Waterdown’s hotels at one time numbered nine, most of them located along Dundas Street. The earliest record of a hotel upon this corner is in 1868 when William Heisse was listed as a Hotel Keeper. Patrick Kirk purchased the small frame hotel in 1888 and it remained in this family until 1966. Soon after the Kirk Family took possession they enlarged the building, likely to accommodate passengers of the three different stage coach routes that passed through Waterdown.In the hotel’s early days, a night’s lodging cost only $1.50 and whisky was 3 cents a glass. During its first years, the Kirk was one of the sites of local agricultural salesman John Prudhams annual banquet. A small stream once crossed through what has since become a parking lot and was used to save the building during the dramatic fire of 1922.
The Crooker House
Now a commercial establishment, this Victorian mansion built in 1884 was originally the home of one of Waterdown’s most successful merchants, William H. Crooker. The beautiful red brick house retains much of its original landscaping. The coach house, originally located at the rear of the property, was relocated to the west side of the home. Both W.H. Crooker and his son Frederick operated a general store on the corner of Main and Dundas Streets from the last decade of the nineteenth century, to 1922 when it was destroyed by one of the fires that occurred in the village core during the first quarter of the twentieth century. F. Crooker later served as both village postmaster and reeve. Dr. Reginald Perkins used the building as both residence and office during the ‘40s and ‘50s.
The White House
Long known as ‘The White House,’ this one-and-a-half storey white painted stucco house was built in a style typical to the period of 1860-1875, with features such as a traditional centre gable and matching front facade. It has served as a residence and commercial establishment that has included a seamstress, a ceramics store, and a tearoom. Gillian Niblett, former owner of ‘Tea at the White House’, once famously had her scones purchased and served to The Rolling Stones on a flight to Vancouver.The building has been restored , and has been named ‘The Teahouse’.
The Smith-Carson House
One of the few private residences remaining on Dundas Street, this ornate and unusual Victorian house was built by Waterdown carpenter John Reid; it has been the home of two well-known village residents. During the first half of the twentieth century it was owned by Reeve Richard "Dick" Smith who, after the 1922 fire had destroyed much of the village core, suggested that only fireproof buildings be erected in the centre of the village. Cecil Carson of Fred Carson & Sons bought the property in the 1950s and it remains in the ownership of the Carson family today. Fred Carson & Sons was the company responsible for building the village water-works and for paving the Mount Hope airstrip.
Northeast Corner of Dundas and Hamilton Street
Until the 1980s, the northeast corner of Dundas and Hamilton Street included a white house that was once the Brown family Restaurant – a favourite hangout of Waterdown High students in the 1930s and 1940s. The building was also used as the campaign headquarters for Mrs. Betty Ward, who successfully ran for Mayor of the Township of Flamborough. The house was soon after demolished and a gas station/car wash built in its place. This closed in 2010.
St. Thomas Roman Catholic Cemetery
The origin of the St. Thomas Roman Catholic Cemetery is linked with the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in the Village of Waterdown. In 1846, Catholic pioneers had settled in sufficient numbers that a small wooden church was erected on the lands where the cemetery is located today. Prior to this, the people who had settled in the area were served by priests from Oakville and Dundas, and mass was often celebrated in homes.Even though the land had been used for a church and cemetery for a number of years, it was not legally church land until 1852 when Mr. Thomas English, who had purchased property from Alexander MacDonnell, generously donated it to the church. The land which is located outside of the western boundary of the village was not easily accessible from what is today known as Dundas Street. Memories of the old stone church are filled with stories of back-firing kerosene lamps charring the face of the illuminator, and a toilet facility located not only outside, but also across the road!As the parish grew, the need for a larger and more centrally located church arose. By 1915 a new church building was completed and opened on Flamboro Street, in the village proper, a location removed from the cemetery. When the structure was completed, the old church was allowed to fall into disuse and was eventually demolished in 1937.The land continues to be used as a cemetery, and is managed today by the Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Hamilton. The cemetery entrance is a long driveway with a canopy of maple trees, ending at the location of the old church. The earliest internment dates from 25 February 1847, although some monuments commemorate pioneer burials from as early as 1809. Among the notable monuments is one to Thomas English, the founder of this early village cemetery. Many of the burials commemorate early village pioneers who came from counties in Ireland. Over 235 stones, some weathered with age, others more modern, which speak of love and devotion are still to be seen in this peaceful burial ground.
Maple Lawn
Constructed c. 1880 this home has several fine features including a wide front verandah and decorative bargeboard. Mr. Harold Greene, the first publisher of the Waterdown Review lived in the house for a brief period c.1918-1919, and a few of the early papers are believed to have been produced in the carriage house.
Methodist New Connexion Church
This building was constructed c.1859 as the Canadian Wesleyan Methodist New Connexion Church. After only 25 years the congregation joined with the Wesleyan Methodists on Mill St. and the building became the Sunday School for the two churches. Converted into a private residence, changes in the exterior of the building include the position of the front door and bricked windows.
St. Thomas Parish Church, Flamboro Street
The first Catholic Church in the village was erected in 1846. This structure was replaced in 1864 by a more permanent stone church, in use until this building was erected. The corner stone for the building was laid in 1914 by His Excellency, Bishop Dowling. St. Thomas Church was dedicated in 1915 and houses The High Altar originally used in the old church. The church has since been converted to condominiums.
Glenlea
This two storey, red brick home with white brick decoration above the windows and door was built c. 1860. The building was possibly constructed for Chas. Sealey, First Reeve of Waterdown, who owned this property which extended south to Snake Road and west to Hamilton Street.
Former Wesleyan Methodist Parsonage
One of the finer stone houses in Waterdown, this attractive home with its “gingerbread” trim was built c.1859. Set in a beautifully landscaped garden that has been largely planted in the last decade, the house was originally erected to serve as the Wesleyan Methodist Manse. Although the house appears to be built of stone, the clever builder actually used rubble stone and mortar and then “dressed” it to give the impression of cut stone.
Sealey Park
The tiny stone building situated on this property, is all that remains of the large two storey, eight room Waterdown Public and High School that opened in 1853. The first Entrance Exams taken in Ontario were written in this building in 1873. When the building became over-crowded and in poor repair, a new Public School was erected on Mill Street North and the property was purchased by W. O. Sealey, Reeve of East Flamborough, who deeded it to the village as a park. Today the building is used by many community groups.
88 Main Street South
This two storey was home constructed c.1850 by Mr. Carson as a wooden frame building. The building has been re-clad with blue-grey siding and sports a coral front door. Set close to the road it has a delightful rock garden that separates the house from the sidewalk.
Union Street
Union Street is lined with homes built in a variety of styles and materials. This street was part of Ebenezer Griffin’s holdings which were subdivided into individual parcels and allotted to the heirs of his estate in 1856. The frame houses on the street dating from the 1840s include numbers 2, 3, 14, 17, 24, and 36. The most unusual house is number 20, built of stone during the Edwardian period. Hill Street, which no longer exists, used to run from the corner of Union and Mill Street towards the City of Hamilton.
Smokey Hollow
Today the Grindstone Creek swiftly flows into Smokey Hollow and over the Great Falls. Little evidence remains to suggest that this stream was once so large and powerful that it supplied numerous mills with the power needed to operate heavy machinery. As late as 1890 Smokey Hollow was the site of two large mills, fourteen buildings, three houses and nine outbuildings.The valley was filled with so much industrial activity that it indeed was a Smokey Hollow. By the late 1880s when the water power of the Grindstone Creek began to decrease the use of steam power in the mills became necessary because it required much less water. Unfortunately, it was also more hazardous and the explosion of the steam boilers often resulted in disastrous fires. By 1912, all of the mills in the valley had ceased production. A large scale transformation of Smokey Hollow was completed in 1994. An area once the heartland of Waterdown’s industrial prosperity is now a public park where people may enjoy both the beauty and history of the area.
The Howland Mill
From this area of Mill Street, a lane went past Howland’s Waterdown Flouring Mill and continued along the creek. Howland’s Mill, also known as The Torrid Zone Mill and the Waterdown Flouring Mill was built for Sir William Pearce Howland or Toronto c.1860. This large three storey stone building was the largest mill at the Head-of-the-Lake, producing one hundred and fifty 300-pound barrels of flour a day, most of which were shipped to the Maritime provinces. By 1897, the property had been sold to Alexander Robertson who operated the mill until it burnt to the ground February 1910.
Cummer or Fraleigh House
This two storey stone house has been owned by several prominent Waterdown residents, including John Cummer, Oliver Aiken Howland, and Francis Farwell. John Cummer was the owner of a flour mill and an iron foundry during the 1850s. Oliver Aiken Howland was the son of Sir William Pearce Howland, the only American born ‘Father of Confederation’. Oliver was a former mayor of Toronto and proprietor of the Waterdown Flouring Mill in Smokey Hollow, using the house as his summer residence. Francis Farwell was the Administrator of Canada Coach Lines from 1931 to 1961.
Maplebank
Built c.1850 upon land purchased by Henry Graham in 1837, this stone house was bought by Peter Creen, a lumberman, for $5,000 in 1875. “Maplebank”, remained in the possession of the Creen family until 1974.Leather Street once passed along the south side of the house and led to a sawmill and a tannery built by Graham in 1831. The tannery, sold to Reid Baker in 1856, was converted into a rake snaith and cradle factory. By 1890 the entire site had been abandoned.
40 – 42 Mill Street South
Lockman A. Cummer erected these stone row houses probably in the late 1850s. In 1871 the property was acquired by Sir William Pearce Howland, owner of the Waterdown flouring mills, who rented the houses to mill workers.
The Griffin Cottage
Much of Waterdown’s early growth was shaped by the pioneering Griffin family, namely Ebenezer Culver and his brother Absalom. Together they brought great entrepreneurial business skills which influenced the development of Waterdown. Although the cottage is on property that passed through the Griffin family there is no legal evidence to confirm that the family built this cottage or lived here. The name is due to the fact that the cottage was on the road that E.C. Griffin had built in front of his property (presently known as Griffin Street) to allow him easier access to his industrial site.The cottage is the oldest structurally unaltered domestic dwelling in Waterdown. A brownish hue from the iron content of the local rubble stone of which it was constructed adds to the charm of this one-storey Regency cottage. A common feature of buildings constructed in the 1830s and 1840s is the central doorway with an elliptical transom and side lights. After Griffin’s death his property was sold to Thomas Dyke in 1849 for $200.
31 Main Street South
Constructed c.1857, this two storey clapboard structure was the site of Waterdown’s first telegraph office and for many years served as the village’s post office. J. B. Thompson served as post master from the 1860’s until the first decade of this century. The large frame building has undergone few major alterations and is a fine example of the buildings constructed in the 1800’s as a combined place of business and residence.
Franklin Street
The block south of Dundas Street between Franklin and Main Street South was the site of a disastrous fire in 1922. The fire started at a heading mill, a mill which produces the tops for barrels, at the south end of Franklin Street.The villages’ fire fighting equipment was a completely inadequate opponent for the fire which quickly spread across Dundas Street and down the east side of Main Street. Just two hours after the fire ignited, the core of the village was destroyed. No lives were lost in the Great Fire of 1922, but three residences and eleven businesses were destroyed resulting in $80,000 in damage.
Chestnut Grove
Built in 1880, “Chestnut Grove” is a house with historical importance as well as architectural beauty. The home was built for Charles Sealey, a prosperous lumber merchant and the first Reeve of Waterdown, around an earlier one. Such great care was taken by Mr. Sealey’s builder to match the original house, that today only an expert can detect evidence of an earlier building. Of the many architectural features, one can note the oak door with etched and frosted glass, and the ornately decorated second-storey porch above this handsome door which allows a fine view over the village. The many Horse Chestnut trees that grew in the neighbourhood probably influenced Charles Sealey to name his home “Chestnut Grove”. Astonishingly no damage was suffered during the fires of 1906, 1915 and 1922. Today the house is the home of a number of community services.
Memorial Hall
The site of what is now the Memorial Hall was originally occupied by a tall wooden building known as the Bell House and Tower; the tower housed an enormous cast iron bell that was rung during the workday to indicate curfew times and emergencies such as fires. Erected in 1874, it was the site of the village’s first election and council meetings. In 1920 the structure was declared unsafe. After its demolition the Waterdown Women’s Institute purchased the site and raised much of the funds to build a community hall to honour the Great War Veterans of 1914 to 1918. Construction began in 1922, and fortunately the building survived the fire of the same year. The clock tower that was once mounted on top of the hall had to be dismantled in 1948 when it was deemed unsafe. The bell from the original tower remains mounted in front of the Hall, even after extensive renovations in recent history.
The Crooker Fountain
Situated in front of the Waterdown Memorial Hall is the decorative fountain, purchased by his wife and dedicated to Frederick Wesley Crooker in 1930. Mr. Crooker was the postmaster for the village for more than 20 years, and at the time of his death in 1927 he was serving as Reeve of Waterdown. This water fountain is a fitting tribute to Mr. Crooker as he was responsible for the installation of the water-works system in the village.
319 Dundas Street East
On what is now a public parking lot, stood a building constructed in 1864. This building housed numerous Waterdown businesses including the Boadicea Hotel, Alton’s Meat Market and both Edward’s and Buchan’s Bakery. The original fieldstone used during construction was once seen at the rear, and the large baker’s ovens used in the early 1900’s remained in the back section of the building until its demolition.
Pickwick Books
Originally the J.T. Stock Building, the northwest corner of Mill and Dundas Street has housed commercial businesses since 1855. Typical of the mid-1800s merchant store design that included living quarters above, this building was also home to the first telephone line in Waterdown, installed in 1882. Around 1900, it became a harness shop, but a few years later it was used by the Trader’s Bank and subsequently the Royal Bank, who purchased the building in 1912. It has also served as a bakery, confectionary, butcher, grocery shop, dress shop, and antiques store. Pickwick Books now uses the old bank safe to display world history books.
Vinegar Hill and the Dundas Street Bridge
The name ‘Vinegar Hill’ has been used for this area of Waterdown since its beginnings, and may have been given because of the apple cider that was often produced on the numerous apple orchards and market gardens along the hill; without modern refrigeration, the cider fermented and developed a vinegary smell.Although its structure has been changed many times over the years, Fred Carson & Sons built the first substantial bridge over the new rail tracks in 1911. The bridge was rebuilt in 1964/65 and again in 1993. In June 1966, hundreds of people stood on the new structure to watch the Waterdown South Railway Station go up in flames. Though Gaffney Construction Company had recently requested to dismantle the station by fire, Waterdown Reeve Orly Gunby denied permission as the summer months were unsuitable for controlled fires; however, vandals finished the job themselves.
Board Street
Once leading down to the Vance House (later converted into the Waterdown South Railway Station) as well as Will Reid’s barn, Board Street was also the site of several small mills between 1835 and 1910. The coming of the railway through the Grindstone Creek valley forced these mills to close as the creek was rerouted to the west side of the valley and the railroad followed much of the original creek bed. Board Street led to the busy Waterdown South Rail station after the railroad opened in 1912.
The Railway
Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway line along the bed of Grindstone Creek began in 1910. By 1911 the bridges had been built and in 1912 the railway line in Waterdown was opened. The large two storey house that served as the railway station was located east of the tracks, just north of the bridge at the base of Vinegar Hill. After 1950 passenger trains no longer stopped at this station, and in 1962 it was finally closed. The station house was burnt to the ground by vandals on June 23, 1966.
The Kirby House
Originally part of a Crown Grant to E.C. Griffin in 1837, this house is one of the oldest in the village. Ownership is unclear between 1839 and 1855, though it was owned by members of the Horning family between 1855 and 1863. The rear section of the house dates from the 1839-1855 period, while the front one-and-a-half-storey board and batten section dates from 1860 to 1870. One of its most impressive features was its wooden verandah which had ornate brackets, matching the trim on the gable.. During the first half of the twentieth century the backyard contained a large greenhouse, which was used for market gardening when William Balfour owned the house.
Avonsyde
The land on which the house stands was originally part of a 200 acre Crown Grant awarded to King’s College on 3 January 1828. In 1839 the property was divided into two lots. The house was built for the Forbes family in 1857, and constructed on the northern part of the lot. James Forbes, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland came to Canada c. 1830. He founded and operated the Forbes-Fisher Stove Foundry Company in Hamilton, but due to ill health, he sold his business and moved to East Flamborough with his family.“Avonsyde” (the name comes from a book read by Forbes’ grandchildren) was built in two stages, the back section being built first and the front facing Dundas Street later. Examination of the brickwork reveals a house that was constructed for show. The front facade is made of stretcher bond which gives a consistent and tidy image to the house, on the sides and rear a more practical brick work is used which does not convey such a clean image. This type of building trick is commonly found on older stone houses but rarely seen on a brick building such as “Avonsyde”.
10 First Street
This Waterdown home was designed by architects McPhee, Kelly, and Darling in 1909 for Col. G. A. Inksetter, in 1922 it became the home of Col. John Connon and his family. The landscaping around the property was probably planned by the Connon family who operated gardens and nurseries in both the Waterdown and the Hamilton area.
The Union Cemetery
Located in an area known as Vinegar Hill in the North-east and oldest part of the village, the Union Cemetery contains over 800 monuments erected as memorials to early pioneers. A village school house was built on part of the property in 1827 and used by the Methodists on Sunday morning and the Presbyterians in the afternoon. The name Union Cemetery originates from another joint venture between the two churches when they agreed to share the cost of maintaining a burial ground in the village.The cemetery property was purchased from E.C. Griffin by George Bush in 1843, but it was almost certainly in use before this transaction occurred as over a dozen stones date from the 1830s and Griffin’s name appears on the original cemetery plan which is undated. In 1846 this property at the end of William Street was transferred to the Trustees of the Waterdown Chapel and in 1849 another plot was sold by Absolom Griffin, a prosperous mill owner and brother of E.C. Griffin to the Trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.On January 1, 1877, the Trustees sold the cemetery property for $400 to the Waterdown Cemetery Company with the deed naming the property as The Waterdown Burying Grounds.As one enters by the old-fashioned, hand-made turnstile and goes to the north-west section, one can find monuments dating from the 1830s. Names of many pioneers families are to be found on tombstones together with that of Dr. J.O. McGregor, who for over 50 years was a much-loved family physician in Waterdown. This well kept and tree-filled cemetery is owned and managed by the Cemetery Board of Waterdown and is still in use today.
8 Margaret Street
This interesting Victorian house was the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Reid and their family. Its many unusual features are the work of Mr. John Reid, a builder of note who owned a planing mill along the east bank of Grindstone Creek. It is said that the present large impressive house was built around a log cabin which may have been the original Reid home of the 1840s.
4 Margaret Street
A charming two storey board and batten house that has retained some of the original features such as the small round-headed centre gable window and side verandah. Remnants of the gingerbread trim that once graced the verandah remain in the decorative brackets on the posts. Among the recorded owners, the Hasselfeldt family, one of several notable German families in the village.
Raycroft Cottage
This charming cottage dates from the 1860 – 1870 period. Constructed of clapboard, overlaid with board and batten and with a low hip roof, it is one of a number of such cottages to be found in the village. Several well known Waterdown names appear in the Registry Book as owners of the property; Featherstones (1880s – 1920s), Vances (1930s), Shutts (1940s), and Hamiltons (1950s).
The Eager House
This beautiful Victorian residence was built for the Eager family c.1870 and remained in their ownership for three generations virtually unaltered. The house is constructed of cut stone with a rough cast and lime cement facing that was added around the turn of the century. The most noticeable features of the house are the unusual portico with intricate woodwork of a sun motif flanked by fans, and the beautifully carved barge board of the gables.
The Weeks Block, Mill Street South
This fine stone building is instantly recognizable to thousands of people in Flamborough and the surrounding area as once being the home of Weeks of Waterdown. The corner section of the block, constructed soon after Ebenezer Griffin’s purchase in 1821, was operated for 75 years as a general store by the Griffin Family. Location at the crossroads of trade and travel in the village probably ensured stable ownership as the building has changed hands only four times in the past 170 years – Eager Family (1880 – 1924), Weeks Family (1924 – 1972), and Smith Family (1972 – 1990) have operated a variety of general and hardware stores on this site.
The North American Hotel
The American Hotel, referred to in the past as both the North American Hotel and the American House, was built c.1824. It is one of the oldest hotels in Ontario, rising to importance during the period of stage coach travel. Although ownership has changed hands numerous times, the building has remained in operation as a hotel, closed only during prohibition. The two storey building once boasted a front verandah, an upstairs ballroom, and an archway on the Mill Street entrance which permitted carriages to drive through allowing ladies to go directly inside. The American Hotel contained the last old time stand-up bar in Ontario, and maintained segregated male and female front rooms until 1966.
Former Methodist Church
In 1838 the Wesleyan Methodists built a simple frame church on Mill Street North at a cost of $1,400, “to serve the settlers who previously had depended upon saddlebag preachers”. The 1865 Wentworth County Directory Listing for Waterdown describes the Methodist Church as “built of hand-hewn plank and capable of seating 400 persons”. That same year the building was covered in stone, and except for the addition of a Sunday School in 1880 and other minor alterations, the exterior has changed little since that date. In 1925 this Methodist Church building became the United Church of Waterdown. When a new church building was required by the congregation in 1957, it was built on Parkside Drive and the Waterdown Alliance Church bought this building for their congregation.The building currently is occupied by Birmingham Consulting.
The East Flamborough Township Hall
The East Flamborough Township Hall, virtually unaltered from the day it was constructed, is one of the finest examples of a mid-Victorian civic building in rural Ontario. Built of locally quarried limestone, the building consists of two rectangular storeys and a gabled roof crested by a cupola that distinguishes it as a public building. Construction of the hall began in 1856 after the town council agreed to appoint Messrs Stewart, Foster, and Morden to form a committee and seek a suitable price and site for a Town Hall. Walter Grieve, a Waterdown stonemason designed the plans, and John Graham, a carpenter was awarded the construction contract. By December 1857 the building was finished and found “satisfactory” by the Council.Over the years the hall became an important part in the civic and social life of the village. In 1858 the Episcopalian Church had use of the Gallery for their worship, in 1860 the Waterdown Mechanic’s Institute Library rented space. From 1858 the hall was used for elections, in the early 1900s the second floor was used by members of the Loyal Orange Lodge and during the 1920s it housed classrooms for senior students. In 1979 the building became the home of the Waterdown Library where it remained until 2015.The site is currently occupied by Brown Financial and Brown Lawyers, who performed extensive restoration to honour the heritage of the building.
29 Mill Street North
This is a fine one-and-a-half storey, red brick home constructed c.1870. The most notable feature is the fine wrap-around front verandah with unusual decorative bargeboard.
43 Mill St N
The small, milk chocolate coloured, one storey cottage is built of stone with a painted cement rendering. Built during the 1850s, local tradition has it associated with mills along the Grindstone Creek, notably as the office for Forstner’s sawmill c.1875 to 1901. It underwent extensive renovations in 2015.
Walnut Shade
“Walnut Shade” built c.1850, is of frame construction to which stucco has been applied. This symmetrical house with its truncated hip roof has none of the fancy features found on many of the homes on Mill Street North.
47 – 51 Mill Street North
According to local history, these two houses were once a single frame building constructed c.1870 and owned by the Salvation Army. Reportedly the building was cut in half by Frank Slater c.1900. There are numerous similarities in design between the two houses including a moderately pitched side gable roof and a one storey shed roof extending across the front of the houses.
107 Mill Street N
One of the finest buildings on Mill Street, it was probably built between 1850 and 1855. The stone cottage is part of the property that Absalom Griffin sold to David Davies for twenty five pounds in 1851. The large garage was moved from the Planing Mill across the street where it had been used to store coffins.
32 John Street
Built c.1889 for local blacksmith George Gilmer, the house is similar to both 19 and 33 John Street with matching centre gable and symmetrical facade. Behind the stucco and board and batten siding in this home is a layer of brick and plaster which provides the house with insulation. This method of construction was called “colombage” but was commonly referred to as foot-a-day construction, presumably because work proceeded at about that rate.
142 Main Street North
This two-and-a-half storey red brick residence was built c.1890 by John Prudham. Mr. Prudham was the farm implement dealer for the Waterdown-East Flamborough area. He used his house as his office where he took orders all winter from local residents for new machinery and equipment to be delivered to the Aldershot Railway Station early in the spring. Once all the farmers had collected their equipment from Aldershot they paraded back into the village, stored their horses in the hotel stables, and enjoyed a big banquet hosted by the implement agency. This building is noted for the two storey bays with tent roof, and the one storey verandah accented by decorative gardens along John Street.
19 John Street
Set close to the road this one-and-a-half storey house displays some of the Gothic Revival characteristics such as the three bay main elevation with central entry, flanking windows, and centre gable window. It is believed that the house was built c. 1865-1875, when the property was purchased by John Thomas Stock from the Creen family. Mr. Stock was a village merchant and owner of the building at the corner of Mill Street North and Dundas Street where the first telephone in Waterdown was installed, May 1882.
45 John Street
Henry Slater owned this house in 1910 although the date of construction for the building is probably closer to the turn of the century. Slater’s Mill was the last mill in Waterdown to operate on the banks of Grindstone Creek. This two storey residence has undergone extensive modifications including a large addition on the south-west side of the house.
168 Mill Street N
William Harris, a local blacksmith, purchased this lot in 1882 for $300.00. It is believed that the one-and-a-half storey frame dwelling was likely built at this time. The main house is L-shaped in plan with a cross gable roof. While the windows are primarily rectangular in shape, the gable end is enhanced with a semi-circular window.
Mary Hopkins School
In 1918 this property, which had been used as the fair grounds, was purchased as the site of the new school since the old one in Sealey Park had become overcrowded. Opened in January 1921, this large brick school was originally called the Waterdown and East Flamborough Union School Section No. 3. The High School occupied the upper floors until 1927 when a school was constructed on the corner of Dundas and Hamilton Street. The name of the school was changed to Mary Hopkins in 1964 in honour of the first teacher in Waterdown.
261 Mill Street N
This well kept Waterdown home, part of which may date from the 1860s, is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Once known as the Griffin Farm House, this building later housed a popular Bed and Breakfast establishment.
27 Wellington Street
Located on the north east corner lot of Wellington and Victoria Street, this sturdy two storey red brick house was once occupied by Hugh Drummond and his family. Built around the turn of the century, this home is noted for the decorative brickwork above the windows, especially the unusual design around the large first floor bay window.
19 Elgin Street
Facing onto Elgin Street, this corner home with front and side verandahs has had several additions made to it since construction c.1880-1890 and all have been well camouflaged. Originally a small frame cottage, local tradition has that the owner, Mr. Scanlon, a carpenter by trade, enlarged the house unknown to his wife – Mrs. Scanlon left for a visit to the U.S.A.. Mrs. Scanlon returned to a two storey house.
Nelson Street
Since the tiny cottages along Nelson Street are located close to the banks of Grindstone Creek they were often occupied by mill workers. There is no evidence of the sawmill that was situated on the creek directly below the east end of the street that operated from 1832 to 1905. This area is known locally as “Dutchtown”, a corruption of the word Deutschtown from the early families of German origin who found work in the mills and settled on the street.
1 Raglan Street
The small stucco over frame one-and-a-half storey house on the corner lot appears to face both Raglan and Victoria Street. Built in the traditional Ontario style of centre gable, its simplicity is typical of the houses built from 1860-1880 for the thousands of immigrants flooding into Ontario.
50 Victoria Street
Constructed upon land that was once owned by Christlieb John Slater, this building is believed to have been a casket factory during the 1880s. Note the decorative cupola and lamp post.
Slater’s Lumber Yard
The area surrounding Slater’s Lumber Yard was once referred to as the Upper Mill Site. From 1832 to 1901 this stretch of Grindstone Creek was lined with a cloth and carpet factory, an iron foundry, flour mills and sawmills. Slater’s Mill, the last of all mills once powered by Grindstone Creek, was built by John Forstner in 1875. It was owned and operated by the Slaters from 1901 to 1939. In 1926, employees of Slater’s Mill worked a ten hour day for twenty cents an hour, six days a week. Located on the west bank of Grindstone Creek where the Grindstone Mill Condominiums are now located, the buildings were destroyed by fire in the 1980s.
108 Mill Street North
This tiny frame cottage is probably the building referred to in Stock and McMonnies Survey of Village Lots in 1855. The house is balanced by a single large window on either side of the central door. A cistern built in 1910 is now covered by the new addition.
94 Mill Street North
This magnificent brick home, constructed c.1890, was designed by John Reid who was well known throughout the Waterdown area for his unique architectural style. Irregular in plan, the main body of the house is a one-and-a-half storey, with a two-storey square tower set diagonally to the main building, and a verandah on the east side of the house.
Knox Presbyterian Church
The first Presbyterian services in Waterdown were held in a school house on Vinegar Hill in 1830. By 1840 there were two Presbyterian churches in the village. In 1877 when the two churches united, the congregation began to gather in the old stone Knox building and the Sunday School met in St. Andrews Church. This impressive brick church was built to house the growing congregation and was dedicated in 1901.
Jack Slater House
Built in the 1880s or 1890s in Queen Anne style. In the early 1900s, Jack Slater purchased this house so that his son Herbie could have the tower bedroom where it was thought that the cool breezes would help his tuberculosis. Unfortunately it didn’t help.
62 Mill Street North
John Creen sold this property to prominent doctor William Philp in 1868 for $1,100.00. The one-and-a-half storey residence is one of many Waterdown homes constructed in the Gothic Revival style. It includes the traditional three bay elevation with centre door, flanking windows and a pointed arch window in the centre gable above the door.
The Cook House
This elegant cut-stone house is an outstanding early example of the Ontario Vernacular style with its rectangular shape, one and a half storeys and centre gable. The hand-cut stone on the front facade is particularly striking on this house. In the centre gable, is a large, ornate gothic window. The original front door with its porcelain door knob and porcelain door bell are still in use. A newspaper clipping, 3 February 1883 lists this house for sale and describes an orchard, French stable, a “driving house” at the rear and a view of Lake Ontario from its second floor. This building features coursed stone block on the front facade, and uncoursed stone rubble on the side walls. The house was constructed c.1865. Having been built on part of a large mill property, this building has been occupied by various owners of the lumber yard which was situated behind the home. Note the unusual recessed entry.
The Old Jam Factory
This large building located close to the Mill Street side-walk has been used for numerous industrial and commercial functions over the last hundred years. When it was constructed in the 1860s the structure was designed to house a store and a factory. Local history claims that Charles Sealey bought the factory in 1870 for his son in order to keep him in Waterdown. Since that time various stores, a flour and feed mill, and a toy factory have all operated from this location. In 1925 Harlan Stetler and George Nicholson moved their jam factory to the building and remained at this site until the 1980s.
