Did you know that:
- ...Hamilton has an area of 54.38 square miles or 38,055.04 acres, of which 5,641.98 acres are water?
- ...the phrase “Golden Horseshoe” was first used by Westinghouse President, Herbert H. Rogge, in a speech to the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce on 12 January 1954? “Hamilton in 50 years will be the forward cleat in a ‘golden horseshoe’ of industrial development from Oshawa to the Niagara River.
- ...Hamilton was incorporated as a police village in 1833 and as a city in 1846?
- ...the city’s motto is “Commerce, Prudence, and Industry”?
- ...at various stages in its history, Hamilton has been known as the “Birmingham of Canada”, “The Pittsburgh of Canada”, “The Electric City”, “The Ambitious City”, “Steel Town” and “Tiger Town”?
- ...Hamilton is twinned with nine other cities- Shawinigan, Quebec; Mangalore, India; Fukuyama, Japan; Racalmuto, Italy; Flint, Michigan; Ma’Anshan, China; Abruzzo, Italy; Sarasota, Florida; Monterrey, Mexico?
- ...Hamilton’s civic flower is the yellow chrysanthemum?
- ...the Royal Botanical Gardens encompass 2,700 acres of gardens and woodlands?
- ...the mean depth of Hamilton Harbour is 13 metres; the maximum depth is 25 metres?
- ...in 1912 the Hamilton Harbour Commissioners were formed by an Act of Parliament to take over administration of the harbour from the City?
- ...the first canal was dug through the Beach Strip in 1823?
- ...Burlington Heights was a major defensive strong point for British and Canadian forces during the War of 1812?
- ...King Street, York Street, John Street and Mohawk Road were once indigenous trails?
- ...established in April 1903, the Hamilton Automobile Club was the first such club in Canada?
- ...the first automobile race in Hamilton occurred on 8 August 1904?
- ...the Skyway Drive-In, Canada’s first drive-in, opened on the 10th of July 1946 at Highway 8 near Gray’s Road in Stoney Creek?
- ...Hamilton once had two incline railways which moved people up and down the escarpment- The Wentworth Street Incline and the James Street Incline?
- ...the Burlington Bay Skyway Bridge was opened on 30 October 1958 as a toll bridge? (Toll charges were abolished as of the 28th of December 1973.)
- ...the first public bowling alley in Hamilton opened in 1890 at the rear of the J.W. MacDonald Tobacco Shop at 66 James Street North?
- ...Hamilton was host of the first British Empire (Commonwealth) Games in 1930?
- ...the first Tim Horton’s was opened on May 17th 1964, on Ottawa Street North?
- ...three Lieutenant-Governors of Ontario have called Hamilton their home- Sir John Morison Gibson, 1908-1914; Sir John Strathearn Hendrie, 1914-1919; Lincoln Alexander, 1985- 1991?
- ...Canada’s first woman cabinet minister, Ellen Fairclough, is from Hamilton?
- ...Quinto Martini of Hamilton was the first Italian Canadian elected to Parliament?
- ...six Canadian stamps have been issued which directly relate to Hamilton- the United Empire Loyalist Statue stamp; the Hamilton and the Scourge stamp; the Royal Botanical Gardens stamp; the Adelaide Hunter Hoodless stamp; the Hamilton Sesquicentennial stamp and Ellen Louks Fairclough stamp?
