Canadian Heritage Books Blog

Canadian Black Friday/Cyber Monday Weekend Sale!

2011-11-23T13:02:00.004-05:00

CANADIAN Black Friday & Cyber Monday Weekend Sale!!

Save 70% off ALL of our books on our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com from Friday Nov. 25 - Monday Nov. 28.

Don't miss this once a year opportunity to save BIG and start your Christmas shopping!

http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com

The Prints of Oakville - summer of 1969

2011-11-18T10:17:00.006-05:00

Long before the marina was built, the Bronte lakefront was a very popular place! There was a nice sandy beach, with rows of cabins providing an escape from surrounding cities.

This picture from The Prints of Oakville, shows the crowded beach in 1969.

To purchase The Prints of Oakville, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Images of Burlington - Sky Club deck, Brant Inn

2011-11-17T11:12:00.009-05:00

The Sky Club at the back of the Brant Inn opened in 1935. It became a popular dining spot and offered dancing under the stars.

This picture (from Images of Burlington) was taken looking to the east and shows the Toronto-Hamilton Highway - today's Lakeshore Road.

To purchase Images of Burlington, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Salvage drive for war effort

2011-11-11T09:26:00.005-05:00

In 1941, at the request of the federal government, Hamilton began to collect bones, fats and greases from householders. All the money made from the sale of this collection (after expenses were deducted) was to be donated to some war charity.

Glycerine, which is an essential component of cordite (an explosive) can be derived from fats and greases. The meat shortages during the early 40's meant less fat was being salvaged. Therefore, Hamiltonians were encouraged to save fat and grease so that it could be used in the war effort.

Pictured here, the Flying Tigers did their part to help by collecting fat and bones.

To purchase Hamilton at War, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Lancaster bomber

2011-11-10T11:09:00.007-05:00

Hamilton's Westinghouse employees were involved in building Lancaster bombers, such as this one featured in Hamilton at War: On the home front.

To purchase Hamilton at War, please visit our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com

A look at Hamilton's war effort - Hamilton at War

2011-11-09T09:18:00.011-05:00

Something amazing happened in Hamilton during the years of the Second World War.

That brief period of time from 1939 to 1945 saw the city and its people create something so special that it was unlike anything they had known before.

The entire population banded together to speed the road to victory.

Never before and never since has Hamilton been so focussed on a single goal. They worked together to win the war on the home front and they succeeded beyond their wildest expectations.

Hamilton at War re-lives that exciting time with stories and photographs of the people and places that made the city such a vital example of the best that Canada had to offer.

In honour of Remembrance Day, we will be posting photos from our book, Hamilton at War, showing Hamiltonians supporting the war effort from home.

This first photograph shows a cavalcade of war weapons along York Blvd. in 1941.

To purchase Hamilton at War, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Book Signings

2011-11-03T14:17:00.007-04:00

The dates have been finalized for upcoming book signings for Gary Evans. Come out to local bookstores and book fairs in the Hamilton/Burlington area to meet Gary, purchase his books and have him sign them for you! Books from the Prints series and Memories of the Beach Strip will be some of the books he will be signing.

Nov. 4 - Coles Eastgate (3 - 5 pm)
Nov. 4 - Coles Limeridge (6:30 - 8:30 pm)
Nov. 11 - Head of the Lake Historical Society at the Coach House, Dundurn Castle (7:30 pm)
Nov. 12 - Waterdown Book Fair, St. James United Church, Waterdown (9:30 am - 3 pm)
Nov. 18 - Coles Eastgate (3 - 5 pm)
Nov. 18 - Coles Burlington Mall (7 - 9 pm)
Nov. 19 - Coles Limeridge Mall (1 - 3 pm)
Nov. 26 - Coles Limeridge Mall (1- 3 pm)
Dec. 2 - Coles Eastgate (3 - 5 pm)
Dec. 3 - Coles Burlington Mall (1 - 3 pm)
Dec. 17 - Indigo Heritage Greene (2 - 5 pm)

Please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com for more information.

http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com

Hamilton Spectator story on Memories of the Beach Strip

2011-10-25T09:40:00.007-04:00

Mark McNeil's (The Hamilton Spectator) story on Memories of the Beach Strip.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/613306--a-beach-like-no-other

To purchase Memories of the Beach Strip, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

OpenFile story on Memories of the Beach Strip

2011-10-21T14:23:00.005-04:00

Read Denise Davy's story in OpenFile on our newest book, Memories of the Beach Strip.

http://hamilton.openfile.ca/hamilton/text/beach-strip-memories-good-ol-days

To purchase Memories of the Beach Strip, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Book Launch for Memories of the Beach Strip

2011-10-05T15:59:00.003-04:00

Click on image to enlarge.

Memories of the Beach Strip is now available!!

2011-09-15T12:02:00.003-04:00

Memories of the Beach Strip is now available from our website! Be one of the first to get this unique new book on the Burlington/Hamilton beach area before it's in bookstores! Visit our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com to order your copy at 30% off today!

Now taking pre-orders of Memories of the Beach Strip!

2011-08-11T13:18:00.007-04:00

New book on the Burlington/Hamilton Beach Strip area to be released late Sept. 2011!

Save 30% by pre-ordering!!! Now on sale for $17.47 (reg. $24.95)

To pre-order your copy of Memories of the Beach Strip, please visit our website: http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

McMaster University Campus, 1947

2011-06-22T11:57:00.004-04:00

This 1947 photograph shows what the McMaster University campus looked like before a building boom took place on the campus. Main St. run across the bottom of the photograph and King St. can be seen going part way through the campus. The Sunken Garden can be seen to the left, in a location that is now home to the McMaster Medical Centre.

Visit http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com for more on The Prints of Hamilton.

Popular summer park

2011-06-20T09:07:00.004-04:00

The Beach Amusement Park attracted a lot of visitors as shown in this July, 1958 photograph. As the Skyway Bridge had not yet opened, most of the traffic on the Toronto-Niagara route was diverted along the beach.

Beach Amusement Park

2011-06-17T15:15:00.004-04:00

It's an empty field today, but for many years the Beach Amusement Park was located in this spot next to the Skyway Bridge in Burlington.

Visit our website: http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com for more on Prints Along the Beach.

One of the first cars in Burlington

2011-05-25T09:48:00.006-04:00

This early Packard was one of the first vehicles in Burlington. The car was owned by one of Burlington's most distinguished citizens of the early 1900s, A.B. Coleman, owner of the popular Brant Hotel and the Brant Inn.

See our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com for more information on The Prints of Burlington.

King Street, Hamilton

2011-05-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

King Street, looking west from Catharine St. The Waldorf Hotel, later the Royal Connaught, dominates this photograph taken in 1907.
To purchase The Prints of King, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Hamilton's first television station

2011-04-26T09:44:00.007-04:00

CHCH newscast rehearsal to see how the set designs register on camera just three days before the station went on air in June 1954.
Visit our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com to purchase First Here and learn more about early television in Hamilton.

Skyliner Ride

2011-04-21T10:21:00.004-04:00

This 1966 photograph shows the Skyliner ride at Van Wagners Beach, Hamilton. (click on photo to enlarge).
To purchase Prints Along the Beach, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Memories of Wentworth - Wentworth Courthouse

2011-04-15T11:35:00.005-04:00

Built in 1929, the Wentworth County Courthouse was located on Main St. between John and Catharine streets. The building was demolished in 1956 and a new courthouse was built, but it is now used by McMaster University.
To find out more and to purchase Memories of Wentworth, visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

East End Incline

2011-04-14T10:14:00.003-04:00

Built in 1895, Hamilton's East End Incline made 20,000,000 trips by the time it closed in 1936. The increase in popularity of the automobile meant the end of the incline railway. To learn more and to purchase Memories of Wentworth, visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Aerial photograph of QEW/Maple Ave. area

2011-04-13T10:26:00.007-04:00

QEW after the first phase of the Skyway Bridge was completed in 1958. Plains Road runs across the bottom of photograph and Maple Ave. is hidden underneath the row of trees. Mapleview Centre would years later be built where there once was an active market garden industry. To see more photos like this and to purchase Memories of Burlington, visit our website at: http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

QEW through Burlington in the early 1950s

2011-04-12T09:39:00.004-04:00

To purchase The Prints of Burlington, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

(click on picture to enlarge)

Hamilton Spectator story about Memories of Wentworth

2011-04-11T10:06:00.011-04:00

Want to know more about what happened to Wentworth County?
Read the Hamilton Spectator story about our newest book, Memories of Wentworth: http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/514636--wonder-where-the-wentworth-went

To purchase this book, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Brant Inn & Spencer Smith Park

2011-04-08T11:16:00.009-04:00

1950s aerial view of the Brant Inn and Spencer Smith Park. The area to the left would later become Joseph Brant Hospital.

(click on picture to enlarge)

http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com

Burlington's Spencer Smith Park in the early 1950s

2011-04-07T09:52:00.004-04:00

To purchase Memories of Burlington, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

We're on Twitter!

2011-03-01T09:36:00.004-05:00

We're now on Twitter! Visit @Canadian_Books for updates on our books as well as to learn more about the Burlington/Hamilton area! http://www.twitter.com/Canadian_Books.

Valentine's Special!

2011-01-28T13:57:00.005-05:00

Most of our books are already on sale for 30- 50% off the regular price on our website, but from Jan. 28th - Feb. 14th 2011, purchase a minimum of 2 books and you will also receive FREE SHIPPING!

Visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Memories of Wentworth - Gingerbread castle

2010-12-14T09:51:00.005-05:00

Indeed, while this building was often referred to as a gingerbread castle, it was in fact Hamilton’s TH&B Railway Station, built at what was then a level crossing at James Street. With the opening of the new railway to service the Golden Horseshoe, this station became the hub of its passenger operations offering passengers the latest in amenities being offered in the 1890s. With its turrets and gables gracing the skyline, the station also featured a main concourse stretching 170 feet along Hunter Street. The multi-storey building would last for 40 years, until the present station, built in the Art Moderne design, was built just down the tracks.

To buy Memories of Wentworth, please visit http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

First Here Volume Three Book Launch

2010-12-10T14:37:00.005-05:00

Join us for the much anticipated book launch of First Here Volume Three! This is the third book of the First Here series which takes the reader back in time to the many "firsts" that happened in Hamilton.

This is your chance to meet the authors, buy a book and have it signed for you!

Date: Sunday, December 12, 2010

Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Location: 4th floor, Hamilton Central Library, 55 York Blvd., Hamilton, ON

For more information on First Here Volume Three, please visit http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com or e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com.

First Here Volume Three - chapter excerpt

2010-11-08T16:36:00.007-05:00

Pigott building reached 210 feet into the skyscape

Built in 1929 for $1,000,000, the Pigott building was the first skyscraper in Hamilton and one of the first in Ontario. Hamilton architects Bernard and Fred Prack used Art Deco/Gothic Revival style (which was popular for a short time in New York) to make this building unique. It was called the most beautiful building in Hamilton and the most interesting in the province. Flanked by the Sun Life Building, its strong vertical lines, elongated middle and stacked segments drew viewers’ eyes upward. It reached a height of 210 feet and had 18-storeys above the pavement.

The latest and most sophisticated methods of construction were used by the Pigott Construction Co. Parts for the building were brought from all over the world. Glass came from Belgium while steel window frames were bought in England. Many of the other parts came from across Canada. The exterior was decorated with tyndall limestone sheathing which covered the steel skeleton. The interior was richly decorated in the traditional manner with marble and fine tiles. The lobby was painted by church decorators using the colours red, blue, and gold. Stained glass windows were installed which depicted scenes of interest relating to the building. Searchlights, which revolved every 30 seconds, were installed on the rooftop to notify people of its presence as far as 80 miles away with its 2-million candle beam.

To pre-order your copy of First Here Volume Three, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Upcoming books!

2010-10-01T09:06:00.014-04:00

In the coming weeks watch for chapter excerpts and photos from our two new books to be released later this fall - Memories of Wentworth and First Here Volume Three!

More of First Here - Collector's Edition Sale!

2010-05-04T09:52:00.006-04:00

For a limited time, we have author signed copies of More of First Here available at 30% off the regular price! These books are signed by all 15 authors and would make an unique Mother's Day or Father's Day gift! These special copies at this discounted price are available from May 1 - June 15 or until supplies last.

We also have many of our other books on sale at up to 50% off!

Please visit us at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com to purchase these books.

More of First Here - chapter excerpt

2010-04-07T09:16:00.005-04:00

Ottawa Street store became starting point for Tim Hortons

Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton was born on Jan. 12, 1930, in Cochrane, Ontario. Horton, who began his hockey career in Quebec, eventually played for the Toronto Maple Leafs (beginning in 1952), the New York Rangers (1970), the Pittsburgh Penguins (1971) and then for the Buffalo Sabres (1972).

Tim Horton was involved in a string of hamburger restaurants with his partner, Jim Charade, while he was still playing hockey. These restaurants were not very successful ventures, so Mr. Horton explored the idea of a doughnut and coffee store. He opened his first Tim Hortons store in 1964 at 64 Ottawa Street North in Hamilton.

The Tim Hortons store served coffee and doughnuts exclusively. Eventually, Tim Horton's own personal creations, such as the apple fritter and the dutchie, were featured at the store. These became the chain's most popular doughnut choices in the 1960s and have remained popular ever since.

To buy More of First Here, please visit our website: http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

2010 Heritage Calendars Now Available!

2009-12-03T14:32:00.006-05:00

Our heritage calendars make unique Christmas gifts! We have two new calendars for 2010: Hamilton Heritage Calendar and Beach Heritage Calendar. Please visit our website (http://www.canadianheritgebooks.com) for more information or to purchase your calendar!

Book Launch!

2009-10-07T13:36:00.006-04:00

Please click on invitation to enlarge it.

More of First Here!

2009-10-01T11:40:00.009-04:00

Our newest book, More of First Here, edited by Margaret Houghton, will be released in the next few weeks! This book is the second in the First Here series, following last years successful First Here.

Information on its availability in stores and from our website http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com will be posted here!

Also, details about the upcoming Book Launch for More of First Here will available soon!

Mother's Day & Father's Day Sale!

2009-04-29T16:16:00.003-04:00

In celebration of Mother's Day & Father's Day, we will be having a sale! From May 1 - June 21, 2009, books in our 'Prints Series' will be reduced 50% from our original prices! There are 15 books to choose from in this series including: Prints Along the Beach, Prints of the Steel City, Prints of Oakville and Memories of Burlington. These books make great gifts!

Please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Brant Inn Memories - chapter excerpt

2009-03-26T13:16:00.006-04:00

Distinctive Lombardo sound meant money in the bank

Old acquaintances were rarely forgotten whenever Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians played the Brant Inn.

Quite simply, the Lombardo orchestra was the Brant's most popular attraction, appearing nine times between 1952 and 1961, usually for four nights on each visit.

Call their music "schmaltzy", call it "cornball", call it "Mickey Mouse", but the fact remained that the distinctive Lombardo sound meant money in the bank.

"It was nothing in the early years to take in $25,000 in four days for the Lombardos. And that was just from tickets", Brant Inn owner John Murray Anderson said on his retirement in 1964. In return, the most the nightclub paid the band was $11,000 for five nights in 1960.

The Lombardo secret was basic: give the public what it wants - familiar melodies played at a danceable tempo. Or as the band's slogan put it: The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven.

To buy Brant Inn Memories, please visit our website at http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

PRICE FREEZE!

2009-03-23T16:10:00.002-04:00

All of our books listed on our website (http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com) will be a minimum of 30% off until June 1, 2009! Please take advantage of these savings!

January Sale - Now February Sale!

2009-02-02T14:30:00.003-05:00

To thank our customers for their loyal support of our books, our January Sale has been extended through the month of February! Please see http://www.canadianheritagebooks.com for more information.

January Sale!

2009-01-02T09:15:00.003-05:00

Please visit our online store at www.canadianheritagebooks.com for a whole month of savings! For the entire month of January 2009, buy any book from our 'Local History Books' section and save 30%. These savings will include our most recent books - 'Images of Burlington' and 'First Here', as well as the popular 'Vanished Hamilton' series and 'Brant Inn Memories'.

Images of Burlington

2008-12-02T16:14:00.005-05:00

Images of Burlington is now available in local book stores and from our website!

Please contact info@canadianheritagebooks.com for more information.

First Here - chapter excerpt

2008-10-08T10:04:00.004-04:00

Log cabin used to house tavern as early as 1796

The first tavern that is known to have existed in present-day downtown Hamilton was a log building located at the northwest corner of King and Wellington streets. Its original name appears to have been Smith's Tavern and it was in operation by 1796, about 20 years before Hamilton was founded.

By the mid-1830s a number of other taverns and hotels had been erected along King Street. One of these was Andrew "Yankee" Miller's Steamboat Hotel, a two-storey frame building located at the northwest corner of King and James streets. Adjacent to it, along the west side of James Street, was an orchard of apple trees. The Steamboat Hotel was destroyed by fire on Nov. 16, 1832, but Miller quickly rebuilt and he was back in business by January, 1833.

One of the first brick buildings to be constructed in downtown Hamilton was the Mansion House Hotel located at the southwest corner of King and John streets.

First Here - chapter excerpt

2008-09-17T11:03:00.002-04:00

Staunch monarchist sparked the idea for Empire Day

The term "Empire Day" is one which much seem quaint and somewhat foreign to those who populate Canada in the 21st century. However, 100 years ago, Empire Day was a very important event in the life and times of early 20th century Hamilton. Specific people and events sparked the idea of celebrating all that was British within the wide expanse of the British Empire.

The originator of this special day was someone who identified herself both physically and spiritually with Queen Victoria and who, like the Queen, dressed in black with white accents.

Clementina Trenholme Fessenden, who was born in 1884, married the Rev. Elisha Joseph Fessenden in 1865. After serving a parish in Chippewa, the couple moved to St. John's Anglican Church in Ancaster in 1893.

As staunch monarchists, Clementina and her husband were concerned with the threatened loosening of Canada's ties with the British Empire because of the close proximity to the United States. Popular talk of continentalism and annexation led them to discuss ways to strengthen ties with Britain through public events such as a flag day or empire day.

Images of Burlington

2008-08-07T11:38:00.005-04:00

Early view. Brant Street has changed dramatically since this photograph of lower Brant Street was taken in the early part of the 20th Century.

The photographer was standing at the intersection of Brant and what is now Lakeshore Road shooting north past the Royal Bank building up just beyond Pine Street.

As well as the early car off at left centre, there is a horse and buggy in the distance, and instead of parking meters, there are fancy hitching posts all along the street.

Images of Burlington will be available in local bookstores and from our website on Oct. 29.

Fall Preview!

2008-08-06T16:33:00.007-04:00

In the coming weeks, we will be previewing two of our new books to be released this October!

Images of Burlington is the 14th book in our popular 'Prints' series of books, with photographs of what Burlington used to look like - many years ago.

First Here is a collection of stories of when things first happened in Hamilton. Firsts such as the fact that Hamilton was the first city in Canada to implement Daylight Savings Time and the first Miss Canada contest was held in Hamilton.

For more information about these books, or when they will be available, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com or visit our website at www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

About the author...Bill Manson (Getting Around Hamilton and Footsteps in Time series)

2008-06-05T09:41:00.006-04:00

Bill Manson is a retired educator and amateur historian. He is the author of four books on local heritage, Up and Down Locke Street South, Getting Around Hamilton: A History of Transportation in Hamilton, Footsteps in Time: Hamilton's first heritage neighbourhoods Beasley, Central, Corktown and Durand (Vol. 1) and Footsteps in Time: Hamilton's Historic Port and North-End Neighbourhood (Vol. 2).

Born, raised and educated in Hamilton, Bill lived much of his life on Locke Street South, and has spent much of his time observing a half-century of change in his hometown.

As an historian, Bill was intrigued by how well our Hamilton ancestors seem to have coped with change. To his bemusement, he found that, in many instances, they were better able to deal with the challenges of change than we do today. He came to realize how influenced we all are by Hamilton's geography, and how creatively our predecessors dealt with its challenges as the city developed into a major North American industrial and transportation centre.

Footsteps in Time Sale! Sale Extended Until June 21

2008-05-21T15:17:00.006-04:00

Get out and see Hamilton on foot! Footsteps in Time Volume 1 will take you on 18 downtown walking tours of Hamilton's first heritage neighbourhoods (Beasley, Central, Corktown and Durand). Volume 2 includes 5 walking tours of Hamilton's historic Port and North-End neighbourhoods.

From May 22 until June 21, buy Footsteps in Time Volume 1 and get Volume 2 for free!

Please see our website: www.canadianheritagebooks.com for more information on these books!

Read about us in The Toronto Star!

2008-05-08T08:59:00.005-04:00

Toronto writer Jerry Langton has written a story about our company's Facebook page! Please visit the following link to read more about us in The Toronto Star!

http://www.thestar.com/Business/SmallBusiness/article/421964

Share on Facebook

Mother's Day Sale!

2008-05-01T09:26:00.003-04:00

It's time to celebrate Mom! Why not buy her something different this year, one of our books! From May 1 - 11, books in our 'Local History Books' section are 30% off! This includes Brant Inn Memories, Vanished Hamilton III and The Prints of King! Please visit us at www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

About the author...Margaret Houghton (Vanished Hamilton series and Hamilton at War)

2008-04-28T13:33:00.004-04:00

Margaret Houghton is employed as the archivist in the Special Collections Department of the Hamilton Public Library. Born and educated in Hamilton, Margaret has been employed by the library since 1978.

She is past president of the Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society. She was involved in their projects to rebuild the Gore Park Fountain and to erect a memorial to the MacNab family in Hamilton Cemetery.

She has been the president of the Players' Guild of Hamilton (the oldest continuous little theatre group in North America) and has been an active member of that society since 1979.

Margaret has edited several books including: Vanished Hamilton, Vanished Hamilton II and Vanished Hamilton III as well as Hamilton at War: On the home front.

About the author...Stewart Brown (Brant Inn Memories)

2008-04-03T13:32:00.004-04:00

Stewart Brown was born May 3, 1938, in Hamilton, Ontario, where his dad was playing saxophone with the Jack Faerigan Orchestra at the Royal Connaught Hotel.

Stewart played dance-band drums during university days at McMaster, before beginning a reporting career that lasted 42 years at The Hamilton Spectator.

More than half that time was devoted to entertainment writing - live theatre, movies, pop music - plus a spell in the sports department covering the Tiger-Cats, Blue Jays and curling.

About the author...

2008-04-03T13:14:00.003-04:00

As a new feature, we will now be posting 'About the author' information on some of our popular authors and contributors. The first author to be in the spotlight will be Stewart Brown, author of Brant Inn Memories.

We've added an extra week to our Spring Sale!

2008-03-19T14:40:00.006-04:00

We are celebrating the arrival of spring by having a sale! All books in our "Local History Books" section will be 30% off from March 20 - April 4th. This sale also includes our new and extremely popular Brant Inn Memories book! Please visit us at www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

Brant Inn Memories - chapter excerpt

2008-02-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

Brant Inn was swinging during the Dirty Thirties

The stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the "Dirty Thirties", hardly a decade conducive to making whoopee. Yet the Great Depression nurtured a yearning for something - anything - to ease the pain of hard times.

The Grand Theatre in Hamilton, for instance, offered an entertainment schedule that ranged from legitimate theatre and dance recitals, vaudeville and burlesque shows, to boxing, wrestling and dance marathons. Something for everyone.

The Brant Inn stuck mainly to Ontario dance bands in the early Thirties, often looking to London for orchestras led by Arch Cunningham, the Wright Brothers - Bill, Ernie, Don and Clark - from the University of Western Ontario, Ken Steele from the Hotel London, and the man with the fancy moniker, La'Pierre Muir, also from Western.

Then, in May, 1933, the Brant brought in McKinney's Cotton Pickers, the first American band to play the Burlington nightspot in almost four years. Though the Brant, like other area dance halls and movie theatres, had lowered admission prices for Depression patrons (50 cents per couple Wednesdays through Fridays and $1.10 on Saturdays), the tariff for the McKinney band was $2 for two tickets.

The next year - 1934 - saw Murray Anderson, restrauranteur Cec Roberts and Roberts' accountant, Clifford Kendall, team up to rent the Brant Inn from A.B. Coleman. The Swing Era was percolating......

Brant Inn Memories is finally available!

2008-01-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

We have just received the shipment of the nostalgic new book on Burlington's famous old Brant Inn! Be one of the first to relive those wonderful old memories today!

To purchase your copy of Brant Inn Memories, please visit our website at www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

For more information, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com.

Book Launch date for Brant Inn Memories!

2008-01-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

Please come and join us on Sunday February 3, 2008 for the official book launch for Brant Inn Memories! The launch will be held at the Burlington Central Library, in the Centennial Room from 2-4 p.m. This is your chance to purchase Brant Inn Memories, meet author Stewart Brown and have him sign it for you! This book will make a wonderful Valentine's Day gift!

*NOTE** Due to a tremendous interest in this event, advanced confirmation of attendance has resulted in the Centennial Room reaching capacity. However, Stewart Brown will be in attendance at the library for the Heritage Seminars on Sat. Feb. 16 at 2:30 p.m. Please see the library's website for more details.

Brant Inn Memories

2008-01-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

The nostalgic new book on Burlington's famous Brant Inn and its entertainers, Brant Inn Memories will be available in a few weeks. For now, here's an excerpt from one of the chapters.

For more information about this book, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com or visit our website at www.canadianheritagebooks.com.

A night at the Brant Inn was a night to remember

Whatever the decade, a night at the Brant Inn was something special. Indeed, it was usually a special occasion - a birthday, an engagement, a chance to hear a name American band - that prompted a visit.

The Brant, most of all, was a dancing place that attracted a dancing crowd: fox trots and waltzes and the occasional polka and maybe a Latin move like the rumba. You went in couples. You dressed up. No tie or jacket? Well, then, you'd have to rent them from the checkroom stockpile.

Whether it was the indoor Lido Deck or the outdoor Sky Club, your anticipation of the evening had been whetted by the Saturday night remote broadcasts on CBC radio that made the Brant Inn a familiar name across Canada and into the United States.

Share on Facebook

This month in local history: Jan. 1 - Jan. 31

2008-01-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

Jan. 01, 1957: City of Hamilton takes over beach from Burlington Beach Commission

Jan. 08, 1833: Act to incorporate the Town of Hamilton

Jan. 14, 1879: Modern fire department comes into existence

Jan. 16, 1847: Colin Campbell Ferrie elected first mayor of the City of Hamilton

Jan. 18, 1854: First Great Western Railway train arrives in Hamilton

Jan. 25, 1884: Temperature plunges to -30.6 C

Jan. 30, 1826: Desjardins Canal Company incorporated

source: 2008 Hamilton Heritage Calendar

Last week of book signings before Christmas!

2007-12-17T14:26:00.000-05:00

Wed. Dec. 19, (2 - 4 p.m.) - Coles Burlington Mall, Burlington (Gary Evans)
Wed. Dec. 19, (7 - 9 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

Thurs. Dec. 20, (12 - 2 p.m.) - Coles Jackson Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Thurs. Dec. 20, (3 - 5 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)
Thurs. Dec. 20, (6 - 8 p.m.) - Coles Burlington Mall, Burlington (Gary Evans)

Fri. Dec. 21, (12- 2 p.m.) - Coles Jackson Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Fri. Dec. 21, (3 - 5 p.m.) - Coles Eastgate Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Fri. Dec. 21, (7 - 9 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

Sat. Dec. 22, (10 a.m. - 12) - Coles Burlington Mall, Burlington (Gary Evans)
Sat. Dec. 22, (1 - 3 p.m. ) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

For more information on these book signings, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com

Twelve Days of Christmas Sale!

2007-12-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

We're having another sale! Buy any book from our website www.canadianheritagebooks.com from Dec. 5-16 and save 30%! These twelve days are the perfect time to finish (or start!) your Christmas shopping!

More book signing dates!

2007-11-27T09:45:00.000-05:00

Fri. Dec. 7, (12 - 2 p.m.) - Coles Jackson Square, Hamilton (Margaret Houghton)
Fri. Dec. 7, (3 - 5 p.m.) - Coles Eastgate Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Fri. Dec. 7, (6 - 8 p.m.) - Coles Limeridge Mall, Hamilton (Gary Evans)

Sat. Dec. 8, (10 a.m. - 12) - Coles Burlington Mall, Burlington (Gary Evans)
Sat. Dec. 8, (1 - 3 p.m.) - Coles Limeridge Mall, Hamilton (Margaret Houghton)
Sat. Dec. 8, (1 - 3 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

Thurs. Dec. 13, (7 - 9 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

Fri. Dec. 14, (3 - 5 p.m.) - Coles Eastgate Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Fri. Dec. 14, (7 - 9 p.m.) - Coles Mapleview Centre, Burlington (Gary Evans)

For more information on these book signings, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com.

We're having a sale!

2007-11-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

Buy any book, calendar or poster from our website, canadianheritagebooks.com between Nov. 17-25 and save 30%! This is an excellent opportunity to start your Christmas shopping!

Book Signings!

2007-11-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

We are in the process of updating our list of book signings for November and December! If you were unable to attend the Vanished Hamilton III book launch, or wish to buy a book from our Prints series and have the author sign it, this is your chance to do so! Our books make unique gifts!

November dates:

Sat. Nov. 10, (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.) - Waterdown Book Fair, St. James United Church, 306 Parkside Dr., Waterdown, ON. (Gary Evans and Margaret Houghton)

Fri. Nov. 23, (12 - 2 p.m.) - Coles Jackson Square, Hamilton (Gary Evans)
Fri. Nov. 23, (1 p.m. - ?) - Titles Bookstore, McMaster University, Hamilton (Margaret Houghton)

For more information on these book signings, please e-mail: info@canadianheritagebooks.com .

Vanished Hamilton III book launch a success!

2007-10-29T08:52:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped out at the launch of Vanished Hamilton III. It was a great success! If you were unable to attend the event yesterday, in the coming days we will be posting a list of book signings at local bookstores where you can purchase the book and have editor Margaret Houghton sign it for you!

Unsigned copies can also be purchased from our online store and from Chapters/Indigo.

Vanished Hamilton III book launch date is announced!

2007-10-02T11:34:00.000-04:00

Please join us at the book launch for Vanished Hamilton III and meet editor Margaret Houghton and some of the other authors of this third book in the popular Vanished Hamilton series.

Please click on invitation for a full size image.

Questions can be e-mailed to us at: info@canadianheritagebooks.com for more information about this launch.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Vanished Hamilton III - Mills stores

2007-09-17T16:13:00.000-04:00

Vanished Hamilton III should be available in a few weeks, but until then, here is an excerpt from the first story.

Mills stores
From fine china to hardware

James Mills came to Canada in 1793 at the age of 19 to trade furs with the natives. He visited the area around the southwestern end of Lake Ontario called the Head-of-the-Lake, finally settling in what would become Ancaster in 1800.

In 1816, he and his family moved to what would be the area of Hamilton around Queen and Main streets, thus laying the roots for what would become one of Hamilton's most notable retail establishments.

In 1888, three of his descendents, Robert, Edwin and Stanley, started Stanley Mills & Co. The store was located on the corner of John and Jackson streets and was originally a hardware store. In 1896, they added dry goods, clothing, groceries and notions as well as other merchandise making it the second department store in Hamilton after The Right House. Consumers were pleased by the convenience of the store and it was always busy.

The department store became particularly known for its china department which was run by Robert Mills, a noted china connoisseur....

Vanished Hamilton III

2007-09-10T13:58:00.000-04:00

Vanished Hamilton III is at the printers! We are still expecting to have the book available for an early October launch. Details of the book launch venue and chapter excerpts will follow in the coming weeks.

Vanished Hamilton III will be featured on our website at www.canadianheritagebooks.com. It can be purchased through the website or from any of the Hamilton and area bookstores as well as on-line at www.Indigo.ca for $21.95.

Brant Inn Memories

2007-08-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

It’s been gone from the landscape for almost 40 years, and yet the Brant Inn is still fondly remembered as one of Canada’s leading nightspots.

Situated in the heart of Burlington at the edge of Lake Ontario, the Brant Inn attracted most of North America’s famous entertainers - entertainers such as Satchmo Armstrong, Liberace, Stan Kenton, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo and many, many other famous stars.

In fact, during the heyday of the Brant Inn, this was the in place for entertainers, performing, depending on the season, on the Lido Deck or the Sky Club, where at one time the waters lapped underneath the stage area.

The Brant Inn was famous for not only the entertainers it attracted, but also for hosting the Miss Canada pageant, and for its weekly broadcasts aired across the country which helped put Burlington on the entertainment map. And it was famous for its exotic food, served in the Hale Kai Restaurant, food ranging from Polynesian to Chinese to Western.

North Shore Publishing is now going to help readers relive those nostalgic days as a new book is being published, Brant Inn Memories, just in time for the Christmas season.

The book is being written by former Spectator writer Stewart Brown, who has a long – and deep – connection with the Brant Inn as his dad played there for many years, providing the writer with an intimate knowledge of the establishment and the stars.

Stewart has interviewed many individuals who have had a connection with the Brant Inn over the years, and through many of these people, he was able to secure a great number of fascinating photographs – of the inn, the stars, those associated with running the inn, and guests enjoying the opportunity to dance the night away to the sounds of some of the world’s most famous entertainers.
Brant Inn Memories will be filled with nostalgia, bringing back fond memories for ever so many people.

Brant Inn Memories will be available for $24.95 at Chapters/Indigo, as well as many other bookstores, Chapters Online, and directly from North Shore Publishing. Additional ordering details will be released as the launch date approaches.

This week in local history: July 30 - Aug. 5

2007-07-31T08:57:00.000-04:00

Aug. 1, 1958: Princess Margaret presents new regimental colours to Highland Light Infantry of Canada.

Aug. 2, 1879: Providence picnic held as a fund-raiser to purchase the former Coleman residence.

Aug. 3, 1915: Ewart's Dam collapses after major storm and is never rebuilt.

Aug. 4, 1931: St. Paul's Church destroyed by fire.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Dundas Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: July 23 - July 29

2007-07-23T10:15:00.000-04:00

July 24, 1872: Senator Donald McInnes buys Dundurn Castle for $27,000.

July 25, 1875: George Rolph, one of Dundas' wealthiest landowners, dies.

July 26, 2005: First Citizenship Court held in Dundas.

July 28, 1847: Dundas officially incorporated as a town by an Act of Parliament.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Dundas Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: July 9 - July 15

2007-07-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

July 9, 1916: 205th Tiger Battalion parade to GTR station for trip overseas.

July 10, 1946: Canada’s first drive-in theatre, the Skyway, opened in Stoney Creek.

July 12, 1849: Sir William Osler born in Bond Head.

July 14, 1868: Hottest day ever as thermometer hits 41.4 degrees C.

July 15, 1846: First issue of Hamilton Spectator published.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Dundas Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: July 2 - July 8

2007-07-03T09:15:00.000-04:00

July 2, 1978: Fund-raising starts to renovate former Waterdown township hall as library.

July 3, 1826: Dundas resident George Rolph tarred and feathered.

July 5, 1950: Hamilton raffles off house to help Red River flood victims.

July 8, 1984: Dieter Brock (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), sets record throwing 58 passes against Saskatchewan.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Waterdown Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: June 25-July 1

2007-06-25T11:24:00.000-04:00

June 25, 1906: Central Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, destroyed by fire.

June 26, 1913: Rotary Club of Hamilton chartered.

June 28, 1878: Hamilton District Telegraph Company incorporated.

June 29, 1947: Dundas' Centennial celebrations get off to roaring start.

June 30, 1931: Last train runs on the Brantford and Hamilton Electric Railway; the radial age ends.

July 1, 1912: Canada Day. First passenger train arrives in Waterdown after official opening of CPR line.

source: Vanished Hamilton, Waterdown and Dundas Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: June 18-24

2007-06-18T09:02:00.000-04:00

June 18, 1828: Circus comes to Dundas for the first time.

June 19, 1856: Waterworks inaugurated by HRH Edward, Prince of Wales, during the first Royal visit to Hamilton.

June 21, 1951: Clappison Drive-in officially opens.

June 22, 1911: Waterdown native W.O. Sealey invited to attend the coronation of King George the 5th.

June 23, 1966: Waterdown South Railway Station burns down.

source: Vanished Hamilton, Dundas and Waterdown Heritage calendars.

Book Signing!

2007-06-11T11:58:00.000-04:00

Margaret Houghton, editor of popular local books Hamilton at War, Vanished Hamilton, and Vanished Hamilton II, will be at a book signing tomorrow (Tues. June 12/07), 12 - 2 pm, at Coles in Jackson Square, Hamilton.

This is your chance to come out and meet Margaret, purchase a book and have her sign it for you! For more information or directions, please e-mail info@canadianheritagebooks.com.

This week in local history: June 11-17

2007-06-11T11:46:00.000-04:00

June 11, 1925: First traffic lights in Canada go into operation at the Delta.

June 12, 1912: Imperial Car Co. founded, next month renamed National Steel Car.

June 14, 1853: Wentworth County is formally separated from Halton County.

June 15, 1912: Spectator holds a fly-swatting contest; winner delivers 38,900 flies.

June 16, 1849: James Belle Ewart presides over the first Town Council meeting in the new Dundas Town Hall.

June 17, 1967: Hamilton's Centennial project, the restored Dundurn Castle, opens.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Dundas Heritage calendars.

This week in local history: June 4-10

2007-06-04T14:15:00.000-04:00

June 5, 1878: Bylaw passed incorporating Waterdown as a village.

June 6, 1913: Battlefield Monument unveiled electronically by Queen Mary.

June 7, 1946: Central Collegiate destroyed in spectacular fire.

June 9, 1955: Rotary Club of Waterdown receives its charter.

June 10, 1925: As a result of church union, Wesleyan Methodist becomes a United Church.

source: Vanished Hamilton and Waterdown Heritage calendars.

New feature!

2007-06-04T13:52:00.000-04:00

We will now be including a new weekly feature highlighting events in local history. These historic references will be taken from our Vanished Hamilton, Waterdown Heritage and Dundas Heritage calendars.

Gore Park Fountain

2007-05-10T11:29:00.000-04:00

The original Gore Park Fountain was almost 100 years old when it was dismantled, shortly after this photograph was taken in 1959. After flirting with a fountain designed to look more like a flying saucer, a replica of the original fountain was later constructed on the site. That's King Street off to the right, and those stores under the Westinghouse sign are now long gone, demolished to make way for Jackson Square.

East End Incline Railway

2007-04-05T09:41:00.000-04:00

Hamilton's Wentworth Street Incline Railway was built in 1895 and made an estimated 20 million trips up and down the Mountain! More information and photographs about this incline railway can be found in our Prints Across the Mountain book. This photograph will soon be available as a poster-sized print!

Vanished discovered, again

2007-04-03T10:06:00.000-04:00

With two extremely successful volumes already in the marketplace, work is now progressing on Vanished Hamilton III.

The Vanished Hamilton series spotlights aspects of Hamilton that have vanished from the landscape, such as the incline railways, the Sunken Garden at McMaster University, popular old theatres including the Capitol or Palace, the famous old Neilson's sign at Wolf Island, the Crystal Palace, and yes, the Beach Amusement Park.
Hamilton, for instance, had two incline railways, both dating back into the 1890s, and both closing down before the start of the Second World War.

The inclines offered much easier access up and down the escarpment, providing sufficient space for farmers and their wagons, and in later years, automobiles. They were fast, scaling the 300-foot escarpment in 90 seconds, efficient, and cheap, with a ride up the Mountain costing all of one cent at one time.
And then they were gone.

It was intended that Vanished Hamilton would be a one only project, but new story ideas blossomed as soon as volume one was completed, leading to Vanished Hamilton II.

The response, once again, was overwhelming with copies of the book flying off the bookshelves. As with the VH I, VHII featured scores of things nostalgic, things that have vanished - a huge school, the Studebaker plant, a Carnegie Library, and even the Studebaker plant.

Vanished Hamilton III will also be filled with nostalgia - Mountain access routes, swing bridges, the old Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, the School of Nursing, even Hamilton's armored car, built to protect the city during the Second World War.
A large number of authors are already at work, researching their stories; pictures are being secured, and already the format is rounding into shape.

Like the other two books in this series, Vanished Hamilton III will be edited by Margaret Houghton, archivist at the Special Collections Department, Hamilton Public Library. The authors include members of the eight historical societies in the Greater Hamilton area, offering their unique talents as writers of Hamilton's history.

It is expected that Vanished Hamilton III will be ready for an early October launch. The book will be featured on our website at www.canadianheritagebooks.com. It can be purchased through the website or from any of the Hamilton and area bookstores as well as on-line at www.Indigo.ca for $21.95.

Rare photograph

2007-03-20T10:12:00.000-04:00

This rare photograph is a fascinating treasure that we found for our soon to be released book, The Prints of King.

The Prints of King

2007-03-14T16:37:00.000-04:00

If you have taken a look at our website, or if you have been to any of the books store in the Hamilton/Burlington area, or even looked at the Indigo website, you will know that we have already published 12 books in the Prints series.

And yes, we are already working on yet another in the series, one with a title which is sure to turn a few heads.

The Prints of King has been in the works for a number of years, but it seems that many other projects have stepped in the way. Now, The Prints of King is well under way; in fact, we have scanned in more than 100 photographs for this latest nostalgic look at Hamilton.

Many people have been confused by our title for this series: confusing the Prints of with the Prince of, and of course this has been deliberate. The books have nothing to do with royalty, but everything to do with photographs - old nostalgic photographs which bring back memories of another era.

And, we suspect, that Prints and King in the same title will be even more confusing. And that's good, and at least in this case.

The Prints of King is about a street; perhaps the oldest street in Hamilton, one that starts at the McMaster campus, travels through the downtown core, out through Stoney Creek until it finally ends many miles from its starting point. The photographs in this book, some dating back more than 100 years, will show many neighborhoods along the street, even the fact that it at one time went right through the McMaster campus, right past Highway 102 (Cootes Drive) in fact. The expansion of the campus changed all that but we have been able to uncover photographs to show what was, so many years ago.

As with all the Prints books, the latest in the series will be filled with nostalgia as many of the scenes are long gone, including many of the old downtown buildings. Imagine the heart of the city with no traffic lights, the Birks Building with its Clock of the Charging Horsemen, two-way traffic, magnificient theatres, a fortress for a bus station, a park in the middle of the downtown core, the Red Hill Valley before major construction. And more.

Our selection of photographs is fantastic, but if you happen to have a gem showing King Street from another era, please let us know. We can always make last minute switches.

Welcome!

2007-03-14T14:16:00.000-04:00

This is the official blog for www.canadianheritagebooks.com. Canadian Heritage Books Blog is designed to encourage discussion and interest about the history of Southern Ontario, specifically the Burlington/Hamilton area.

We will be previewing some of our upcoming book projects, discussing issues relating to the history and heritage of our community and testing your knowledge with local trivia!

Your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome!

Canadian Heritage Books Blog

Canadian Black Friday/Cyber Monday Weekend Sale!

The Prints of Oakville - summer of 1969

Images of Burlington - Sky Club deck, Brant Inn

Salvage drive for war effort

Lancaster bomber

A look at Hamilton's war effort - Hamilton at War

Book Signings

Hamilton Spectator story on Memories of the Beach Strip

OpenFile story on Memories of the Beach Strip

Book Launch for Memories of the Beach Strip

Memories of the Beach Strip is now available!!

Now taking pre-orders of Memories of the Beach Strip!

McMaster University Campus, 1947

Popular summer park

Beach Amusement Park

One of the first cars in Burlington

King Street, Hamilton

Hamilton's first television station

Skyliner Ride

Memories of Wentworth - Wentworth Courthouse

East End Incline

Aerial photograph of QEW/Maple Ave. area

QEW through Burlington in the early 1950s

Hamilton Spectator story about Memories of Wentworth

Brant Inn & Spencer Smith Park

Burlington's Spencer Smith Park in the early 1950s

We're on Twitter!

Valentine's Special!

Memories of Wentworth - Gingerbread castle

First Here Volume Three Book Launch

First Here Volume Three - chapter excerpt

Upcoming books!

More of First Here - Collector's Edition Sale!

More of First Here - chapter excerpt

2010 Heritage Calendars Now Available!

Book Launch!

More of First Here!

Mother's Day & Father's Day Sale!

Brant Inn Memories - chapter excerpt

PRICE FREEZE!

January Sale - Now February Sale!

January Sale!

Images of Burlington

First Here - chapter excerpt

First Here - chapter excerpt

Images of Burlington

Fall Preview!

About the author...Bill Manson (Getting Around Hamilton and Footsteps in Time series)

Footsteps in Time Sale! *Sale Extended Until June 21*

Read about us in The Toronto Star!

Mother's Day Sale!

About the author...Margaret Houghton (Vanished Hamilton series and Hamilton at War)

About the author...Stewart Brown (Brant Inn Memories)

About the author...

We've added an extra week to our Spring Sale!

Brant Inn Memories - chapter excerpt

Brant Inn Memories is finally available!

Book Launch date for Brant Inn Memories!

Brant Inn Memories

This month in local history: Jan. 1 - Jan. 31

Last week of book signings before Christmas!

Twelve Days of Christmas Sale!

More book signing dates!

We're having a sale!

Book Signings!

Vanished Hamilton III book launch a success!

Vanished Hamilton III book launch date is announced!

Vanished Hamilton III - Mills stores

Vanished Hamilton III

Brant Inn Memories

This week in local history: July 30 - Aug. 5

This week in local history: July 23 - July 29

This week in local history: July 9 - July 15

This week in local history: July 2 - July 8

This week in local history: June 25-July 1

This week in local history: June 18-24

Book Signing!

This week in local history: June 11-17

This week in local history: June 4-10

Footsteps in Time Sale! Sale Extended Until June 21