As you stroll around Bronte enjoying one-of-a-kind shopping, fine dining and waterfront events, you may be unaware of the fascinating history of this former
commercial fishing port. But if you close your eyes and inhale the air flowing off Lake Ontario, it’s easy to visualize Bronte’s early days, when the harbour was newly completed and shipbuilding and fishing industries were vital to the villagers’ survival.

THRIVING PORT

The first people to discover the importance of the area’s waterway, where Twelve Mile Creek (Bronte Creek) meets Lake Ontario, were the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who used the waterway for transportation, hunting, and fishing.

European settlement began in the 1800s, and when the village of Bronte was founded in 1834, it boasted a population of 200. As Maryanne Mason, a historian at the Bronte Historical Society (BHS), is quick to point out, “It is not named for those sisters!” Currently celebrating its 191st year, Bronte was named for British Naval hero Horatio Nelson, who was given the title Duke of Bronte by King Ferdinand of the Two Sicilies. Bronte’s first settlers, many of whom were United Empire Loyalists, were quick to show their loyalty to the crown by choosing this name.

After the development of Bronte Harbour, completed in 1856, the village evolved into a busy Lake Ontario port known for ship building, fishing, grain processing, and the stonehooking industry (hooking flat shale slabs from shallow water to be used in construction).

SAFE REFUGE

An important figure in Bronte’s history is Samuel Adams, an inventor who is thought to have aided American slaves seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad. “He was a free black man who came up from the Baltimore area in 1851,” Mason says. “He brought $800 in gold to Bronte and established a blacksmith shop. He also developed the stonehooking rake.”

Adams was one of Bronte’s major landowners, with 13 different properties, and might have hidden people who were escaping slavery. “The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 allowed slave owners and bounty hunters to come up into Canada to take back slaves,” Mason says. “It was very important to house and protect them.”

Some black settlers lived in cabins on Twelve Mile Creek, and today we can find the Duncan MacDonald/Harry Hartlands House which is representative of those types of homes. It takes searching to find the home, but you can find it on Ontario Street, behind Bronte’s first Post Office (circa 1870) and near the Glendella Cottage (which was originally Thompson Hotel, a stagecoach stop)

A tribute to Bronte’s past is the Bronte Commercial Fishermen’s Memorial, located at Fisherman’s Wharf Park, at the foot of Bronte Road. Unveiled in 2007, the
memorial pays tribute to people who made a living — and some who lost their lives — on Lake Ontario.

RICH IN CULTURE AND INDUSTRY

With a village so rich in history it’s vital to have a focal point to discover more. The Sovereign House/Mazo de la Roche Display Centre, which has housed the BHS since 1996, is a 200-year- old farmhouse where Bronte’s first school teacher, Charles Sovereign lived from 1825 to 1846, Sovereign also served as Secretary for the Bronte Harbour Company, which was instrumental in dredging the creek and creating Bronte’s new harbour, enabling the village to become an important fishing port for close to 90 years.

Sovereign House has also been home to Mazo de la Roche, who wrote the popular Whiteoaks of Jalna series of 16 novels in the late 1920s. Today the display centre is operated by BHS volunteers from May to October, featuring rooms of memorabilia, photographs and artifacts (including a collection of first edition Jalna books, to the delight of de la Roche fans).

Now that you’ve had a taste of the fascinating history of Bronte, contacting the Bronte Historical Society should be the next step on your journey to becoming a present day explorer in your own town!

Local history buffs should check out…

Bronte Historical Society
brontehistoricalsociety.ca
brontehistoricalsociety@bellnet.ca
To consult with the historian,
email: historian@brontehistoricalsociety.ca

Bronte Cemetery
BRONTE VILLAGE

Bronte Post Office
2411 ONTARIO STREET

The Sovereign/ Mazo de la Roche Display Centre,
7 WEST RIVER STREET, BRONTE
Sovereign House is open to the Public:
From May 23rd to October 25th:
Saturday Sunday and Wednesday
1:00 – 4:00, and some statutory holidays

Bronte Commercial
Fishermen’s Memorial
FISHERMAN’S WHARF PARK

Glendella Cottage
(originally Thompson Hotel)
2411 ONTARIO STREET

Bronte Cenotaph
BRONTE GORE PARK
2457 LAKESHORE ROAD WEST

Cenotaph at Chris Vokes
Memorial Park
2500 Lakeshore Road West

Canadian Caribbean
Association of Halton
2302 BRIDGE ROAD
ccah.ca

BY CYNDI INGLE

This Remembrance Day we will gather to reflect on the human cost suffered during Canada’s military conflicts. We will gather at locations across Halton Region, including at George’s Square Veterans’ Wall, the Trafalgar Memorial, or Bronte’s Memorial Park cenotaph in Oakville. In those places of honour we will see the names of local men and women who fought and died in these conflicts. 

The number of names can make it difficult to contemplate the very real lives that were lived by those listed, but each name represents a person who laughed, cried and was loved. And some who were tragically lost far too early. Perhaps by sharing their stories, we can strengthen and renew the humanity of the people behind the names. Two such stories are those of George Ramsay and Peter Barnicke, whose names are listed on George’s Square Veterans’ Wall and the Trafalgar Memorial, respectively. 

George Ramsay

George Ramsay was born in 1914. He attended Oakville High School and worked at the Oakville Basket Factory. He eventually married his sweetheart, Marjorie. Early in the Second World War he enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), serving four years. In 1944, George’s plane disappeared during a training exercise in British Columbia. Despite weeks of fruitless searches, Marjorie remained convinced that he was alive and spent the couple’s entire savings to continue looking. She’s quoted in the Toronto Star as saying “the money is no good without him. I only wish I had more. . .” George’s aircraft was finally found, months later, but with no survivors. Afterwards, a heartbroken Marjorie re-settled in the United States. 

Peter Barnicke

Peter Barnicke was born in Oakville and before enlisting with the RCAF in 1943 at just 17 years of age, he worked at Sheridan Nurseries and loved playing hockey with friends. During the War, Peter earned several medals of valour and was eventually assigned to Tempsford Air Base in England, secretly flying supplies and agents into Nazi-occupied Europe. He was on one of these operations when his plane disappeared in November 1944. Due to the clandestine nature of his missions, it took more than a year before Peter was even listed as missing and more than seven years before his grieved parents received a letter confirming that their son was forever lost somewhere in the North Sea. 

NAMES 

The names are here, if you look around, In this and every other town. Engraved on brass and carved in stone, Too oft we pass and leave them ‘lone’.

In Oakville, let’s be more aware Of the listed names in George’s Square. Of the sacrifice they represent, That we may live in blithe content.

Yet, all too often we complain, As our fortunes wax and wane, Sometimes each other to berate That we, are not more fortunate.

If, in such times we’d keep in mind That life, for us, has been most kind. For these, their names on tablets found, Would gladly share our daily round.

So look and see, they’re not just names Scribed here ‘neath stained glass windowpanes. Each was a life, too soon to yield, For a plain white cross in a foreign field.

So, as we live let us remember, And not just now in grey November. Though life may call on us to give, They gave their all, that we, may live. 

WRITTEN BY OAKVILLE RESIDENT,
BOB OLOMAN (1932-2011)
FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY 2003 

These are just two stories that detail the sacrifices made by Oakville residents. There are hundreds of others, and all merit acknowledgement. For those interested in learning more, additional stories are shared in Pathway to the Stars, an exhibition commemorating the RCAF’s Centennial. It will be on display at the Oakville Museum, located at 8 Navy Street, until March 2025. Co-curated with local historians Michael Johnson and Terry Murphy, the exhibition centres on the contributions of locals, like George and Peter. 

Lest we forget the people behind the names. 

By: Chris Selman
Chris Selman is the Curator & Collections Coordinator, Oakville Museum 

If you’ve ever strolled along Burlington’s scenic waterfront, you’ve likely admired the view of Lake Ontario. But did you know that this peaceful promenade was once the site of an internationally renowned hotspot? Yes, right there on the grounds of Spencer Smith Park, where families now play and geese gather, the Brant Inn once stood—a glamorous beacon of entertainment that attracted some of the biggest stars of the 20th century…

For over thirty years, from the 1930s to the 1960s, the Brant Inn was the place to be. North America’s top entertainers performed in an elegant venue that could accommodate over a thousand guests. The music was so captivating that it was broadcast on radio stations across Canada and the United States, allowing listeners from coast to coast to share in the magic.

“The Brant Inn transformed many times since its inception as a Country Club at the original Brant Hotel,” explains Lynna Nguyen, Acting Curator of the Museums of Burlington. “It solidified itself as Ontario’s entertainment capital during its heyday, boasting an impressive venue that was as grand as its performers.”

The Brant Inn’s stage saw the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Lawrence Welk, Johnny Mathis, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, The Ink Spots, and Liberace, just to name a few. The crowds they drew were enormous—so much so that when Benny Goodman’s band played, the police had to step in to manage the traffic jams.

The Inn’s rise to fame was largely due to John Murray Anderson, a visionary in the entertainment world. His innovative ideas transformed the Brant Inn into a cultural hub. The venue even hosted the Miss Canada pageant for several years, drawing even more attention to this already popular spot.

During the Heyday of the Brant Inn, Burlington positively glittered with stars.

Not even Hollywood could resist the charm of the Brant Inn. In 1952, while filming in Niagara Falls, Marilyn Monroe arrived in Burlington on Anderson’s yacht. Imagine her mingling with glamorous stars like Jayne Mansfield as a ship’s bell rang out to the song “Anchors Aweigh,” kicking off another night at the nautically themed inn.

But it wasn’t all glitz and glamour. Some of those who worked at the Brant Inn have tales of a ghostly figure appearing on the stairs adding adding a touch of the eerie to this place.

End of an era

In the late sixties, as rock and roll gained popularity over traditional big band music, the Inn’s appeal began to fade. The Brant Inn closed its doors in 1968 and was demolished a year later, with its contents auctioned off as cherished mementos.

The Brant Inn may be gone, but its story is far from forgotten. A visit to the Joseph Brant Museum will give you a glimpse into its glamorous past.

Just this past June, folks gathered to pay tribute to the iconic landmark. At the Marquis Gardens at the Waterfront Hotel, an evening of dining, dancing, and swing music brought back the spirit of the Brant Inn, raising funds for the Museums of Burlington. The event, aptly named “An Evening at the Brant Inn,” was a nostalgic trip down memory lane, complete with the lively atmosphere that made the original venue so beloved.

“When Benny Goodman’s band played, the police had to step in to manage the traffic jams.”

As Lynna Nguyen put it, “The Brant Inn was more than just a place to dine and party. It held warm memories for many families in the community—they celebrated special occasions, traditions emerged, or it was even someone’s first job. Many people look back at the Brant Inn with fond memories.”

Next time you find yourself on the Burlington waterfront, keep an eye out for the heritage plaque provided by the Burlington Historical Society—a small but fitting tribute to a place that once brought joy to so many.

Take a moment to imagine the music, the laughter, and the countless memories that were made on that very spot.

BY LISA THORNBURY

Two things are apparent when you visit the town of Dundas, Ontario:  it’s quaint, and it’s old. But don’t be fooled! The sleepy town gets its architectural charm from its wild past of money, booze and good times.

Nineteenth-century Dundas had a staggering number of taverns and saloons. The town enjoyed an economic heyday after the Desjardins Canal connected the isolated valley to the Great Lakes shipping system. Dundas prospered as the commercial destination of farmers from across the region.

“The many taverns and hotels that sprung up catered to these farmers, who needed places to stay and places to spend their newly gotten monies” says Austin Strutt, Exhibitions Curator, Dundas Museum & Archives. “They were built to catch the eyes of visitors, with architectural flourishes that would entice patrons inside.” King Street was the main thoroughfare, so most taverns were on this strip. Here are some notable examples: 

THE COLLINS HOTEL
Irish immigrant Bernard Collins opened the North American Hotel in 1841, but folks called it the “Collins Hotel.” The establishment had a great reputation for quality and service. It narrowly survived a devastating fire in 1881 but was gutted by flames in 1955, after which its Victorian interior was fully renovated. Today, the famous tavern retains the name of its founder as Collins Brewhouse Restaurant.

ELGIN HOUSE
William McDonnell, an enterprising former peddler and hotel manager, erected the opulent Elgin House. His Scottish-style tavern was lauded as “the finest hotel west of York.” Two radical reformers, Dr. John Rolph and William Lyon Mackenzie, were guests at the hotel’s grand opening banquet on November 30, 1837.

“Elgin House opened before the town was even incorporated,” Strutt says. “It did amazingly well and the town spread around it.”

An arched recess beside the door allowed horses and carriages access to stables out back. The keystone atop the arch says, “Wm. McDonnell 1837.” A law office now occupies the building.

THE RED LION 
“This was one of the more infamous taverns,” Strutt says. “It was always getting busted for gambling, and for selling drinks on Sundays.”

The original building burned down in 1871 and was rebuilt in brick the following year. Temperance laws shut down the drinking establishment in 1916. It became the Wentworth Inn and, later, Dundas Café. 

The former Red Lion is currently home to Bangkok Spoon Deluxe restaurant. An archway built for horses and carriages now leads to a cozy patio. 

THE CENTRAL HOTEL AND MELBOURNE HOTEL
The Central and Melbourne Hotels, built in 1890 and 1899 respectively, represented a new turn-of-the-century style of hotel with large, modern amenities. Both were bars well into the late 20th century, and both still stand on the north side of King between Sydenham and Foundry. A decorative pyramid-topped tower still bears the name “The Central.”

THE RILEY HOUSE
One of the longest operating taverns in Dundas, The Riley House on Main Street no longer stands. It was built in 1827, the largest inn west of York (Toronto). Known for its fine food and extensive stables, it operated under many owners until prohibition. The building was demolished in 1956 to make room for a parking lot.

“There were many drinking emporiums and groggeries sprinkled along Main, King, and York, consequently they used  to say that it took four days to travel from Galt to Hamilton, two of the days being needed to get through Dundas.”   

– T. Roy Woodhouse, Dundas Historian 

End of an Era
From the 1840s to the 1860s, a perfect storm of events brought the Dundas heyday to an end. Railways expanded. Ships got larger, rendering the shallow Desjardins Canal obsolete. Hamilton, with its deep water port, became the area’s commercial hub. 

Eventually, Dundas learned to embrace its small-town charm. In 1896, Town Council published a picture book, Picturesque Dundas, to promote its architecture and surrounding natural beauty. To this day, Dundas is a visually striking, peaceful community enfolded in a giant hug by the lush Niagara escarpment. 

At this time of year, as we remember the great sacrifices and service of the men and women of our armed forces, George Brock Chisholm gives us an outstanding example of how a wartime experience, though harrowing, can spur an individual to do great good. Born on May 18, 1896, in Oakville, Ontario, he would serve many roles during his life, from dedicated soldier to contrarian children’s mental health advocate to visionary statesman.

Enlisting as a private with the 48th Highlanders at the age of 19, the young Chisholm served valiantly during World War I, experiencing firsthand the horrors of warfare. Badly injured in the line of duty, he was awarded the Military Cross and Bar (his medals are held at Oakville Museum). His profound wartime experience propelled him towards a career devoted to peace, mental health and the betterment of society. Between the wars, Chisholm went to university, studied medicine and specialized in psychiatry, a choice that was likely informed by his own experience with shell shock – what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Serving through World War II, Chisholm rose to the position of Director General of Medical Services and by the end of the war held the rank of Major General. 

Following his key role in the war effort, Chisholm’s most significant contribution post-war was his role as the first Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1948 to 1953. During his tenure, he championed the notion that mental health is a fundamental human right, challenging the prevailing stigma associated with mental illness. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for a more compassionate and inclusive approach to mental health care worldwide.

Chisholm’s impact extended far beyond his role at WHO. In his work with a number of Canadian mental health organizations, he spearheaded efforts to improve mental health services and promote understanding and acceptance of mental illness in Canada. His visionary leadership and tireless advocacy resulted in the establishment of psychiatric clinics, rehabilitation centres and community-based programs that continue to benefit countless individuals today. 

The life and legacy of George Brock Chisholm serve as a testament to the transformative power of individuals who have the conviction to follow their own compass. His unwavering dedication to improving mental health, advocating for peace and championing human rights continue to inspire generations of individuals to strive for a more compassionate and just world.

Having experienced war personally as a soldier in the First World War and later as a medical administrator in the Second World War, Chisholm was well aware of the destructive and merciless nature of war, having witnessed it from the perspectives of both a common soldier and a high-ranking officer. He helped to establish and subsequently led one of the most long-lasting and beneficial international organizations in history. He firmly believed in the potential of enlightened international collaboration and played a pivotal role in making it a reality in the field of global health care.