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James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)

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St.Joseph's Hospital, James Street South

James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way. It extends north to the city's waterfront at the North End where it ends at Guise Street West right in front of the Harbour West Marina Complex and the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.

History

James Street South, street life
James Street South, architecture
T.H.& B. Railway Bridge, James Street South
South of the T. H. & B. Railway Bridge

James Street was named after one of Nathaniel Hughson's sons. Hughson was one of the City founders of Hamilton along with George Hamilton and James Durand. [1] Originally, James Street was called Lake Road because it was the road that lead to Lake Ontario to the north. Then it was renamed to Jarvis Street after city founder George Hamilton's wife (Maria Jarvis) and then finally changed to its present-day James. [2]

George Hamilton, a settler and local politician, established a town site in the northern portion Barton Township after the war in 1815. He kept several east-west roads which were originally Indian Trails, but the north-south streets were on a regular grid pattern. Streets were designated "East" or "West" if they crossed James Street or Highway 6. Streets were designated "North" or "South" if they crossed King Street or Highway 8.[1]

James Street was the Lake Road and in 1835, James Street was extended south, but was interrupted by a bog at Hunter Street which eventually (1844) was drained out and graded. [2]

Hugh Cossart Baker, Sr. established the first life insurance company in Canada 21 August, 1847; the Canada Life Assurance Company. [1] [3] The firm was incorporated in 1849. The first head office was in Hamilton, Ontario on the top floor of the Mechanics' Institute on James Street near Merrick, where Hamilton City Centre now stands. The head office remained in Hamilton until 1900, when the new president George Cox moved it to Toronto. [1]

In 1872, the Bank of Hamilton was established. It had its head offices at the corner of King and James Streets and lasted until 1924. The Bank of Hamilton merged with The Commerce (later to become the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, or CIBC) on January 2, 1924. It was one of the last surviving banks in Canada that was not headquartered in Toronto or Montreal.[4]

On June 20, 1877, the first commercial telephone service in Canada began in Hamilton, Ontario. [3] Hugh Cossart Baker, Jr. learned of Alexander Graham Bell's invention in 1877 at the Philadelphia International Exposition and from there decided to test the communication tool in Hamilton. [5] Hugh Cossart Baker Jr. is credited with making the first telephone exchange in the British Empire from an office building at the corner of James and Main Street East which still stands there today (March 2007). [5]

In 1890, the first Bowling alley in the City opens at back of the J.W. MacDonald Tobacco shop, (66 James Street North). [6]

James Street, at the base of the Niagara Escarpment (mountain) was the site of the city's first Incline railway (1892-1932). Back then, the Incline railway on James Street was known as the Hamilton & Barton Incline Railway. [7][8] The city's second Incline railway on Wentworth Street South, (1895-1936), was known as the Eastend Incline Railway but was often called, The Mount Hamilton Incline Railway. [7][8]

Architectural history includes Hamilton's first large department store opened up in 1893, The Right House on James Street North. It was Hamilton's first large department store. [6] In 1929, the Pigott Building was built for $1,000,000. Known as Hamilton's first skyscraper, it has 18-floors and stands at 210-feet. Originally an office building, the Pigott Building is now used for condominiums. [9] The Lister Block building on the corner of James and King William Street was the first indoor commercial mall in Canada. [10] In 1961, the Old city hall, with its 38-metre clock tower was demolished to allow expansion of Eaton's department store. The clock and bell went into the tower of the 1990 Eaton Centre, now known as the Hamilton City Centre. [11] In 1973, The Birks Building, at King and James, was demolished to make room for a modernist law office, was once described by Oscar Wilde as "the most beautiful building in all of North America."[12] In 2000, LIUNA Station reopened the James Street North Canadian National rail station as a banquet hall. In 1996 the station was used for the most expensive film ever made in Canada to that time, The Long Kiss Goodnight, which cost $95,000,000.00 U.S. to make. Then in 2000, X-Men (film) shot some of its scenes at LIUNA Station. It starred Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. [2]

The Bank of Montreal building (corner of James & Main Streets) had its cornerstone laid on 8 August, 1928 and was completed 18 June, 1929. At the time the Bank's directors were quoted in the local papers as saying; "This building is evidence of the Bank of Montreal's faith in Hamilton's future and Hamilton's growing importance as one of the leading commercial and industrial centres in Canada." An impressive structure with a Cathedral-like interior was designed by Kenneth G. Rea and built by the local Pigott Construction Company. In 1972 the Bank of Montreal vacated the building but the following year the Hamilton Public Library used it as a reference library. In September 1980 the building was vacated again and was used a couple times thereafter as a night club, (Monopoli and The Syndicate). It was then renovated afterwards and today it is home to a National Law Firm office. [13]

The Federal Building on James Street North, was built in 1856. It was first home to a Post office which eventually moved to the corner of King and John Streets. It was then the temporary site of the Hamilton City Hall between the years of 1888-to-1890 while the new structure on the corner of James and Market Streets was being built. In 1897, the Sun-Life Assurance Company totally renovated it for their own district offices. In 1920 it went through another major renovation which saw the addition of two more storeys. Currently it is home to the Hamilton City Ballet which takes up the entire top (5th) floor and the rest of the building is used up as residential apartments. [14]

In 1931, Trains no longer blocked traffic as the James Street underpass was completed. (3 December, 1931). [15]

One can reach the Bruce Trail via James Street South. The trail cuts through the city along the Niagara Escarpment (mountain) and used by many locals for a full days hike. The Trail is 430 miles long and starts at Niagara Falls, passes through Hamilton and ends at the Bruce Peninsula. Hikers are lead to scenic gorges, hidden waterfalls and places of quiet charm.

James North Art District

North of the T. H. & B. Railway Bridge
Bank of Montreal Building, now a Law Office

Growth in the arts and culture sector has garnered high level media attention for Hamilton. A Globe and Mail article in 2006, entitled "Go West, Young Artist," focused on the growing art scene in Hamilton. The second Friday of every month there's a James North Art Crawl where people experience many flavours of art and stroll the lively sidewalks and savour the tastes of nearby cafes and restaurants. [16] The Factory: Hamilton Media Arts Centre,[17] opened up a new home on James Street North in 2006. Art galleries are springing up on many streets across the City: James Street, Locke Street and King Street, to name a few. This, coupled with growth in the Downtown condo market which is drawing people back to the Core, is having a strong, positive impact on the cultural fabric of the City. The opening of the Downtown Arts Centre[18] on Rebecca Street has spurred further creative activities in the Core. The Community Centre for Media Arts[19] (CCMA) continues to operate in Downtown Hamilton. The CCMA works with marginalized populations and combines new media services such as website development, graphic design, video, and information technology, with arts education and skills development programming.[20]

The Hammertheatre Company, founded in January 2007, is a company devoted to theatre research in Hamilton and also devoted to the plays of artistic director Sky Gilbert whose plays will deal with issues of gender and sexuality. Gilbert is also the founder of legendary Toronto theatre, Buddies in Bad Times. There, Gilbert's iconic gay plays found an enthusiastic, vast audience. The theatre is at the old Ancient Order of Foresters building in the James Street North neighbourhood where Hamilton's Art scene continues to grow and where Sky has been living since 2004. [21] [22]

Waterfront Shuttle

The Waterfront Shuttle is a free service offered by the Hamilton Street Railway. It has a seasonal schedule that runs weekends from May-to-October connecting Hamilton's downtown core to the waterfront and attractions that can be found there like HMCS Haida and the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. The route circles Hamilton's downtown core around York Boulevard (north), Bay Street South (west), King Street West (south) and James Street North (east). Then it travels north along James Street and the Art District until it reaches the waterfront at Guise Street past the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Harbour West Marina Complex. Then the route hangs a left on Discovery Drive, the site of the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. Also at this site is the Hamilton Harbour Queen (cruise boat), Hamiltonian (tour boat) and the Hamilton Waterfront Trolley. [23]

Hamilton Waterfront Trolley

The Hamilton Waterfront Trolley is a narrated tour along the 12 kilometre Hamilton Waterfront Trail. The main stop and departure spot is at the Hamilton Waterfront SCOOPS Ice Cream parlour, which provides the famous Stoney Creek Dairy Ice Cream. There are a dozen stops along the way between Princess Point at the western-end of the route to the eastern-end, the site of HMCS Haida. Also near this eastern-end route is the site of the Hamiltonian Tour Boat, which is a 12-passenger tour boat that offers a leisurely guided tour of Hamilton harbour with the captain providing interesting stories and history of one of North America's most noteworthy harbours. In addition to this there is also the Hamilton Harbour Queen Cruises which is another ship that offers 3-hour tour of the harbour along with Lunch, Dinner or other special events like Dance parties. This Harbour Queen Cruise was also the 2005 winner of the Hamilton Tourism Awards for "best tourism idea." [24]

Landmarks

Piggot Building, "Hamilton's first skyscraper"
Lloyd D. Jackson Square (Mall), Commerce Place Complex
Downtown Hamilton street banner, Hamilton City Centre
James Street North Federal Building, home of the Hamilton City Ballet, (5th floor)

Note: Listing of Landmarks from North to South.

Communities

Note: Listing of neighbourhoods from North to South [26]

Major roads that cross James Street

Note: Listing of streets from North to South.

Roads that are parallel with James Street

Note: Listing of streets from West to East.

Images

  • Hamilton City Centre clock tower & Stelco Tower
    Hamilton City Centre clock tower & Stelco Tower
  • James Street North landmark
    James Street North landmark
  • James Street is home to many fine restaurants
    James Street is home to many fine restaurants
  • John Weir Foote V.C. Armouries
    John Weir Foote V.C. Armouries
  • A typical James Street North European-style restaurant/ cafe
    A typical James Street North European-style restaurant/ cafe
  • Cathedral Place Anglican Church of Canada
    Cathedral Place Anglican Church of Canada
  • Courage, Hopes & Dreams statue @ Immigration Square, LIUNA Station
    Courage, Hopes & Dreams statue @ Immigration Square, LIUNA Station
  • LIUNA Station, formerly Canadian National Railway building
    LIUNA Station, formerly Canadian National Railway building

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bailey, Thomas Melville (1981). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol I, 1791-1875). W.L. Griffin Ltd. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  2. ^ a b c Manson, Bill (2003). Footsteps In Time: Exploring Hamilton's heritage neighbourhoods. North Shore Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-896899-22-6. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. ^ a b "Chronolgy of the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Ontario". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  4. ^ CIBC "Mergers and Amalgamations, The Canadian Bank of Commerce". Retrieved 2007-03-26. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  5. ^ a b Houghton, Margaret (2003). The Hamiltonians, 100 Fascinating Lives. James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers Toronto. ISBN 1-55028-804-0. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Unknown parameter |pg= ignored (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ a b "Fast Facts from Hamilton's Past". Retrieved 2007-04-08. Cite error: The named reference "Bank" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b "Hamilton Street Railway History". Retrieved 2007-03-26. Cite error: The named reference "HSRhistory" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b "Hamilton Transit History". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  9. ^ "The Pigott Building- 1929". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  10. ^ "The Hamilton Memory Project;" (Press release). The Hamilton Spectator- Souvenir Edition page MP38. Saturday June 10, 2006. {{cite press release}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Johnston, Bill. "Hamilton Spectator article: "Lament for a Downtown"". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  12. ^ "Birk's Building demolished-1973. (www.raisethehammer.org)". Retrieved 2007-03-26.
  13. ^ Henley, Brian (1993). Hamilton our Lives and Times. The Hamilton Spectator. ISBN 0-9697255-0-7. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  14. ^ Downtown Hamilton: The Heart of it All. Seldon Printing Limited. ISBN 0-921055-03-X.
  15. ^ Houghton, Margaret (2006). Vanished Hamilton Calender. North Shore Publishing. ISBN 1-896899-39-0. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  16. ^ "James North Art Crawl". Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  17. ^ "The Factory: Hamilton Media Arts Centre". Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  18. ^ "Downtown Arts Centre, Hamilton, Ontario". Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  19. ^ "Community Centre for Media Arts". Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  20. ^ Invest in Hamilton, Economic Development Review 2005, Wednesday, 28 June, 2006, "City Remains Committed To Growing Arts & Culture" Page H20
  21. ^ "Sky's the Limit" (Press release). The Hamilton Spectator Pg: Go12. 2007-02-21. {{cite press release}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "CBC News: Sky Gilbert plans new Hamilton Theatre project". Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  23. ^ "The Waterfront Shuttle- HSR". Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  24. ^ "Hamilton Waterfront Trolley". Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  25. ^ Toffoletti, Paul (2007-04-16). "Seven steps to correct Mountain stairs myths". The Hamilton Spectator. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "Hamilton Neighbourhood Boundaries, (map.hamilton.ca)" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-11.



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