Hamilton, Canada

Hamilton, Ontario, is a city that has a little of everything, from sprawling industries to local sports teams like CFL's Tiger-Cats. It is known as the "The Hammer" or "Steel Town" for the thriving steel industry, which is noticeable by the many steel plants overlooking Hamilton Harbour. There is much to see and do, like the Historic Dundurn Castle and over 100 waterfalls to visit. There is never a dull moment in Ontario's 3rd largest city.

Geography Of Hamilton

Hamilton is found in the southeastern province of Ontario in Canada, in the northern part of North America. Hamilton is a port city found at the western end of Lake Ontario. On a map, it is roughly halfway between Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Buffalo, New York, USA.

Hamilton is a member of the Niagara Peninsula, but more specifically, the Niagara Escarpment that divides it into "upper" and "lower" divisions and is commonly referred to as the "mountain." The Niagara peninsula is a portion of land between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. This also makes up the Greater Golden Horseshoe which is a combination of the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Scugog, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, and the Greater Toronto Area or GTA. Sometimes the term GTHA is used, adding Hamilton to this metropolis region.

Climate Of Hamilton

Hamilton is found within a humid continental climate zone and has 4 seasons that consist of humid summers and snowy and sometimes blistering winters. Spring and Autumn are crisp and transitional. Annually, Hamilton receives 929.6 mm of precipitation over 157.7 days, which includes snow, sleet, and rain. However, along with being the warmest month at 20.8 degrees Celsius, July brings in the most precipitation at 101.6 mm. Alternately, January is the coldest month of the year, with an average temperature of -5.5 degrees Celsius. Historically, February brings in the least amount of precipitation with 58.5 mm. On July 14, 1868, Hamilton recorded the warmest temperature at 41.1 degrees Celsius.

Brief History Of Hamilton 

Named after George Hamilton, who thought the land between Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment would be a good location for a city, and laid out the establishment in 1815. It wasn't until the 1830s and the addition of the Burlington Canal that Hamilton witnessed rapid growth in population and industry. 

Upon completing his second year as Premier, Sir Allan McNab saw the Great Western Railway begin operation, becoming Hamilton's first functional railroad connecting Hamilton to the larger American Immigration route of New York, Milwaukee, Boston, and Chicago. Thus, Hamilton became an important rail and logistical hub for transporting steel and was incorporated as a city in 1846.

However, it would be the rebellious actions of steelworkers who milled steel at the time who instead started smelting steel. Hence, they sourced limestone from the Niagara Escarpment, coal from Appalachia, and iron ore found on the Canadian Shield. Forever giving Hamilton its claim to fame as "Steel City."

Demographics Of Hamilton

With a population of 569,353, Hamilton is the third-largest city in Ontario, behind Ottawa and Toronto. Throughout Canada, Hamilton is the 9th most populous city and has a population density of 509.1 km/sq. Hamilton has a large french population with 30,530 Francophones and 5000 dedicated bilingual services. There is also a significant Italian, English, Scottish, and Irish population of 130,750 migrants that claim the aforementioned as their heritage. The average age of a Hamiltonian is 41.3 years old, with 54.9% in a relationship or married and 6.4% divorced. The average household income is $41,730 per year, roughly $21.70 per hour.

Economy Of Hamilton

Hamilton's steel industry makes up 60% of all steel produced in Canada, attributing this to the two steel giants that are Dofasco and Stelco. Dofasco has approximately 7,300 employees and produces 4 million tonnes of steel annually for automotive, construction, and appliance purposes. For seven years in a row, Dofasco has made the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. 

Since 1912, National Steel Car Ltd, has been producing freight and passenger train cars. They employ 3,000 workers and can manufacture 12,500 cars annually, including box cars, coal cars, and passenger train cars. Today, the top contributing economic drivers are wholesale and trade with 60,400 employed, healthcare with 55,500 employed and manufacturing with 46,000 employed.

Attractions In Hamilton

Dundurn Castle

Found on York Boulevard, this 1,700 m/sq mansion is an example of neoclassical architecture. Built in 1835, this home was once owned by Sir Allan McNab and features 40 rooms and had running water and gaslights. The mansion has been restored to its 1855 appearance, and it cost the city of Hamilton $3 million to revive it to its former glory. Today, the public can visit Dundurn Castle, where costumed actors reenact the time when the former Premier was at the height of his political career.

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Found on the outskirts of Hamilton at the John C. Munro International Airport, The Warplane Heritage Museum displays 47 military planes from World War II and the Cold War. The museum owns 1 of 2 Avro Lancaster's in the world that are in flying condition. Other planes in their collection include TBM Avenger, De Havilland Canada-built S-2 Tracker, and Bristol Bolingbroke.

Alan Ness started the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum when he bought Hanger 3 at the airport for his then newly acquired Fairey Firefly. Over the years, the collection grew to include many planes, forcing Ness to purchase Hangar 4 next door for the growing collection. In 1977, Alan Ness was killed in a crash at the Canadian Air Show with the Fairey Firefly. In 1993, a fire broke out in Hangar 3, destroying all aircraft, and it took three years to replace the hangar. Today, the Canadian Warplane Museum is open to the public to come and see the Hanger and relive history.

Hamilton has a unique history that proves that the surrounding landscape of a mountain and a bay can create an industrial and economic driver that George Hamilton had first envisioned. From Premier's completing railroad lines and creating a transportation hub to thriving steel factories and steel cars, this is what makes Hamilton the icon that is seen from the Skyway Bridge today.