Hamilton’s Waterfalls in Winter: Then&Now BY JOSEPH HOLLICK

hanks to the Niagara that runs through the entire length of Hamilton, more than 100 waterfalls have been counted in the city, although many of them are small. A few years ago, this led to the nickname “The City Tof Waterfalls.” Many of these waterfalls were known and photographed over a century ago. To date, 18 Hamilton waterfalls have been found featured on postcards dating back to the early 1900s. Seven of those waterfalls were photographed in winter. Here are those winter waterfall scenes displayed near my own photographs showing how those falls look now. As a bonus, an eighth winter waterfall in St. Catharines is included as it had a connection to Hamilton a century ago.

Logie’s Falls/Upper Falls, because this waterfall Sydenham Falls is located on the Sydenham My collection contains a Creek, which runs through the vintage postcard, of Logie’s Dundas section of Hamilton, Falls in winter from the early where there actually are three 1900s. It states that Logie’s waterfalls. This waterfall is Falls is in Dundas, which the uppermost. Both pictures now is part of Hamilton. were taken from the same In the early 1900s, the location in winter and it Logie family owned this appears that not too much has land, thus the name. changed over a century on the Beside it is a actual waterfall, however in current picture of this the postcard at the top on waterfall which I took in the left side, there appears March 2007, on 35mm film. to be a fence which is not The name now has been present in the current photo. changed to Upper Sydenham

Logle’s Falls

20 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2019-20 Upper Sydenham Falls

winter 2019-20 • Niagara Escarpment Views 21 It’s very important to emphasize safety regarding waterfalls, which can be dangerous at any time, but more so in winter, with snow and ice. Therefore, if you plan to visit some of Hamilton’s waterfalls, please stay on the marked trails, dress accordingly and be aware of your surroundings, as numerous accidents and rope rescues have occurred at Hamilton’s waterfalls every year. There have even been fatalities. No one wants the statistics to increase.

Chedoke Falls

Chedoke Falls where the creek has been addition. a road and bridge Waterfalls” in Hamilton, The vintage postcard showing enclosed into a large concrete have been built over this pipe however, the waterfall Chedoke Falls in winter from storm sewer and the water near the top of the waterfall, itself remains natural. the early 1900s is courtesy flows out of this large pipe. just out of the picture. of Janet Forjan-Freedman. As the “mountain” or Niagara Thus, in this case and many Sanatorium Falls In this picture the creek Escarpment area of Hamilton other Hamilton waterfalls, Sanatorium Falls is also above the waterfall originates was being developed into I have coined the term known as Upper Sanatorium from a natural creek; there roads and housing, the “Urban Waterfall” whereby Falls. Again courtesy of Janet is no man-made structure. creek above the waterfall a portion of the natural Forjan-Freedman, is the The photo that I took on had been entirely enclosed creek, either above or below vintage postcard showing February 20, 2003 using into a large storm sewer that particular waterfall, Sanatorium Ravine in winter 35mm print film, is from system collecting rainwater has been channelled into a from the early 1900s. This nearly the same position as from the new roads in the man-made structure, due postcard is very interesting the postcard. The big change area, which then flowed into to urbanization. In this case from a few standpoints. First, is at the top of the waterfall this large concrete pipe. In and most of the other “Urban the name of the creek or ravine

22 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2019-20 from an ugly storm sewer pipe. In addition, the entire ravine has much debris and garbage in it. Not a pretty sight.

Webster’s Falls Janet Forjan- Freedman’s postcard showing Webster’s Falls in winter from the early 1900s, taken from the bottom of the falls, is quite beautiful. It is amazing that someone a century ago was able to reach the bottom of the waterfall to take this picture. Nowadays it is very difficult to reach the bottom of Webster’s Falls as the staircase beside the falls has been closed and it is a long journey up the Sanatorium Falls creek to this location. The staircase to the bottom was still open in 2002, thus I is taken from the Mountain was able to reach the bottom Sanatorium which was built and take my photograph on top of Hamilton’s mountain on Dec. 27, on 35mm at this location. Second, why First, the name still uses to climb up the Escarpment colour film. Although not would there be a new staircase “sanatorium,” however the at this location. Third, the from the exact location as the built beside a ravine? Well, the upper section now is called water flowing at the top into postcard, it shows the base of Hamilton Brantford Electric with the ravine which forms the the waterfall, some ice build- Railway opened in June a lower section farther down waterfall, now emanates up and the low water flow. 1908 and it ran along what is the ravine, not shown in either now known as the Chedoke picture, known as Lower Radial Trail which is situated Sanatorium Cascade. Second, part way down the Niagara the staircase is gone because Escarpment. One of the stops the electric railway is gone and was the Hamilton Sanatorium the hospital also is gone. Thus and a staircase had to be built there is no need for people for people to climb up the top section of the Niagara Escarpment to reach the hospital. Thus, I am guessing that this postcard is from the winter of 1909 or 1910. Third, the creek or ravine appears to be natural with no visible storm sewer pipes. My photo of Sanatorium Falls was taken in winter on January 1, 2005 on 35mm colour film. It is not exactly the same location as the postcard, as my photo only shows the top of the ravine beside the staircase. There are obvious Webster Falls changes between the two pictures.

winter 2019-20 • Niagara Escarpment Views 23 Tews Falls

Tews Falls family and now is known as in late winter, showing built in front of the old In the early 1900s this Tews Falls or Tew’s Falls. some snow still on the sides wooden bridge as seen by the waterfall near Dundas was My photo of Tews Falls, of the ravine, dated 1909, graffitied bridge columns. In called Hopkins Falls because reflecting the name change, is also courtesy of Russ addition, the creek bottom this land was owned by was taken in winter on March Powers. This postcard photo was reconstructed with the Hopkins family. This 9, 2011 from a viewing was taken from an old concrete to slow the flow of vintage postcard from 1907 platform at the top. Again, wooden bridge used by the water beside the columns, is courtesy of Russ Powers. It it shows the massive ice railway to cross this creek. and then a manmade stone shows the ice build-up at the build-up on this tall waterfall. This bridge is still there, wall was constructed to waterfall which is significant Other than the name but much has changed in rejoin the natural creek as this waterfall is 41m in change, this waterfall has not the ravine since 1909. elevation. This is a totally height, the highest waterfall changed much over a century My photo from January urban waterfall as the water in Hamilton. Also impressive except for two new viewing 23, 2012, was taken from flow in the creek is still is that the photo was taken platforms located across the the same wooden bridge, natural, but almost everything from the bottom of the falls gorge from the actual falls. which now is used by the has been urbanized. which would have required a to cross the This is the third and lowest hike up the creek in winter. Lower Sydenham Falls same creek. However, a new waterfall on Sydenham Creek, Some time afterwards, the The vintage postcard railway bridge, for two which has Upper Sydenham land was acquired by the Tew showing Sydenham Ravine railway tracks, has been Falls further upstream.

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winter 2019-20 • Niagara Escarpment Views 25 Spring Falls

Upper Grindstone Falls

Decew’s Falls

Spring Falls/ Upper or Grindstone Falls, and thus Grindstone Falls has the alternate name of The vintage postcard Upper Grindstone Falls. In my showing Arnolds Falls in photo a bridge is still located winter, dated 1926, is courtesy above the falls, however it of Sylvia Wray of Flamborough was rebuilt to accommodate Archives. If you look closely vehicular traffic, due to a few in this postcard, you can see homes that were built on the two people standing on a other side. The bridge is on wooden bridge above the falls. a private road and still does We are not sure why this is not appear to meet current called Arnolds Falls, but an roadway bridge code. earlier postcard from 1910 also calls this Arnolds Falls. Upper Decew Falls This waterfall now is The vintage postcard called Spring Falls, or Upper showing De Cew’s Falls in Grindstone Falls, and my winter, dated 1907, is courtesy winter photo was taken from of Janet Forjan-Freedman. a similar location as the In this and other vintage postcard on January 10, 2015. postcards, this waterfall is I prefer the name of Spring called De Cew Falls or De Falls as it is on a branch of Cew’s Falls. This waterfall the Grindstone Creek called is located in St. Catharines, Spring Creek. It is located however a hydroelectric above the larger waterfall in power generating station was Waterdown, known as Great built there in 1898 to supply Falls or Smokey Hollow Falls electricity to Hamilton.

26 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2019-20 C O N N E C T I N G Y O U !

H A L T O N H I L L S I S T H R I V I N G ,

It is still operating, making hobby is photography. He was J O I N U S A S it the oldest continually a director of The Giant’s Rib W E C O N T I N U E running hydroelectric power Discovery Centre and produced generating station in . four posters of photographs T O G R O W . This image was taken from of the waterfalls of Hamilton the top of the bank on the through the seasons. In 2009 other side of the ravine. he received the Via Rail Canada My winter photo of Tourism Award for Volunteer DeCew Falls was taken on of the Year for his 10 years March 14, 2015 from the involvement in locating, photographing and promoting bottom of the gorge. Not too much has changed in Hamilton’s waterfalls. over a century as both then and now, this waterfall Janet Forjan-Freedman is producing electricity, has a large collection of although not directly to postcards of Hamilton. 8 James Street Hamilton anymore. Russ Powers of Dundas , is interested in historical www.HaltonHillsChamber.on.ca Joseph Hollick of Dundas is a postcards of Dundas. 647-544-7119 professional engineer whose

winter 2019-20 • Niagara Escarpment Views 27