List of roads in Hamilton, Ontario

This is a List of streets in Hamilton, Ontario, many of which were named after the Loyalist families who arrived to Hamilton after the British lost the American Revolutionary War. These names include Hess, Hughson, Herkimer, Land, Beasley, Gage, Doan, Davis, Mills, Carpenter, and Brant. The Loyalists were the pioneers of Hamilton and area.^[1]

Many of the street names in Hamilton have changed over the years. James Street south of King was called Jarvis, Jackson Street was Maiden Lane, John Street was Mountain Street, Main Street east of James was Brougham Street, Hunter Street east of James was called Peel Street, Charlton Avenue West was Anderson Street, Charlton Avenue was Hannah Street, Park Street was Bond Street, Bay Street South was Bowry Street, Cannon Street was known as Henry Street, Barton Street West was Concession and Upper James Street on the mountain was known as Caledonia Road.^[1]

The following is a list of streets found in Hamilton, Ontario:

Lower City (below Escarpment)

• 50 Road
• Aberdeen Avenue, named after Lord Aberdeen (John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair) and Lady Aberdeen (Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair) who both lived in Hamilton on Bay Street South (1890–1898) with their four children. They presided over the opening of the Hamilton Public Library on September 16, 1890. Lord Aberdeen was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1893.^[2]
• Augusta Street, originally, between Catharine Street and Ferguson Avenue was known as O'Reilly Street.^[3]
• Barton Street, In the early days Hamilton was known as Barton township, named after a township in Lincoln County, England. Barton Street is all that remains of the township.^[2]
• Bay Street, derives its name from its proximity to Hamilton Harbour, which was once Burlington Bay.^[2]
• Beach Boulevard, road that runs parallel with the Burlington Bay Skyway Bridge.
• Burlington Street, original name was Industrial Road. It derives its name from its proximity to Hamilton Harbour, which used to be called Burlington Bay.^[2]
• Cannon Street, was originally called Henry Street. The section between Bay and James Streets was called Miles Street. The origins of the Cannon street name remains a mystery for local historians.^[3]
• Caroline Street named after one of Peter Hess's daughters.
• Catharine Street, named after Nathaniel Hughson's daughter. (Hughson was one of the city founders of Hamilton). Other streets in the city were named after him and his family members. Hughson, Rebecca (wife) and James (son).^[4]
• Centennial Parkway
• Charlton Avenue, named after Benjamin Ernest Charlton, (1835–1901), teacher, manufacturer, politician and mayor of Hamilton.^[4] Originally Charlton Street was named Hannah Street.^[3]
• Cochrane Road, road that leads to King's Forest Park from the Queenston Traffic Circle.
• Cootes Drive
• Dundurn Street, originated with Sir Allan MacNab who named his home Dundurn Castle and its landscaped grounds Dundurn Park. Originally Dundurn Street, South of King Street West was known as Garth Street up to 1913. Dundurn is a Gaelic word meaning "the fort on the water." ^[2]
• Ferguson Avenue, site of Ferguson Station (historic site)- defunct train station. Summertime Mustard Festival held here. Ferguson Avenue south of Main Street use to be called, Cherry Street.^[2]
• Fruitland Road
• Gage Avenue, and Upper Gage Street are named after James Gage, a lumber merchant and his uncle William Gage, a farmer. Together James and William had a farm that was the site of the Battle of Stoney Creek during the War of 1812. The wounded were treated inside their home and they were both awarded compensation for it by the government.^[4]
• Governor's Road,
• Gray Road
• Green Road
• Herkimer Street, Herkimer Street was named after Mary Herkimer, the daughter of United Empire Loyalist Johan Host Herkimer. Mary Herkimer married Robert Hamilton of Queenston and thereby became the stepmother of John George Hamilton, the founder of the city of Hamilton, Ontario. When George Hamilton was building the city that bears his name in the early 1800s, he named one of the new streets Herkimer Street in her honor.[1]
• Hess Street, named after Peter Hess, (1779–1855), farmer, landowner. Peter Street in Hamilton also named after him as well as Caroline Street named after one of his daughters.^[4] also the site of Hess Village.
• Hughson Street, named after Nathaniel Hughson, (1755–1837), Farmer & hotel owner, Loyalist who moved to Canada following the American Revolution, one of the city founders. Other Streets in the city were named after his family members: James, Rebecca and Catharine.^[4]
• Hunter Street, named after Peter Hunter Hamilton, (1800–1857), landowner and businessman + half brother of city founder George Hamilton.^[4] Originally, sections of Hunter Street were called William Street after King William IV and Peel Street after the British PM, Sir Robert Peel.^[3]
• Jackson Street, named after Edward Jackson, (1799–1872), tinware manufacturer.^[4] Originally Jackson Street was called Tyburn Street and later Maiden Lane. It is now named after Edward Jackson.^[3]
• James Street, named after one of Nathaniel Hughson's sons. Hughson was one of the City founders of Hamilton along with George Hamilton and James Durand.^[4] Originally, James Street was called Lake Road because it was the road that led 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.^[3]
• John Street, originally known as Mountain Road.
• Kenilworth Avenue
• King Street (Hamilton), follows the path of an old Indian Trail and was named after King George III.^[3]
• King Street (Dundas),
• King William Street
• Lake Avenue, the hub of early Stoney Creek was the intersection of Lake Avenue and King Street.^[2]
• [1] Locke Street, antique shops and cafes. Origins of street name as early as 1840 when it was spelled as L-o-c-k and by 1870 the spelling was standardized to "Locke". North of King Street West was known as Railway Street because it ran to the Great Western Railway yards.^[2]
• MacNab Street, named after Allan McNab, (1798–1862), Sir. Allan Napier McNab soldier, lawyer, businessman, knight and former Prime Minister of Upper Canada.^[4][5]
• Main Street, originally called Court Street, after the first courthouse that stood on it. It is now called Main Street because it formed the "main" concession line of Barton Township.^[3]
• Nash Road
• Ottawa Street B.I.A, also known as Hamilton's "Textile District."
• Parkdale Avenue
• Quigley Road
• Queen Street, was named after Queen Caroline of Brunswick, wife of King George IV.^[3]
• Queenston Road, the original "Hamilton & Queenston Provincial Highway", no. 8.
• Sherman Avenue, originally called Shearman Avenue which was named after the first land assessor of the district, nothing more is known of Shearman who remains a man of mystery in Hamilton's history books. Later the name was changed from Shearman to Sherman Avenue in honour of brothers Clifton Sherman, (1872–1955) and Frank Sherman, (1887–1967), who both founded Dominion Foundries and Steel (later called Dofasco) in 1912, creating a giant that would bring prosperity and identity to the city.^[2][6][7]
• Victoria Avenue, named after Queen Victoria.^[2]
• Wentworth Street, named after Sir John Wentworth, lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia, from 1792 to 1808.^[8]
• Wellington Street, originally Wellington Street was called Lovers' Lane.^[3]
• Wilson Street (Hamilton), Wilson Street between James Street and Mary Street was originally called Gore Street after the District of Gore. Wilson Street was named after Hugh B. Wilson, a local landowner who opened a survey on the street.^[3]
• Woodward Avenue,
• York Boulevard, was part of the military road that connected the chain stations lying between Kingston and the Niagara River, this road was the main route to York (Toronto). As a result, it became known as York Street. In 1976, the road was closed for construction, widened and renamed York Boulevard November 29, 1976.^[2]

Mountain (Escarpment)

• Airport Road
• [2] Concession Street, (oldest settlement area on the mountain, once an African American neighbourhood settled by slaves escaping the U.S. via the underground railroad Underground Railroad). Originally known as Stone Road and changed to Concession Street in 1909. Originally was a separate community from the Lower city Hamilton and known as "Mount Hamilton" but by 1891, properties north of Concession Street were annexed by the city and were serviced with water, sewers and sidewalks. Note: Aberdeen Avenue in the Lower City was originally known as Concession Street.^[2]
• Dartnall Road
• Dickenson Road, named after John Dickenson, politician and one of the "Five John's" of the Cataract Power Company who first brought electricity from DeCew Falls to Hamilton. Although was one of the country's electrical pioneers, he never had electric power in his home. John's great grandson Herb Dickenson played for the New York Rangers in the NHL.^[2]
• Fennell Avenue, named after Joseph Fennell, (1835–1919), Anglican priest.^[9]
• Fiddlers Green Road, named after a legend that talks about a group of fiddlers that would gather nearby Fiddler's Green Inn with their violins for much music and dancing.^[2]
• Garner Road, named after William B. Garner (blacksmith) who operated a blacksmith shop on the intersection with Southcote Road.^[2]
• Garth Street
• Glancaster Road
• Golf Links Road
• Greenhill Avenue
• Highland Park
• Limeridge Road, named after a limestone ridge that can be seen today in the rock cuts running parallel to the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway.^[2]
• Mohawk Road, the road follows the route of an ancient Indian Trail. Indians walked this path from upper New York State.^[2]
• Mount Albion Road
• Mountain Brow Boulevard
• Mud Street, the name originates from the 18th century and is descriptive of the road when the horse and buggy reigned.^[2]
• Nebo Road
• Ridge Road
• Rymal Road, named after William Rymal, (1759–1852), farmer and one of earliest settlers on the Hamilton mountain.^[4]
• Sanatorium Road,
• Scenic Drive,
• Stone Church Road, named after the Barton Stone Church on the corner of Upper James Street.^[4]
• Trinity Church Road
• Twenty Road, takes its name from Twenty Mile Creek in the northwest part of Glanbrook.^[2]
• Upper Centennial Parkway
• Upper Gage Avenue, Upper Gage Avenue and Gage Avenue are named after James Gage, a lumber merchant and his uncle William Gage, a farmer. Together James and William had a farm that was the site of the Battle of Stoney Creek during the War of 1812. The wounded were treated inside their homes and they were both awarded compensation for it by the government.^[4]
• Upper James Street, (See James Street), Originally was called the Caledonia Road because it was the road that led to Caledonia, Ontario.
• Upper Kenilworth Avenue
• Upper Paradise Road
• Upper Ottawa Street
• Upper Sherman Avenue (See Sherman Avenue)
• Upper Wentworth Street (See Wentworth Street)
• Upper Wellington Street (See Wellington Street)
• West 5th Street
• Whitechurch Road
• Wilson Street (Ancaster)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Watson, Milton (1938). Saga of a City. The Hamilton Spectator. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s} Houghton, Margaret (2002). Hamilton Street Names: An Illustrated Guide. James Lorimer & Co. Ltd.. ISBN 1-55028-773-7. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Manson, Bill (2003). Footsteps In Time: Exploring Hamilton's heritage neighbourhoods. North Shore Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-896899-22-6. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Bailey, Thomas Melville (1981). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol I, 1791–1875). W.L. Griffin Ltd. 
5. ^ Bailey, Melville (1987 (reprint)). The History of Dundurn Castle and Sir Allan MacNab. pp. 1–38. 
6. ^ "Hamilton Spectator: "The Greatest Hamiltonian". (II)". http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1143499813048&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
7. ^ "The Hamilton Gallery of Distinction". http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/LibraryServices/gallery/. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
8. ^ Burkholder, Mabel (1956). Barton on the Mountain. Hamilton Public Library. 
9. ^ Bailey, Thomas Melville (1992). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol III, 1925–1939). W.L. Griffin Ltd. 

• Weaver, John C. (1985). Hamilton: an illustrated history. James Lorimer & Company, Publishers, ISBN 0-88862-593-6