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Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society

Name: Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society
Address: 163 Dundas Street E, Waterdown, ON, L0R2H0, CA
Telephone: +19055405161

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Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society

FAHS - dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the people and communities of Flamborough. Interested in local history?

The Story of the Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society:

The Flamborough Archives began in 1973 with the formation of the Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society. In the 1980s as material continued to be donated and a multitude of queries started coming in, it became clear that the public would be best served by a small Community Archives. The archives were originally housed in 'Chestnut Gro

ve' in Waterdown after it had been purchased by the Town of Flamborough. Space was set aside, and the Archives officially opened to the public October 1991. Increased awareness and demand on the Archives put a strain on the repository. After the amalgamation with the City of Hamilton in 2001, the Archives moved into the former Flamborough Municipal Offices at 163 Dundas St E., allowing the Archives to expand and increase services. While the new Waterdown Library was constructed the Flamborough Archives was hosted at Hamilton Central Library. The new Archives opened to the public in the new building December 1, 2015. The Flamborough Archives is staffed and operated entirely by volunteers! Consider a donation to assist us in preserving Flamborough’s history. The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society was formed when the three Townships of Beverly and East and West Flamborough became joined into one entity. Concerned citizens, notably Waterdown Reeve Robert McNairn, encouraged the creation of the Heritage Society. A committee composed of community members was struck to set out how the society would be formed and funded. Original advertising for the inaugural meeting included a hand-painted banner hung over Main Street, radio publicity, 3,000 brochures hand-folded by committee members, and inviting friends and other members of the community by landline. The inaugural meeting was held April 6, 1973, and included discussion, refreshments, and displays. It began the society's history of protecting and preserving the local history and heritage of the area and the Village of Waterdown. Become a member of the Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society today!

06/22/2026

👑 Remember when Queen Victoria walked the streets of Waterdown?

Launched in September 1993 by the BIA to welcome shoppers back to the village core after major Dundas Street renovations, the festival quickly grew into a massive annual tradition. For a decade, Main and Mill Streets were transformed into pedestrian-safe zones filled with period costumes, street performers, antique lace-making, a Teddy Bear picnic, and an unforgettable calliope.

Who remembers seeing Gloria Duckworth as Queen Victoria arriving in style, or hearing Town Crier Bob Heil kick off the festivities? Which long-lost village shops do you miss the most? (Anyone remember picking up treasures at Aunt Lou's or grabbing a bite at The Village Tea Room?)

Read Lyn’s wonderful trip down memory lane at Flamborough Today, the source of our screenshot. Share your favorite Victorian Festival memories in the comments below! 👇

06/20/2026

Chasing Local History: From the Red Light Inn to the Drew Motel 🏨🚗

Take a look at this beautiful vintage postcard of the Drew Motel, once located on Highway 2 (modern day Plains Road) in Aldershot!

Mid-century motels like this were staples of the roadside travel boom in the 1950s, but the ground this particular motel sat on has a history that stretches back much further. Let's look at the timeline for this site at Highway 2 and Filman Road (once known as Hall's Corners after Captain William Hall):

• 1803: The site originally hosted the historic Red Light Inn, which gained its first license at the turn of the 19th century.

• 1897: The old Inn was moved to the east side of BF4 (Broken Front Concession, Lot 4) and was eventually torn down in 1947.

• 1954–1955: The Drew Motel was built by the Drew family, featuring the classic mid-century L-shape layout and vibrant roadside signage you see in the postcard.

• Later Years: The property was purchased by a Mr. Keller, who renamed it the Bell Motel and built a house behind it. Sadly, local residents remember watching the structure catch fire before it was ultimately demolished.

It’s amazing how a single intersection can hold over two centuries of stories, from early pioneer inns to the neon-lit era of post-war road trips. The location is now the site of Affinity Condos, 320 Plains Rd E.

Over to you: Do you or your family remember the Drew Motel or the Bell Motel? Did you ever see it before it was lost? Drop your memories, stories, or corrections in the comments below!

06/16/2026

The Heritage Hound: Sealey Park’s German Howitzer 🐾💥

Marshall is on high alert at Sealey Park today! He’s found the massive barrel assembly of a 10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 16 (leFH 16) model 1916 German Howitzer. He's a bit puzzled as to where the rest of it went - his nose is telling him there’s more to this story than just this heavy piece of steel.

The History: The 3,360lb battlefield piece arrived in Waterdown as a war trophy on August 23, 1920, delivered via the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was originally destined to stand in front of a newly planned Memorial Hall, but when those plans shifted, it was placed here in Sealey Park as a permanent reminder of the Great War.

Marshall’s Mystery: Where is the rest of it? 🕵️‍♂️ When it arrived in 1920, this Howitzer was a complete unit featuring massive wooden-spoked wheels, a heavy carriage, and a steel armored shield. Over the last century, those "missing pieces" have completely vanished, leaving only the barrel assembly we see today.

The Question: Does anyone in the community remember seeing the gun when it still had its wheels, or have you heard the local legend of where the missing carriage ended up? Share your theories below! 👇

Where will the Heritage Hound check in next? Find out next month!

06/10/2026

🚒➡️🪥 From fighting fires to fighting cavities!

Have you ever wondered why the corner of Main Street South and Barton Street is called the Firehall Dentist?

In the latest "Then and Now" piece for Flamborough Today, our archivist Lyn takes us on a trip down memory lane to 1956, when 4 Barton Street opened as Waterdown’s combined municipal offices, police station, and volunteer fire hall. It was the heart of village life for decades - where residents paid taxes, attended intense council debates, and school kids took exciting fire station tours.

Though the iconic red brick was painted a soft grey/sage green back in 2023, you can still spot the outline of the old garage doors at the back of the building!

Dive into the full history and check out some incredible vintage photos from the Flamborough Archives collection at Flamborough Today, the source of our screenshot.

06/07/2026

Meet our summer student, Ryan! 👋📖

If you’ve visited the Archives recently, you’ve likely seen him hard at work sorting and preserving important pieces of Flamborough's past.

Flamborough Today just featured a wonderful profile on Ryan’s journey from a passionate local student to a future history teacher (and already a published co-author!).

Check out the article to learn more about the next generation of heritage keepers over at Flamborough Today, the source of our screenshot.

06/02/2026

Calling all history detectives: A 1940s mystery has just landed on our desk!

This stunning photograph was rescued from an auction lot, and we’re dying to know the story behind it. The back gives us a classic 1940s lead: "Dad, Pete, James, John and Mother" - taken right here in 1940 at a house on the 6th Concession, East Flamborough Township.

With those sharp uniforms and that stoic look, this family is clearly a piece of our local wartime puzzle. Do you recognize them? Could these folk be a missing chapter in our community's history? Drop your leads below and help us give this family their name back!

Thanks to Abby for sending this our way.

05/31/2026

What a phenomenal kickoff to the Museum Summer Series yesterday! It was wonderful connecting with over 100 history lovers right here in our community.

Clear your calendars for what's coming next:

📍 RED Day: Join us this coming Friday, June 5th!
📍 Museum Series, Part 2: We’ll be back with even more on Saturday, June 27th!

Thanks to the Waterdown Museum of Hope for hosting a stellar launch.

See you all on Friday!

05/30/2026

☀️ Market Saturday is here! We are all set up inside the Waterdown Legion for today’s Farmer’s Market. Drop by the Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society table to browse our local history books, check out our new vintage photo display featuring before and afters of Flamborough, or just chat about our community's roots. We’d love to see you!

05/24/2026

A beautiful tribute to a hidden gem in our community! 🌳🪦

The Flamborough Today feature on the historic Millgrove Cemetery perfectly highlights the incredible power of volunteer-led preservation. Managed and maintained not by the city, but by dedicated volunteers. Cemetery Manager Ron Service and the volunteer board have done a phenomenal job maintaining these four acres as a pristine, park-like sanctuary and a living link to our area’s earliest pioneer families.

Independent, community-driven spaces like this are a rarity, and they remind us that protecting our heritage truly takes a village.

🗓️ Mark your calendars:
Millgrove Cemetery will be hosting its annual Decoration Day on Sunday, June 14th. It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit the beautiful grounds, show your support, and ensure this historic resting place thrives for generations to come.

Read the full story by Kathy Yanchus at Flamborough Today, the source of our screenshot.

05/16/2026

✨ Spotlight on Our Team!

We are thrilled to share this morning's Flamborough Today profile featuring our very own Vice President and Social Media Manager, Meghan Martin!

Meghan has been a driving force behind our mission to bring Flamborough’s incredible archives into the digital space, making history accessible, interactive, and relevant for a whole new generation of residents. From digital mapping to recent heritage preservation, she's ensuring our past has a vibrant future.

We are incredibly proud to have her leading the charge. Read her story at Flamborough Today, and find out how you can get involved with our volunteer team at our website.

Address

163 Dundas Street E
Waterdown, ON
L0R2H0

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+19055405161

Website

http://flamboroughhistory.com/

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