If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold.

The Board of Education Building is threatened with demolition by McMaster University. Rather than build in the parking lot behind the building, which will also be owned by McMaster, the university is choosing to destroy a Hamilton landmark. 

Hamilton taxpayers will contribute $20 million to help McMaster demolish this building.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold.

Please help by emailing:

City Council.  The Board of Education. Patrick Deane, President of McMaster University at preswww@mcmaster.ca

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold. from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

Bill. My brother. My hero.

Ed Stewart loves his older brother Bill. It shows in how he describes the influence Bill had on Ed's life. Ed is now in his 80's. That's a long time to love a brother as deeply as Ed does.

Bill. My brother. My hero. is the story of Ed's brother Bill. And of the entire Stewart family and their lives in Hamilton's North End. From being kids in the 1920's, to working as young adults, to serving their country during WW II, and through to the present day, this is a remarkable story of a remarkable family. And two brothers who had a special bond.

This exhibition was well-received by young and older alike. By veterans of the Second World War and by kids who barely know its story. Whether a parent, or a sibling, or both, this touching story will resonate with you.

Bill. My brother. My hero. from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

Come On-A My House - Growing Up Italian in Hamilton's North End

Come On-A My House – Growing Up Italian in Hamilton’s North End is an exhibition that began fortuitously. Andrea Malloni, granddaughter of Anita Malloni who had passed away in early 2010, came in with a book under her arm. It was a tribute that she and Len her dad and son of Anita, had put together for family members.

The book includes remarkable family photographs dating as far back as the 1920’s, as well as recipes from Anita’s own hand-written recipe book. The photographs reveal the story of Italian immigrant family and their life in Hamilton’s North End on Bay Street North where Anita’s parents and her own house still stand today. The recipes reveal a culture of food, from taralli, to stuffed Ascolano olives, to ravioli. All done Anita’s way.

Whether you’re Italian, or another nationality whose family came to Canada and to Hamilton in particular, you’ll see your own family history reflected in this movie.

Come On-A My House - Growing Up Italian in Hamilton's North End from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

The Lister Block - The Dark Before the Light

The Lister Block has been loved, hated, discarded, fought over. 

 A retail and commercial building built in 1923, the Lister Block became of symbol of Hamilton. A remarkable past. A challenging present. 

 Despite this, the building survived. Today, as it is about to re-open after a careful restoration, it's time to celebrate not only a heritage victory, but also as a new symbol of what Hamilton values as we move forward.

 This video, produced by Hamilton HIStory + HERitage, provides a glimpse inside the Lister Block shortly before the renovation began. It features remarkable photographs from Nali, presented in loving memory of David Bahadur.  

The Lister Block - The Dark Before the Light from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

SLEEK Videos

SLEEK – Hamilton’s Modernist Residential Architecture was one of the most successful exhibitions ever mounted at Hamilton HIStory + HERitage. The combination of a full page article in the Globe & Mail by ‘Architourist’ Dave LeBlanc, a full page story in the Hamilton Spectator by columnist Paul Wilson, and great word of mouth by fans of the style and of H+H, brought in an audience from around southern Ontario and from as far away as Buffalo, New York and Melbourne, Australia.

All 6 of the ‘videos’ featuring houses designed by Mac Gerrie, Jerome Markson, Trevor Garwood Jones, Harry Lennard, Jim Christie, and Stan Roscoe are now posted. Each is approximately 10 minutes in length and provides a short history of the house as well as many exceptional interior and exterior images taken by photographer Jeff Tessier and augmented with photographs taken by Graham Crawford.

Research for SLEEK was completed by Anthony Butler, a well-respected local architect.

The response to the exhibition was so positive that Graham Crawford, owner of HIStory + HERitage, and Anthony Butler are currently planning SLEEK 2 to launch in November, 2011. The new exhibition will include a book featuring all of the houses from both exhibitions.

SLEEK - The Gerrie House from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

SLEEK - The Markson House from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

Untitled from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

SLEEK - The Roscoe House from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

SLEEK - The Lennard House from historyandheritage on Vimeo.

SLEEK - The Christie House from historyandheritage on Vimeo.