The first public work undertaken with the financial backing of the provincial government, Burlington Bay Canal was proposed as one of a series of waterways to provide uninterrupted navigation from Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean. It was also championed by area residents as a means of rendering Burlington Bay a usable harbour. In 1823, at the urging of Hamilton merchant James Crooks, the House of Assembly authorized the construction of the canal. Work began the following year and, although not yet finished, the waterway was officially opened by Lieutenant Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland on July 1, 1826. Following delays caused by technical difficulties, Burlington Bay Canal was finally completed in 1832, thereby ensuring Hamilton's rapid development as the commercial centre at the Head of the Lake.

Location

On the Beach Strip or Old Highway 2, on the Hamilton side of the canal, adjacent to the lighthouse

Themes

• Communities
• Industry and trade
• Politics and law
• Transportation systems and communications