Hamilton

Hamilton is a city in southern Ontario that stretches from Lake Ontario up to the Niagara Escarpment, with its natural harbor sitting along the protected shoreline. Industrial facilities line the western part of the bay while residential neighborhoods climb the slopes of the escarpment and downtown rests along the flat waterfront strip.

George Hamilton laid out the town plan in 1815 on sloping land between the waterfront and the escarpment following the War of 1812. Steel mills and machinery manufacturers settled along the harbor during the 19th century and shaped the industrial character that remains visible today.

The art gallery holds rotating exhibitions of Canadian works while the theater hosts concerts and performances that draw local audiences throughout the year. On weekends, markets fill downtown streets where residents shop for regional produce and gather at neighborhood cafés for conversation.

Downtown can be explored on foot while bus routes connect residential areas to the center and trails along the escarpment provide access to lookout points. Parking is mainly available in areas near the harbor and along main roads that run through the city.

The university operates a research reactor on its campus that sits alongside laboratories for medical applications and materials research. More than 100 waterfalls run along the length of the escarpment through the city, falling from the cliff edge into valleys below.

Location: Ontario

Inception: June 9, 1846

Elevation above the sea: 75 m

Part of: Niagara Peninsula, Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

Shares border with: Regional Municipality of Niagara, Regional Municipality of Halton, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Wellington County, County of Brant, Haldimand County, Grimsby

Website: https://hamilton.ca

GPS coordinates: 43.25667,-79.86917

Latest update: December 3, 2025 08:36