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Eatons' Catalogues

The T. Eaton Company donated microfilms of their catalogues to the library. They date from 1884 to 1964

Great Western Railway

When the records of the Great Western Railway were destroyed in the 1960s, some of the papers were salvaged and donated to the Hamilton Public Library.

Hamilton Street Railway Strike, 1906

One of Hamilton's most violent labour disputes led to one of the only times in our history that the Riot Act was read and enforced.

Ice Harvesting

Always considered one of Hamilton's first harvests, men chopped and stored huge blocks of ice.

Keefer Pamphlets

Thomas Coltrin Keefer (1821-1915) was a well known 19th century engineer who, among other things, designed the Waterworks for Hamilton in 1860. He donated a selection of mid-century pamphlets on Railways and Canals to the Hamilton Association which transferred them to the Hamilton Public Library. They have been microfilmed.

Labour Day Parade

Hamilton has always been a strong labour city with lots of support for the annual Labour Day festivities.

Spectator

The Hamilton Spectator has donated their photographic negative collections to Special Collections (now Local History & Archives) from 1939 (the earliest surviving) to 1998.