The container is a pill bottle with only a log. Please bring a pen to sign in. Parking is available right at GZ.
Historic Hamilton is a series of caches that serve to bring cachers to historic places in and around the City of Hamilton. These caches can be placed by anyone, and are not limited to one owner. If you know of a historic place in the City of Hamilton to which you would like to bring people, feel free to add it to the series!
I recently archived a nearby cache listing that described the 'Bloody Assize' after the war of 1812. That cache was lost when the area was dug up to begin construction on the new Ancaster Arts Centre. But before that work began a 10-week archaeological dig was scheduled. It has revealed another interesting corner of the area's history. I placed this cache as the dig was wrapping up.
HISTORICAL STUFF:
Ancaster, established as a town in 1793, is one of the oldest European-built settlements in Ontario and has lots of collectables from history lingering beneath the surface. The dig team discovered foundations and infrastructure from six buildings that had been demolished to make way for Ancaster Memorial school more than 70 years ago. The property, through the late 1800s and early 1900s, had a grocery store, a tinsmith shop, a carpet weaver, a stable and a log-cabin-styled residence along with a shed. Beyond that, the team has collected all kinds of bottles, pieces of ceramics and coins along with a cask that was likely used to carry liquor.
Here's a current Google Earth map with an overlay of the roads buildings and buildings from the 19th century.
Of particular interest was a near-perfect condition 1912 ginger beer bottle from Pilgrim Bros. and Co. of Hamilton. Pilgrim Bros. was a brewing company in Hamilton that existed from 1848-1912. Some preserved bottles from the company have sold for as much as $700 online.
The following pictures are foundations of an apothecary and a tin shop. The apothecary dates back to 1857 and is extremely well-preserved for a structure that is older than Canada. The area surrounding the apothecary is littered with glass from medicine jars and pieces of tobacco pipes that would have been common back then.![]()
Archeologists also found a french drain system which drew water from both buildings on the main strip of Wilson as well as the sewer drains. The archaeologist describes the drain as "a clue that potentially shows that the buildings were built by the same person" due to the interconnectedness between the drain, the buildings and the sewers
A button with the name Donald Smith Hamilton unearthed on the site. (John Rennison, The Hamilton Spectator)
