SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MAIN AND DUNDAS STREETS, 1968
Today
Money … and Mayhem?
Prior to the arrival of The Royal Bank in Waterdown, locals were served by small private banks. The first ‘Chartered Bank’ in Waterdown was Trader’s Bank that operated out of what was known as the J. T. Stock building at 325 Dundas from 1909 to 1912 when the bank was taken over by the Royal Bank. Still today, you can step into the bank vault now lined with books in the back corner of Pickwick Books.
Lesser known was the Sealey Bank, that operated on the northeast corner of Main and Dundas Street and was the location of one of Waterdown’s most dramatic incidents. During the early hours of April 14, 1887, four burglars gained entrance to the bank while owner William Oscar Sealey and his wife slept upstairs. Upon finding the safe, the intruders drilled holes near the handle, inserted gun powder and ignited a fuse. The ensuing explosion blew open the safe, shattered windows and woke the Sealeys.
Mr. Sealey grabbed his revolver and began firing shots from the top of the stairs only to be matched with a round of bullets from the intruders, four of which pierced the bedroom floor. More volleys of gunfire occurred before Sealey attempted to open a side window and call for help. When he discovered the windows stuck shut, Sealey kicked out the glass and began shouting. The noise forced the burglars into the street where they retaliated with a hail of bullets in the direction of the broken window.
The gunfire missed Sealey, who continued to shoot at the street below. Eventually beating their retreat, two robbers escaped northbound carrying safe drawers full of valuable papers and the other two ran through the intersection. The papers were found later that day under the Dundas Stret bridge.
Throughout the morning, villages visited Sealey’s business to see the bullet holes and hear details of the “bloodless battle”. Sealey boasted no money was stolen as earlier experiences had taught him not to leave cash in the safe.
A Changing Streetscape
As it was settled, the Village of Waterdown centred around the commercial area on Dundas Street between Mill and Main Streets. The community expanded outwards with residential homes to the east, west, north and south before stretching into farmland. Spared from the fires that decimated much of the commercial district, many area century homes remain standing and largely intact, valued for their historical significance and craftsmanship.
A walking tour of the residential streets will provide you with a glimpse of various architectural styles from pre-Confederation to Victorian, from board and batten cottages to quarried cut limestone and intricate red-brick beauties. The peaked gable featured on many homes recalls the dormer of an Ontario Cottage, a nineteenth-century vernacular architectural style common in this area. This symbol appears in the Flamborough Heritage Society’s logo and in the Flamborough Coat of Arms.
As the downtown grew, many of the homes along Dundas Street were converted for commercial purposes. This is especially evident between Main and Hamilton Street, where many businesses – such as Taylors Plumbing, Dr. Sala & Associates, Waterdown Village Dentistry, Haircut 1000, Lotus Counselling and more operate out of properties that maintain their residential look and features, including in some cases, lovely front porches.
The southwest corner of Main and Dundas Street has evolved a few times since the early 1900s. Several notable families once lived in a large two-storey stone home that stood here before it was demolished in 1962 to make way for the building of the Royal Bank. This is the second iteration of the bank on this corner. As illustrated, the first building was smaller and separated from the neighbouring Textile & Supplies business by a white picket fence. Both the fence and the Textile business were removed to expand the bank and add a parking lot. The large tree shown in front of the bank was traditionally lit up for the holidays.
The metal art in this planter depicts Smokey Hollow Falls and the proximity of the Village of Waterdown to several scenic lookouts. A number of hiking paths and side trails that are part of the Bruce Trail system wind along the escarpment and all around Waterdown. Enjoying the natural beauty and views of the area by foot remains popular with locals and visitors to the Village.
Credits
Mural art by Bhairavi Jathar Talpade
Metal art by Soul Metal, Carol Nasvytis
Learn more about the Heritage Art Walk HERE
Interested in learning more about the history of Waterdown? Find several self-guided Flamborough Archives Walking Tours highlighting Flamborough rural communities, heritage homes, businesses and more.
Sources
City of Hamilton, Built Heritage Inventory, History of Waterdown
Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society, https://flamboroughhistory.com/the-great-waterdown-bank-robbery/
See more about designated properties https://flamboroughhistory.com/designated-buildings-in-waterdown-east-flamborough/
Learn about Mill Street Heritage here https://www.waterdownmillstreetheritage.ca/
