SOME KEY POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF CONCESSION STREET Concession Street is one of the oldest commercial districts in the City of Hamilton. Our street has a long and fascinating history, beginning with SAM LAWRENCE PARK at the east end. Developed in 1960, the park was named after our colourful ex-mayor (1944-49) in recognition of his achievements on behalf of the labour movement. Here you can see him picketing outside a restaurant... his plackard reading "Help us in our struggle for a 9 hour day and a 6 day week at present wages by STAYING AWAY from this RESTAURANT". Concession Street has much that is unique, including it's location at the crest of what was once an almost insuperable rock escarpment (see photo of tower that crashed down the escarpment amidst the high winds of a severe thunderstorm). The history of the street's development is directly related to its citizens' many attempts to expand settlement upon the Mountain Brow, eventually developing the JOLLY CUT, the broad roadway that now climbs from James Street South at its base to Upper Wellington Street atop the mountain, and the SHERMAN CUT, literally cut through the rock (see photo). THE JOLLY CUT: During the mid 1860's a high profile Hamiltonian, James Jolley, moved to the Mountain on his doctor's recommendation that his wife's health demanded 'mountain air'. He soon created a footpath to his business on John South below. Roadways of the day were privately owned and road maintenance was paid for by tolls. By 1873, with City permission, Jolley had built the "Jolley Cut" as a toll-free road maintained by the City. The photo here shows early work on the escarpment. Concession Street at the time was known as Stone Road because of all the stone quarries nearby. Between the Jolly Cut and the Sherman Cut, there was once the East-End Incline Railway, which ascended to the current Mountain Park Avenue at Upper Wentworth Street. THE INCLINE RAILWAY: By 1891, the City limits now extended to include the Mountain Brow as far as Concession Street, partly due to plans for the creation of a new incline railway. The railway itself was an engineering marvel. Instrumental in increasing settlement atop the mountain, the railway operated on a counter-weight system moving two twenty-ton cars simultaneously, one up, one down. Known as the Wentworth Street Incline, it was the first of two used in the City. Each car could carry up to two farm wagons, plus up to 35 passengers. The ride was just 75 seconds long. SETTLING HAMILTON: Much of Hamilton was settled by Loyalist soldiers, moving north from what is now New York State. Also, many agricultural Europeans, including Swiss, German, Dutch, and French, escaped from religious persecution by emigrating to Canada and then to Hamilton. Receiving 200 acre lots, these loyalists mostly chose to settle below the "mountain". But the few that made the climb to the mountain brow were rewarded by one of the most unique views in the country. In the photo you can see what was once the Davidson Flour and Feed building at the corner of Concession and East 24th Streets, currently Opie's Meats. During the American Civil War, Concession Street became a haven for migrating black refugees. The strip between Upper Sherman and East 23rd became known as 'Little Africa', in sympathy with the former slaves. However, when the war ended the once exiled refugees slowly returned south. By 1900 the Mountain population had reached almost 3,000, most living along the Brow, lovely for it's views and fresh air. At this time, one of the city's most colourful characters, George Horatio Summers, began his entertainment career in Hamilton, eventually drawing thousands of people to the Mount Hamilton area. THE SUMMERS STOCK THEATRE COMPANY at THE MOUNTAIN PARK THEATRE: Often referred to as a gifted comedian, Summers was also a director, producer, and actor who had studied at Ryerson School in Toronto. Summers took out a lease on the property at the top of the Wentworth Street Incline and officially opened his theatre in May of 1902. The 700 seat outdoor theatre was a great success. Admission was 10 and 15 cents with ice water available. To beat the summer heat, crowds of 73,000 patrons ascended the Wentworth Street Incline Railway each summer season to attend the open-sided air-cooled theatre (whose slogan was "Always A Breeze') at the top of the escarpment. For eleven seasons George H. Summer Theatrical Enterprises operated this one-of-a-kind attraction, turning the mountain brow into a 'theatre district'. Once the theatre burned down in 1914, George moved to New York City and established a talent agency for actors and directors. In his retirement and back in Toronto, George Summers wrote poetry and scripted comedy sketches for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. A HOSPITAL ON CONCESSION: By March of 1916, the Mount Hamilton Hospital was accepting its first patients. Located on a once vacant field overgrown with wildflowers and directly opposite the apple orchard at Sherman Avenue plus an additional 15 acres of land annexed by the City, the hospital served as a convalescent hospital for returning World War I veterans.

For more reading on the History of Concession Street, see: "Concession Street In Context: A Chronological History of the Concession Street District" by Jerry Johansen "Our World's a Stage: The Summers Family Story" by Robert James Williamson "Mountain Memories: A Pictorial History of Hamilton Mountain". All books available at Mountain Bookstore, www.mountainbooks.ca.

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