Two ancient Indigenous trails connected this area to other
parts of Canada and over the border to the USA. These were the Iroquois and the
Mohawk Trails. Modern roads are often built on top of these ancient footpaths.
An excerpt from Gibbon & Larson’s 1995 book entitled On
the Edge: Artistic Visions of a Shrinking Landscape aptly quotes
Farrell Boyce describing the cultural significance
of waterfalls in the City of Hamilton: “As
dwellers on the land, in contact with the soil and
seasons, we can fashion a home, an identity, from
what we find around us and
from what we bring to it. The
land has the power to shape us, to bring us together...
We might say of ourselves, ‘We are the people
of the Bay, we are the city of waterfalls’.”
Albion Falls In 1792 a grist mill was erected near
Albion Falls in Barton
Township by William Davis. Not far from
the grist mill, a saw mill was also built to serve
a small but growing community. This community
hosted three hotels, a general store, and
a blacksmith shop. The grist mill changed hands
several times over the years, but by the early
1900’s the small vibrant village called Albion
Mills was all but forgotten.
Albion was a poetic
version of the name ‘Britain’. Not far from the
original location of the mill in King’s Forest Park
is one of the mill stones with a commemorative
plaque. Albion Falls was once seriously
considered as a possible source of water for
Hamilton.
Rocks for the Albion Falls area were used in the construction of the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Rock Garden. The ravine
at Albion Falls is also known
as ‘Lover’s Leap’ as a result
of a woman named Jane Riley. In the early 19th
century, young Jane Riley who was disappointingly
in love with a man named Joseph Rousseau
stood at the top of a steep cliff not far from
the thundering Albion Falls and flung herself
to the bottom of the ravine
This waterfall has a rich history. It was once considered as a possible water supply source for
Hamilton, and rocks from the surrounding area were used in the rock garden of
the Royal Botanical Garden. The land on which Albion Falls is
located was once known as Albion Mills or the Village of Mount Albion.
For centuries the elements have been hard at work carving
out the bowl of Albion Falls. The falls eminate over a limestone ledge that is
reported to run the length of the entire Niagra escarpment, at some points
being several feet thick. It has been rumored that lightening struck here and
broke part of this ledge, as parts of it can be seen laying along the bottom of
the gorge. But it is certain that time, heat, cold, ice and water have played
their respective parts as well.
In 1792 a grist mill was built by William Davis in the
new Barton Township near Albion Falls and used to grind the grains that the
local farmers would bring.
Not far from the grist mill, a saw mill was also
erected to serve a growing community.
This community hosted three hotels and a
general store as well as a blacksmith shop. The grist mill changed hands a half
dozen times over the years, but by the early 1900s the small vibrant village
called Albion Mills was all but forgotten. Albion was a poetic version of the
name Britian, and Mills referred to the saw mill and grist mill which once had
their home here.
Not far from the original location of the mill, one of the mill stones has had
a plaque anchored into it, and it rests in the King's Forest Park.
Albion Falls has seen plenty of death in its colorful
history. Accidental falls from the rocky cliffs and deaths of a tragic nature
at the mills. Terrified soldiers from the battle of Stoney Creek found shelter
here. It has also been a haven for the unspeakable. It served as a popular
dumping ground for the bodies of unfortunate victims of murder. John Dick being
the most famous victim to be found there on March 16, 1946. His dismembered
body was dumped over the falls by his wife Evelyn Dick.
Ancient Meghalits?
