Skip to main content

Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

The People and the Bay

A Social and Environmental History of Hamilton Harbour

Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

The People and the Bay

A Social and Environmental History of Hamilton Harbour

This book explores the complicated relationship between Hamilton Harbour and the people who came to reside on its shores. From the time of European settlement through to Hamilton’s rise as an industrial city, townsfolk struggled with nature, and with one another, to champion their vision of “the bay” as a place to live, work, and play. The authors bring to life the personalities and power struggles, drawing on a rich collection of archival materials. Along the way, they challenge readers to consider how moral and political choices being made about the natural world today will shape the cities of tomorrow.

344 pages | © 2016

Nature | History | Society


Table of Contents

Foreword: Down by the Bay / Graeme Wynn

Introduction: Whose Harbour?

1 Civilizing Nature: Community Property Transformed, 1823–95

2 Conserving Nature: The Education of John William Kerr, 1864–88

3 Boosting Nature: The Contradictions of Industrial Promotion, 1892–1932

4 Organizing Nature: The Search for Recreational Order, 1900–30

5 Planning Nature: The Waterfront Legacy of T.B McQuesten, 1917–40

6 Confining Nature: The Bay as Harbour, 1931–59

7 Unchaining Nature: Gillian Simmons’s Backyard, 1958–85

8 Remediating Nature: Hamilton Harbour as an Area of Concern, 1981–2015

Conclusion: Choosing Nature

Notes; Index

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press