Hamilton: Weird and Wonderful

Description

Hamilton: Weird and Wonderful

By Bill King

In Hamilton: Weird and Wonderful, Bill King shares stories reflecting lighter, less-known and overlooked aspects of local history. The book is planned as Volume One in a series — because whether the subject is weird or wonderful, Hamilton is a rich source of material!

Among the people you’ll meet in the book are Gus Lawlor, known as “the Laziest Man in Hamilton,” and the ladies of Ellen Street, where we visit Grace Henry and her Palace of Sin. We also travel to the east end and reminisce about the old Delta Theatre and the variety of entertainment it offered over the years, including Starvin Marvin and his short-lived Palace of Burlesque.

We glimpse the lives of the Neutral Indians and the traces they left behind. We look at the life of John Rae, the Arctic explorer who discovered the fate of the Franklin expedition and claimed a £10,000 reward. We talk about Hamiltonian’s ongoing love affair with the telephone, and how the first telephone exchange in the British Empire was located right here on Main Street. And we visit some of our natural and manmade beauty spots, including a sneak peak at mysterious Lake Medad, and a closer look at our treasured memorial to the United Empire Loyalists in courthouse square.

Weird and Wonderful contains over 100 photos, many in colour. Photographer Micheal Heinhold has worked closely with Bill to bring the past alive by linking historical placed and events with the city today. In addition, the book contains a selection of archival photos and other illustrations.

Weird and Wonderful reflects the pride that Bill King and Mike Heinhold take in their city, and their optimism that Hamilton’s future is bright.

Further information, please contact
wm.king4@gmail.com