HAMILTON , ONTARIO

A BRIEF HISTORY: COMPLETED IN 1860 FOR THE CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE THE FLOW OF TRADE THROUGHT THE PORT OF HAMILTON AND ALONG THE GREAT RAILWAY LINE...THEY OPERATED IN THE BUILDING FROM 1860 UNTILL 1887...THAT SAME YEAR IT WAS USED AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL , IN 1893 , HAMILTON YMCA RENTED THE BUILDING UNTILL 1904...IN 1908 , IT WAS USED TO PROVIDE A SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS...BY 1912 , IT STOOD EMPTY AND DERILICT UNTILL USED BY A VINEGAR MANUFACTURER... IN 1917 , A YARN COMPANY USED THE BUILDING...A FIRE DESTROYED THE ATTIC AND ROOF IN 1920...IT WAS CLOSED IN THE 1950S UNTILL 1956 WHEN IT WAS USED FOR THE NAPLES MACARONI COMPANY...THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CLOSED THE BUILDING IN 1979 , WHERE IT STOOD EMPTY FOR SEVERAL YEARS...A MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY TOOK OVER IN 1988...THE BUILDING WAS SOLD IN 1992 AND AGAIN LATER IN 1995 AND  REOPENED IN 1996...ITS GIVEN ITS FINAL NAME IN 2001 :                                 WORKERS ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTRE

THE GHOSTS OF THE CUSTOMS HOUSE INCLUDE A FIGURE KNOWN AS   " THE DARK LADY " WHO HAS BEEN SEEN AS FAR BACK AS THE EARLY 1900S...THE FORMER CARETAKER OF THE BUILDING...A LITTLE BOY ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND STEP ,  ALSO THE SMALL CHILDREN FROM THE BASEMENT AND THE WOMAN SEEN IN THE STAIRWELL...

...THANKS TO   "  HAUNTED HAMILTON  "   FOR A GREAT EVENT...

...PICTURES AND VIDEO TAKEN  OCTOBER 7 , 2006...