Hamilton

Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, the town of Hamilton became the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe. On January 1, 2001, the current boundaries of Hamilton were created through the amalgamation of the original city with other municipalities of the Regional Municipality of Hamilton–Wentworth. Residents of the city are known as Hamiltonians.

Traditionally, the local economy has been led by the steel and heavy manufacturing industries. During the 2010s, a shift toward service sector industries such as health and sciences occurred. Hamilton is home to the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, and the Bruce Trail, as well as McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Redeemer University.