Albion Falls #071024

Falls

Creek: Red Hill Creek

Classification: Classical/Cascade

Height: 19 metres/62 feet

Width: 18 metres/59 feet

Cultural History:

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 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 “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 the Hamilton. Rocks from the Albion Falls area were used in the construction of the Royal Botanical Gardens' Rock Garden.

The ravine at Albion Falls has a “Lover’s Leap” legend. The early 19th century story tells of young Jane Riley, disappointed in love with Joseph Rousseau. She stood at the top of a steep cliff not far from the thundering Albion Falls and flung herself to the bottom 100 feet below. The steep drop has since been dubbed "Lovers' Leap".

Lover's Leap

The ravine at the Albion Falls has a legend of the Lover's Leap. The story is this: Early in the nineteenth century young Jane Riley, disappointed in love with Joseph Rousseau, stood at the top of a steep cliff not far from thundering Albion Falls and flung herself to the bottom 100 feet below. The steep drop has since been dubbed "Lovers' Leap" and many tales have grown up about the suicide. The event is recorded in two lines (which are all that are available) of a poem written by a certain Slater at the time of the sad occurrence:

Alas, poor Jane Riley,

for Joseph she did die

By jumping off that dizzy brink

full sixty cubits high.

Joseph's mother said: "Let the blame rest on my shoulders". Some years later, when in apparently good health, she suddenly shrieked: "Jane's hand is on my shoulder," and fell dead on the floor. Jane had evidently taken her at her word.

There is another version of the story that is told: A young woman of the neighbourhood had fallen in love with a young farmer, a near neighbour. But the young man did not love the girl. To make things worse, he fell in love with another girl and married her. This drove the heroine of this story to distraction. One morning she walked out with a young lady companion. She said not a word to indicate her awful purpose; but, when she arrived at the precipice, she leaped into the abyss and disappeared from the view of her horror stricken companion. Some men who were working in the ravine below saw her fall. They said that as the unfortunate girl plunged swiftly down feet foremost, her clothing formed a parachute and checked her fall. Finding that she was dropping too slowly to accomplish her suicidal purpose the girl reached down, collapsed the parachute and went down like a shot upon the rough and broken rocks below. When the men reached her, they found her poor mangled body still alive, but she was unconscious, and although she lived an hour, she never spoke again.

In the 1940's, there was a fatal accident at Lover's Leap. A young girl died when a light truck left the road, went through the fence, and plunged to the valley below.

Buttermilk Falls

Creek: Red Hill Creek (tributary)

Classification: Ribbon

Height: 23 metres/75 feet

Width: 8 metres/26 feet

Ownership: City of Hamilton

Flow of Water: Seasonal

The flow of water over the falls for much of the year is either non-existent or a trickle, so it is best viewed during spring thaw or after a heavy rainfall. Located near Albion Falls, Buttermilk Falls is a just short walk from Oak Knoll Park, where visitors can view the Buttermilk Falls Gorge. Buttermilk Falls is a small waterfall entering a deep gorge. Visitors to the falls are also offered a beautiful view of the Red Hill Valley.

Looking out over the valley, one can only imagine what the flow of water once must have been to carve out the large gorge. Settlers coming to this escarpment area cleared the surrounding lands for their farms and homes, which redirected water flows in the creek and over the falls.

Albion Falls is one of the largest of a number of waterfalls in the greater Hamilton region. The waterfall is composed of two very steep ramp class falls. Each waterfall is perhaps 7 to 8 m in height, falling at an angle of about 80 degrees. A small ledge of thicker dolostone separates the two falls. Large blocks of dolostone litter the base of the waterfall, having broken off of the massive layers found further up the stratigraphic sequence.

Through the Hamilton area the Niagara Escarpment lies within the Carolinian Zone, a unique region with more species of plants than any other forest region in Canada. This region is also home to many bird and animal species, some of which are vulnerable or threatened.

Near Albion Falls and Buttermilk Falls, White Oak, Red Oak, Bur Oak and the rare Chinquapin Oak dominate the dry deciduous woodlands along the escarpment rim. The shrub layer includes Grey Dogwood, Round-leaved Dogwood, Witch Hazel, Chokecherry, Bush-Honeysuckle, New Jersey Tea and Lowbush Blueberry, along with the regionally rare Soapberry. A number of rare or hard to find grasses, sedges and forbs grow on the dry cliff areas. These include Hairy Goldenrod, Tall Brome, Broad-leaf Panic Grass, Slender Satin Grass, Closely-covered Sedge, and Red-seeded Sedge.

The forested lower talus slopes of the Escarpment include deciduous trees such as Sugar Maple, Black Maple, White Ash and Butternut. Eastern Hemlock can be found on the cooler north facing slopes. Sparse shrub cover within the forest includes Alternate-leaved Dogwood, Red-berried Elder, Witch Hazel and Bladdernut. Groundcovers such as Wild Ginger, Green Violet, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Smooth Rock-Cress and a variety of ferns thrive in these moist, rocky forest areas.

The Southern Flying Squirrel, at its northern limit in Southern Ontario, has been recorded along this section of the Escarpment. This shy, nocturnal animal nests in tree cavities and glides from tree to tree using webbed membranes that extend between its neck and limbs. Other significant species also found in this area are Red-backed Salamander, Smooth Green Snake, Turkey Vulture and the provincially rare Coopers Hawk.

Mill

European settlement began here in 1792 with William Davis (1741-1834), a United Empire Loyalist who left North Carolina to fight alongside the British in the American Revolution. Davis was granted 2300 acres in Barton and Saltfleet Townships including 500 acres around Albion Falls.

Davis’ estate included a tannery, orchard, distillery, general store, saw mill, and grist mill, located on the east side of the falls. The millstone located in this park commemorates the milling history of the area. (see pictures) John Secord, the father of Miss Laura Secord (made famous for warning the British of the American troop movements during the War of 1812), purchased the gristmill in 1814. It operated until 1907 and was demolished around 1915.

Mill Stone Plaque

“This milling stone is all that remains of Albion Mills. The first mill, built about 1795 by WM. Davis, contributed to the area’s economic development. Settlers came and the land was cleared. Many of their early homes are within a short walking distance of this stone, and still occupied by their descendants.

The mill, three floors high was situated on a flat rock shelf half way down the gorge beside the falls. One can still discern the foundations of the mill, wheel pit, and across the road the mill pond.

This stone is dedicated in grateful recognition of the part played by these early settlers in building our nation.”

Albion Mills is reported to be the first place that natural gas was discovered in this part of Ontario. The natural occurring sulphur gas that emanated from the rock creek bed was used to light the gristmill for over 100 years. It is said that, during periods of low water, the sulphur spring can still be seen bubbling up from the creek bead.

There is extensive evidence of aboriginal occupation of this area of the Niagara Escarpment. Not far from Mount Albion there as been documentation of a Paleo-Indian site dating back 11,000 years to a time just following the retreat of the continental glacier when herds of caribou and mastodon likely roamed the Red Hill Creek Valley.

Red Hill Valley

Located in east Hamilton, the Red Hill Valley is the largest urban park in Ontario. It is the only remaining natural corridor linking the Niagara Escarpment in the south to Lake Ontario shoreline in the north. Although most of the 640 hectares is forest, the valley also contains the Red Hill Creek, a provincially significant class one wetland, and a number of environmentally note-worthy areas. The escarpment portion of the valley is recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations.

After crossing the escarpment at Albion Falls, Red Hill Creek flows seven kilometres before emptying into Hamilton Harbour at Windermere Basin. The steep, red clay cliffs, which provide its name, are visible south of King Street and north of Queenston Road. Red Hill's tributaries also feature scenic waterfalls more than 20 metres high. Buttermilk Falls is visible beside Mountain Brow Boulevard, while Felker's Falls can be accessed from Paramount Drive in upper Stoney Creek. These are both ribbon falls, emptying into spectacular bowl shaped cavities.

The flora and fauna of the Red Hill Creek Valley

Host to more than 1,000 species of flora and fauna, the Red Hill Valley is rich in biological diversity. In 1995, the Hamilton Naturalists' Club conducted a biological inventory of the valley which included surveys of breeding and migrating birds, aquatic life, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies and moths, mammals and plant species. Some highlights of this inventory are described below.

Birds

During the spring and fall migration periods, thousands of individual birds of over 175 species can be seen in the valley. In the forested areas of the valley, small birds, such as warblers, flycatchers and thrushes, can be seen. These birds use the woodlands to rest and feed on caterpillars and other insects. These birds depend on the valley during their migration because it provides them with a variety of habitats and a natural corridor through the heavily developed urban area at the head of Lake Ontario.

The valley provides breeding habitat for many species, including the provincially rare Cooper's Hawk and the nationally rare Carolina Wren.

Fish

The Red Hill Creek has been identified as a significant spawning stream for migratory fish, such as White Sucker, Rainbow Trout and Chinook Salmon. A total of 23 species inhabit the creek during some part of their life cycle. Other significant species include Northern Pike, Brown Trout and the regionally rare Three-spined Stickleback.

Reptiles and Amphibians

As you journey through the valley keep your eyes and ears open for its 11 species of reptiles and amphibians. Among the species you can find are Red-backed Salamander, American Toad, Northern Leopard Frog, Midland Painted Turtle and the Eastern Garter Snake.

Mammals

There are at least 24 mammalian species living in the valley. While hiking through the valley you may see Mink, Coyote, Red Fox, Beaver, White-tailed Deer, four different species of bats and Southern Flying Squirrels.

Plants

There are close to 600 plant species in the valley, representing 22 per cent of Ontario's native flora. About 20 of these species are considered rare in Hamilton including Chinquapin Oak, Soapberry and Hispid Goldenrod. The forest area along the Niagara Escarpment section of the valley contains a mix of oak, maple, hemlock, birch, ash and pine.

Restoration

Due to their close proximity to a large urban area, the valley and the creek have been affected by human neglect leading to poor water quality and impoverished habitat. However, in 1995 the Red Hill Revitalization Project was begun. The project was funded by the Province of Ontario and co-ordinated by the Hamilton Conservation Authority and the City of Hamilton. The goal of the project was to restore the Red Hill Valley to a vital, functioning ecosystem. With the help from volunteers and the City of Hamilton staff, the cleanup of the valley is ongoing.

Red Hill Valley Parkway

The Red Hill Valley Parkway (popularly called the Red Hill Creek Expressway) is a municipal expressway running through Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, connecting the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway to the Queen Elizabeth Way near Hamilton Harbour. It is a four-lane freeway currently under construction and expected to be completed in 2007.

Its construction was a controversial political issue during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Many opponents criticized the potential environmental damage of the project, while asserting that the chief beneficiaries of the expressway will be long-distance truckers, and land developers on the Hamilton Mountain. Opponents also take issue with the city spending $220 million to build the expressway. Supporters of the expressway highlight the possible transportation and economic benefits to the city that the new highway will provide. Proponents also assert that care is being taken to ensure that the Red Hill Valley will be preserved and environmentally improved from its current situation.

The freeway, combined with the existing Lincoln Alexander Parkway, will complete a freeway bypass south of Hamilton's urban core. Supporters had argued that the highway was the only viable alternative to the congested roads of Highway 403 and QEW Burlington Skyway Bridge, and that completing the Parkway would divert the growing truck traffic off city streets in southern and eastern Hamilton. In particular, the 1990s reconstruction of the Freeman Interchange (QEW-403-407) resulted in a low capacity loop ramp for QEW Toronto-bound to 403 westbound traffic, increasing the need for a bypass of this junction altogether. In addition to connecting to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, there are plans to extend the Red Hill Creek Parkway to the Mid-Peninsula Highway further south. The interchange with the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and Mud Street has been designed to allow the Red Hill Creek Parkway to be extended south with little modification.

The Red Creek Expressway's construction was a contentious political issue during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. It was strongly backed by the provincial governments of Bill Davis and David Peterson. In 1990, citing environmental concerns, the newly-elected administration of Bob Rae withdrew their financial commitment for the expressway the project, which prompted a lawsuit from the regional council. Late in his term, Rae proposed a more limited construction along the Red Hill route. His plan to widen existing arterial connections was rejected by Council as insufficient and "too slow" due to traffic signals and stop signs. The succeeding government of Mike Harris restored funding support to a more comprehensive plan.

The expressway is expected to open for traffic in Fall 2007.