Staff Professional Development Day - All Branches Closed

All HPL Branches are closed on Friday, May 29, for Staff Professional Development Day. Bookmobile is off the road and Extended Access service is not available. Regular service hours resume on Saturday, May 30.

Visit our Virtual Branch at hpl.ca for our online resources and collections.

Published:
Thursday, May 14, 2026 - 12:00pm
Concession Branch - Filming in the Area

Please note that filming will take place nearby on the following dates.

May 18 – Filming Preparation (All Day)

May 19 – Filming (7am – 4pm), Concession Street (between Upper Wentworth and East 21st)

  • BIA Patio at 534 Concession will be temporarily removed on May 18 and reinstalled on May 20.
  • Traffic flow may be disrupted, and some parking spaces will be occupied by production vehicles and equipment.
Published:
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 8:00am
Greensville Branch Accessible Washroom Out of Order

The accessible washroom at Greensville Branch is not working. We aim to get it fixed quickly.

Published:
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - 10:15am
All Branches Closed - Sunday, May 17

All HPL Branches are closed on Sunday, May 17. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access service is not available.

Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, May 19. Visit hpl.ca for our Virtual Branch.

Published:
Monday, May 11, 2026 - 10:15am
All Branches Closed - Victoria Day, Monday, May 18

All HPL Branches are closed on Monday, May 18. Bookmobile is off the road. Extended Access and Study Hall services are not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, May 19. 

Published:
Monday, May 11, 2026 - 10:15am
Bookmobile Service Modification

Due to Driver availability, Bookmobile has the following schedule modifications for the month of May. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Wednesday, May 13:               

  • Swansea - Cancelled
  • Helen Detwiler - Cancelled
  • Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum - Cancelled

Thursday, May 14:                

  • Rockton - Cancelled
  • Mohawk Gardens - Cancelled
  • Meadowlands - Cancelled

Monday, May 18: All Bookmobile sites closed

Published:
Monday, May 4, 2026 - 12:00pm
Software Maintenance - Victoria Day, Monday, May 18

Due to software maintenance, HPL library's catalogue, online services and library accounts will not be available between 8am and 7pm on Monday, May 18. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Friday, April 24, 2026 - 9:00am
Central Library: Children's Area Renovation on 2nd Floor

Renovations are currently underway for the 2nd floor Central Children's Area. Programs are still being offered as scheduled and there is a temporary pop-up Children’s Area on the northeast side of the 2nd floor (near the Piano Room), including access to collections and train tables. Construction is expected to be completed by late Spring. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Published:
Monday, March 23, 2026 - 9:00am
Sherwood Branch: Renovations

As of Monday, March 2, Sherwood Branch's 2nd floor is closed due to renovations. Makerspace, Children and Teen's collection are temporarily available on the 1st floor. All programs will be held in the basement program room. Renovations are expected to be completed in late Spring. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm

Woodhouse Collection - Listing of Volumes 1-8

#6-1

Drawn from nature on stone by J.C. 1848

[National Archives]

 

#6-2

Dundas in 1853

 

#6-3

probably 1863

Dundas Cotton Mills 1860-1894. Enlarged 1864

Wentworth Woolen Works 1851-60. Burned 18/2/60

Dundas Woolen Works 1859-63. G.M. Barton, owner

Elgin Mills 1847-51. B. MacNab, Prop.

Dundas Woolen Factory same as Elgin Mills, John Patterson, owner

Addition to Bertrams May 1866

Town Hall 1848

Merchant's Exchange 1851

St. James Church 1843

Duncan McMillan, photographer 1868-87+

 

#6-4

Hay Scale Square - Town Hall, Dundas

Commercial Bank of Midland District, later Bank of British North America

#8 Hatt Street. About 1868

Built 1832 by James Belle Ewart. Used by him as the Commercial Bank, then the Bank of B.N.A. Also as a Post Office. Miss Wilson had a private school here about 1889-1891. It was started by Mrs. Chas. Gwyn for her daughter's benefit. Pupils = Mrs. J. Keagey, the Dicksons of Foxbar, mabel and Bertha Steele, Hope Homestead, Florence Bertram

 

#6-5

Dundas, 1870

 

#6-6

Dundas, 1910

 

#6-7

[Dundas - aerial shot]

1946

 

#6-8

[Dundas]

1868

 

#6-9

[Dundas]

1868

Bottom right: Screw factory

 

#6-10

About 1887?

Certainly after 1886 (land slide)

The Screw Factory, Ogilvie St.

from the Town Hall tower

 

#6-11

McK & Bertram factory burned May 26/65

rebuilt with rough cast 60 x 40

May 1866 added large 2 storey brick addn.

July 1867 added moulding shop

June 1869 added wareroom and pattern shop

St. James built 1843

Miss Ridler's School 1849-1903

next house east is Miss McMahon's School

H & D Ry built 1879

This photo is between 1866 and 79 I think

Probably 1868 because Duncan McMillan photographer 1868-1887

 

#6-12

Grafton's Office

 

#6-13

Public School, 1858

left to right: 1. Miss Sweeney, Girl's Teacher; 2. Sam Horner, Principal; 3. Miss J. Munroe; 4. Jas. Lumsden, ASST HI SCH; 5.---; 6.---; 7. Oliver Hobson, Caretaker; 8. ---; 9. John King, Principal, High School

 

#6-14

[Dundas]

1888

 

#6-15

 

#6-16

 

#6-17

 

#6-18

Wesleyan Young Men's Institute

later House of Providence

This right section was originally the

home of Jas. Coleman

 

#6-19

In front of House of Providence

Grave of Rev. John McNulty whose

savings bought this property

 

#6-20

H/P Picnic 1895

[House of Providence]

 

#6-21

Woods & Edwards Pad Factory near Jones Bros.

Destroyed by fire. Mr. Rutherford was manager

left to right: Front row: 1. Ernest Sourbier; 2. R.P. Manning; 3. Chas Southey, in doorway; 4. Frank Chosie; 5. Fred Hardy; 6. Frank Hanes; 7. Ernest Ball; 8. Jas Manning; On Waggon: 1. Wm. Payne; 2. Geo Taylor; 3. Rutherford I; 4. Rutherford II; 5. ---; Tommy Rutherford in front

W.W. Scott says: "I worked here for $1 per week. They owed $125. paid WWS $100 plus a bale of ticking (500 lbs.)

 

#6-22

Pad Factory now Jones Bros.

 

#6-23

George Rolph

 

#6-24

George Rolph's log cabin at rear of 43 Cross St 1877

Now in the Driving Park. Mrs. Barnwell at door

May Burton (Mrs. George, 112 Melville) thinks that this picture was taken 1877 and that it is her mother in the doorway with May and her sister peeking out. Her father lived there until about 1887. Before him was Grandpa Barnwell, J.P. Kitty O'Neil last to live there.

 

#6-25

 

#6-26

Telephone set purchased and with a similar set installed by Alexander Graham Bell personally in Sept. or Oct. 1877 for R.F. Couper Co., Dundas

Property of Telephone Museum & Historical Collection, The Bell Telephone Company of Canada

 

#6-27

 

#6-28

 

#6-29

[Dundas]

 

#6-30

Oakbrae in 1889 - then home of the McFarlanes

In 1947 home of James A. Dickson

 

#6-31

 

#6-32

 

#6-33

Probably 1870

Photo by R.S. Brooke, 1856-1887

 

#6-34

St. James Church & School House, Dundas

Revd. F.L. Osler, M.A. Rector

W. Kern Esq T. Hatt, Esq. S. Overfield, Esq. Churchwardens 1858 1859

The tower and spire of the church having been completed by the exertions and industry of the Ladies of the congregation.

H. Gregory, Lith.

1859

 

#6-35

 

#6-36

 

#6-37

Isolation Hospital, Dundas, 1912

 

#6-38

N.E. corner of Sydenham and Melville

built by John F. Wood for himself

then J.S. Grafton bought it

then rented by ___ Moffat, Mgr. B'k of Commerce

then bought by Matt S. Wilson

then bought by Stewart Phelps

 

#6-39

 

#6-40

The Dundas Steam Cabinet Factory of John Cowper 1847-70 & R.F. Cowper 1870-82

J. F. Burton 1882-93. Felt Shoe Co. 1883. Etherington 1891-92

Cliff & sons (Dom. Lightning Rod Co.) 1897-1920

 

#6-41

[Riley House]

 

#6-42

[Riley House]

 

#6-43

Osler Memorial House

 

#6-44

Mrs. Wm H Austen 1953

nee Ann Jane Warren

 

#6-45

Ann Jane Warren, 1877, Dundas

1876 - McMillan photo - exhibited at Toronto Exhibition of Ann Jane Warren, aged 18, of Dundas, daughter of John Warren, millwright at Fisher's Paper Mill. She later married Wm. H Austen in 1882. In 1950 she was living in Hamilton, aged 92.

 

#6-46

 

#6-47

The Lesslie Home

Wm. Lyon Mackenzie lived here

 

#6-48

[Dundas Town Hall]

 

#6-49

Town Hall, Dundas

 

#6-50

The Cotton Mill boarding house (French people)

Isolation Hospital Scarlet Fever, 1908

SE corner Main and Dundas Streets

Bottom part built about 1836 as a home for Benjamin Overfield who owned much of this, the public square; and who, with his bother Sam gave the Town Hall site to the Town, 1848. The upper half, note the difference in the brick laying was probably added by the Dundas Cotton Co. about 1879 when they brought 60 families from England, and used this building as a boarding house for them. In 1904-14 it was used by the Town as an isolation hospital for scarlet fever patients.

In Nov. 1938 it was torn down.

 

#6-51

[Dundas Tabernacle]

 

#6-52

 

#6-53

 

#6-54

 

#6-55

 

#6-56

Wentworth Mills on right.

Flouring and Gristing. 1833-58.

Built and owned by Robert Holt.

1847-48 Wm Dewston lessee

1861 J. H. Ellis and D. Woodlams

1862-63 John McIntosh

1863-92 John Wilson bought

Burned down about 1892

Wentworth Brewery

1836-63 Robert Holt and Henry Gray

burned Nov. 22/63

1863-66 Wilson Bros rebuilt ruins

1866 John Dickie

1867 Thornton & Co.

1875-80 M. Wright & Co.

about 1880 George Proctor

 

#6-57

Richard Hatt's Red Mill, Ancaster

built 1798 by Richard Hatt

 

#6-58

Farquhar's Lime Kiln

1847-1880

 

#6-59

 

#6-60

Doolittle & Wilcox Stone Co.

built 1905

 

#6-61

Doolittle & Wilcox Stone Co.

 

#6-62

 

#6-63

 

#6-64

 

#6-65

 

#6-66

 

#6-67

Canada Crushed Stone

Fire April 29, 1922

Re-opened June 27 (8 weeks later)

 

#6-68

Canada Crushed Stone