HPLApp and Library Catalogue

The HPL App and Library Catalogue are seeing slowness, timeouts, and errors  . We aim to fix it quickly. Thank you for your patience.

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Thursday, August 28, 2025 - 2:00pm
Study Halls Return September 2

Study Halls at Central Library and Dundas, Red Hill, Terryberry, Turner Park, Valley Park, and Waterdown branches resume on Tuesday, September 2. They will be open after-hours Mondays-Thursdays from 8 pm to Midnight. www.hpl.ca/study-halls 

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 - 2:15pm
Branch Closures - Labour Day

All HPL Branches are closed Sunday, August 30, and Labour Day, Monday, September 1st. Bookmobile is off the road, and Extended Access is not available. Regular service hours resume on Tuesday, September 2. www.hpl.ca/hours

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 - 2:00pm
Bookmobile Stop Modified

Due to campus events, McMaster University's Bookmobile Visits for Tuesdays, August 26 and September 2 (3:30-4:30 pm) have been cancelled. Service is expected to resume on Tuesday, September 9. Thank you for your understanding.

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Affected Branch: Bookmobile
Nearest Branches: 
Bookmobile Stop: 
Published:
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - 12:00pm
Carlisle Branch Accessible Door Out of Order

The accessibility door at Carlisle Branch is not working. We aim to fix it quickly.

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Affected Branch: Carlisle Branch
Published:
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - 10:15am
Turner Park - Rymal Road Entrance Unavailable

Due to continued concrete work, the Rymal Road entrance will be unavailable until Friday, August 30. Access to the parking lot, accessible parking spaces, back entrance, and external drop box is available. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 - 2:30pm
Labour Day Closure

All HPL Branches are closed on Sunday, August 31, and Labour Day, Monday, September 1st. Bookmobile is off the road, and Extended Access is not available. Regular service hours resume Tuesday, September 2. www.hpl.ca/hours

All Branches and Bookmobile Stops
Published:
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 - 8:00am
Turner Park - Mid-Day Fire Drill, September 3

Due to a mid-day fire drill, Turner Park Branch and Les Chater Family YMCA are closed for a fire drill from noon-1 pm. Thank you for your patience.

Published:
Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 1:00pm
Kenilworth Branch - Temporary Closure (Sept 2 - Oct 10)

Due to roof repair maintenance, the Branch is temporarily closed from September 2 until October 10. Please visit the Red Hill, Parkdale, and Barton locations as your nearest branches for your library needs. On August 28-29, there may be some noise disruptions and limited parking spots while the roof repair set-up begins. Thank you for your patience.

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Published:
Monday, August 11, 2025 - 8:00am

Tax Assessment Records

Housing in Downtown Hamilton
Housing in Downtown Hamilton

Tax assessment records help accurately date a building's construction and disclose its original owner and list of occupants. 

Land assessment and tax assessment records combined allow you to determine the original owner and occupant of the property, as well as the date  on which the structure was built. Please note not all buildings are  tax-assessed. Public and institutional buildings, such as churches and schools, may not be found on tax assessment records. If they are used for a purpose other than their original use, such as a school that has been converted into a house, it will be assessed only from  when it was converted.  Before the construction of a building, the vacant lot is listed by lot number. 

The following is a list of former municipalities in Hamilton and the Note: Since the amalgamation assessment rolls are available on microfilm at Local History and Archives.  

Ancaster: not available  

Barton Township: After annexation (1960), see Hamilton assessment rolls. Pre-1960 not available. 

Beverly Township: 1837-1954  

Binbrook: 1854-1970  

Dundas: 1835-1942  

East Flamborough: 1840-1960  

Flamborough: not available  

Glanbrook: not available  

Glanford: 1840-1957  

Hamilton: 1834-1899 [with some gaps] 
 
These records are organized by Ward (name or number). For a listing of historic wards see the “City of Hamilton Ward Boundary Maps, 1813-1985” (R346.713045 KIN) to determine the Ward where your property can be found..  

Stoney Creek: not available  

Waterdown: 1880-1959  

West Flamborough: 1861-1960  

Note: Several areas in Hamilton were previously part of other jurisdictions. West Hamilton was originally part of Ancaster Township, while east Hamilton and the Mountain were originally part of Barton Township. Aldershot was annexed by the then Town of Burlington in 1958. It had previously been an unincorporated village in East Flamborough Township. Aldershot was annexed by the then Town of Burlington in 1958. It had previously been an unicorporated village in East Flamborough Township.

Here are some maps and recourses that can help identify previous townships, jurisdications, or wards. 

Plan of Hamilton, 1875 
Portion of the Hamilton and North Western Railway and Connections, 1880 
Map of Wentworth County, 1920, via McMaster University