EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originallly appeared on July 10, 2024.
Every village has its "four corners." In downtown Waterdown, that was the intersection at Dundas and Main streets.
Fires in 1906, 1915 and 1922 ensured that most of the commercial structures burned but three of the four corners have seen several buildings through the years, reflecting the changing social needs of the town.
The northwest corner
On the northwest corner, the Kirk Hotel (the Royal Coachman today) has been a constant presence, surviving all of the fires due to luck, wind direction and the presence of a stream in the back yard which now runs beneath the parking lot.
Originally built in 1888, it has remained virtually unchanged for over 130 years. Many local youth spent time there – when they shouldn’t have!
The southwest corner
The southwest corner retained a residential feel until 1961. The exact construction date of the large stone house is unknown but it is visible in a postcard photo dated 1908.
It was demolished in 1961 to make way for the new Royal Bank building. The branch opened in October 1962.
The transfer of bank contents from the old branch (which now houses Pickwick Books) was done by pickup truck, accompanied by several gun-toting guards. The branch, with a staff of 10, was touted as "a new modern air conditioned space with large areas of glass, blending with the façade and the imposing entrance."
The branch has since been expanded to the east, removing the awkward sloped parking spaces.
The northeast corner
On the northeast corner, businesses have been associated with two names – Crooker and Langford. In 1853, Francis Crooker started a dry goods and grocery business in Waterdown. W.O. Sealey also operated a banking business in the same premises and lived above the store.
In 1887 burglars broke in, used explosives to open the safe and took off with drawers from the safe, accompanied by gunshots fired by Mr. Sealey. After this, Frederick W. Crooker built a massive three-and-a-half storey building on the corner which was described as "one of the finest mercantile buildings ever to be found in rural Ontario." It contained a general store, post office, a large community hall and public library. It survived the 1906 fire, but was destroyed in May 1915.
A much smaller building was then erected, occupied briefly by Alf Dale grocery until it too was destroyed by yet another fire in 1922. Mr. Dale rebuilt, but sold the building to Wilf Langford in 1923.
Langford’s Pharmacy remained in that location until 1988 when it moved into a site in the Sobey’s Plaza. It is fondly remembered for the virtually unchanged storefront, the soda fountain and friendly staff. It is now home to Second Time Around.
The southeast corner
The southeast corner has seen the most change through the years.
Orley B. Griffin operated a grocery store on the corner for several years, rebuilding after the 1915 fire, but not after the 1922 fire.
Responding to the increasing number of automobiles on local roads, L & H Garage was built on the corner.
Opened in January 1930, it included gas pumps, a towing and repair service, and a diner.
Messecar Garage opened on the property in 1938. Over the years the site stayed an automotive corner, being home to a Volkswagen service garage and an Esso Station.
For years in the early 2000s, the site was a vacant lot until the present commercial building was constructed in 2009. Echoing the brick and stone heritage of the village, the cornerstone of the building was the Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe (today the Copper Kettle Cafe) and it revitalized the area.
