Situated on a natural harbour at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek, Port Dalhousie has been a hub of maritime activity for over 200 years. And with all this activity has come visitors – lots of them. During its peak period as a canal terminus around the turn of the 20^th century, Port Dalhousie’s population was only around 1000. But when it came to visitor amenities, this little village was punching way above its weight. Host Sean Dineley heads to the historical Wellington Hotel on Lock St. in Port Dalhousie to check out some of the architectural legacy of this village’s colourful past as a port of call. This is History from Here: a video series presented by the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre.

The building that now houses Lock Street Brewing was originally built as a hotel and tavern in 1877. The business was owned by spouses Mary and Richard Dixon. Although patriarchal recordkeeping practices of the time blur the matter, it seems likely that Mary was the real head of the business. Six years before the Wellington opened, the 1871 Canada Census listed Mary as a tavern keeper, while Richard was listed as a seaman. Her name is listed alone in land registry books from the 1870s and, though her husband is listed as proprietor of the Wellington Hotel in the 1878 city directory, he is listed as a sailor thereafter. Mrs. Dixon is finally listed as proprietor of the Wellington in 1888.

The business changed hands a few times between 1893 and 1902, at which point James Wellington took over and kept things rolling for the next 40 years. Despite his surname, James Wellington was not the namesake of the business, which had been called Wellington Hotel by the Dixons some 25 years earlier for unknown reasons.

The Wellington Hotel was one of several similar operations within about a block, including the Austin House, the Walkerly House, and the Murray Hotel. The need for visitor accommodations makes sense when you consider that Port Dalhousie was the northern terminus for the first three routes of the Welland Canal, from the 1820s until 1932. And unlike the current canal, these earlier versions were as much about local industrial and shipping needs as international trade. These ships weren’t just passing through, but often stopped and let off their crews.

However, it wasn’t just weary sailors making use of the Wellington’s amenities. The turn of the 20^th century was a revolution in leisure. Though the modern 40-hour, 5-day workweek was still decades off, big changes were happening alongside the increasing industrialization of the workforce and the establishment of trade unions. Most people had Sundays off and some got out early on Saturdays. The modern bicycle, automobile, and electric streetcar had recently been invented, and modern concepts like the weekend, vacations, and public parks were percolating too. And examples of all of this were happening right here in Port Dalhousie.

Passenger steam ferry service from Toronto was established in 1884 and ran until 1949. On busy days in the 1890s upwards of 2000 visitors would come across the lake to enjoy Port Dalhousie’s world-class beach and other Niagara attractions. Streetcar connections to St. Catharines were established in 1901, the amusement park at Lakeside Park was founded in 1902, and the Royal Henley Regatta began in 1903. The annual Emancipation Day “Big Picnic”, which drew thousands of visitors from both sides of the border, began in 1924.

Yes, all these visitors needed places to stay – but vacationers rarely go to bed thirsty. And the Wellington, like the rest of Port Dalhousie, was known to deliver on that front too. Around 1841, early Port industrialist Alexander Muir wrote that the village had around 14 houses and three taverns! The rowdy settlement, which was sometimes referred to as “Dante’s Inferno,” had built its first jail house by 1845, which still stands today. The earliest-known photograph of the Wellington, from around the turn of the century, shows the phrase “fresh lager” painted on the side of the building. This version of the establishment was also known to host a popular billiards room. However soon after prohibition came along in 1916, owner James Wellington transformed the street-facing part of the business from tavern to confectionery shop. Wellington had had a previous career as a confectioner and was able to use this experience to survive a difficult time for the service industry.

The bygone manifestation of the Wellington best remembered by Port locals today is the Lion Tavern, which opened in 1957 and closed in 2010. The Lion was known as a favourite watering hole for locals and visitors alike and is still a common subject of nostalgic reminiscences on community social media groups. The Lion was particularly notable for its regular live music performances, featuring countless rock cover bands and even a few budding songwriters. Hardworking St. Catharines troubadour Ron Sexsmith cut his teeth at the Lion, gracing the stage regularly as a teenager in the early 1980s.

After sitting vacant for six years, the Wellington Hotel was thoroughly renovated and reopened as Lock Street Brewing Company in 2016. This friendly brewpub has carried on the Port tradition of local industry and the Wellington tradition of quenching thirst. They even occasionally host live music, including legendary St. Catharines polka king Walter Ostanek who played the patio in 2022. And yes, just like the Wellington 120 years ago, Lock Street Brewing Company serves “Fresh Lager”!