Description of Historic Place

The Hamilton Bank Building is located at 98 Peel Street, on the west side and at the intersection of Peel, Wilmot, Huron and Seyler Streets in the Village of New Hamburg, now the Township of Wilmot. The two-storey brick and stone building was constructed in 1905.

The property was designated, by the Township of Wilmot, in 1987, for its historic and architectural value and interest, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 87-59).

Heritage Value

The Hamilton Bank Building was constructed, in 1905, by Benjamin Spahr. It functioned as the New Hamburg branch of the Bank of Hamilton until 1913. The building was sold and used for many different purposes, including a jewellery store, a mortgage corporation and an insurance agency. While compact, the building has a remarkable presence on the street and has contributed to the economic activity and commerce in New Hamburg for over 100 years.

The Hamilton Bank Building is a rare example of Beaux Arts architecture. The rarity of the building lies in the fact that the Beaux Arts style is typically reserved for large public buildings with an imposing presence, whereas the Hamilton Bank Building is quite small and compact. Characteristic of the Beaux Arts style, the building exhibits a flat roofline with a stone balustrade and stone piers at the corners, a stepped cornice with a dentil frieze and an elongated arch with a decorative stone moulding on the façade. Also of note are the semi-circular transom window, within the arch, and the recessed door and window with plain wooden mouldings on the façade.

The interior of the Hamilton Bank Building is also impressive. The original bank floor plan has remained unchanged and all of the old bank fixtures, including the vault, doors and counters are intact. The patterned floor, interior woodwork and decorative plasterwork are also noteworthy.

Sources: Township of Wilmot, By-law 87-59, 1987; 98 Peel Street, New Hamburg (former Bank of Hamilton), Township of Wilmot L.A.C.A.C., 1987.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Hamilton Bank Building include its:
- brick construction with stone facings
- flat roofline
- large single bay on the façade which contains a window and an entry
- semi-circular transom
- stone balustrade with decorated stone piers at corners
- stepped cornice with dentil frieze
- large, decorative brackets which support the frieze
- elongated arch with decorative stone moulding within which a large, single bay transom is situated
- quoin-like stepped pilasters which have a drop moulding on the capital and flank the bay
- original floor plan
- old bank fixtures, including vault, doors and counter
- patterned tile floor
- woodwork
- decorative plasterwork, elaborate cornice and plaster beams with brackets