Hermitage Cascade


Hermitage Cascade is a 4-metre cascade waterfall located in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Its source is Hermitage Creek.
Nearby attractions include the Bruce Trail, Griffin House, Dundas Valley Trail Centre, Hamilton Conservation Authority Main Office, Fieldcote Museum, historic Ancaster Town Hall. There's also a convenience store, gas station, restaurant, motel and retail stores nearby.

History

The property on which Hermitage Cascade is found was originally owned by Otto Ives, who bought it in 1833 and moved in with his wife and niece. Coachman William Black fell in love with the girl, and when Ives blocked the marriage proposal, Black went to the property's gatehouse and killed himself. Suicides were rarely given cemetery burials in those days, so he was interred at the nearest crossroads, now locally known as Lover's Lane because of the ill-fated affair. It is believed that Black's final resting place is adjacent to property now owned by Chris Ecklund.
George Gordon Browne Leith purchased the Hermitage in 1855. The Hermitage itself was a magnificent place to behold and visit: its ground floor contained an opulent dining room, library, drawing room, and stately entrance all, all furnished with original works of art and the best furniture. Leith spent over 2000 pounds in modernizing the place. After his death in 1901, his daughter Alma bought the estate from the rest of the family and lived there until 1934, when a fire broke out during a party and burned the house down. All that can be seen today is the old gatehouse and the ruins.

Maps