Hamilton

Capital (since 1815) of Bermuda, on Bermuda Island; population (2001 est) 1,000. It is the main centre of employment in Bermuda, and is the site of the central government. It has a deep-sea harbour, and is a major port of call for cruise ships, contributing to Bermuda's dominant tourist industry.

Hamilton was founded in 1793 to replace the former capital of St George. Features include the National Library, the courthouse, and two cathedrals, including the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (1911).

Hamilton

City and port in southwestern Ontario, Canada, at the head of Lake Ontario, 65 km/40 mi southwest of Toronto and 90 km/56 mi northwest of the Niagara Falls; population (2001 est) 490,300; metropolitan area 662,400. Hamilton Harbour, one of the largest landlocked harbours on the Great Lakes, is linked with Lake Ontario via the Burlington Canal (completed in 1830). The city lies at the centre of a fruit-growing district, and is Canada's leading producer of steel; other industries include the manufacture of heavy machinery, electrical equipment, biotechnology, farm and machine tools, chemicals, and textiles.

History

In the 19th century Hamilton became well known for its metal industries, and the first of the city's three major iron and steel works was established here in 1895. During the War of 1812 an English force (under Colonel John Harvey) defeated a US force (under Generals Chandler and Winder), in the Battle of Stoney Creek. The site of this battle is now a public park with a memorial.

The first dwelling in Hamilton is said to have been a log cabin built in 1778 by Robert Land, a United Empire Loyalist. Hamilton is now the seat of McMaster University (1887), which is located at the top of the Niagara escarpment, and Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology (1967).

Hamilton

Industrial city on North Island, New Zealand, on the Waikato River 130 km/80 mi from the estuary; population (2001 est) 114,900. It is New Zealand's largest inland city, and industries include food processing, brewing, sawmilling, brickmaking and the manufacture of farm machinery, clothing, plastics, prefabricated buildings, and packing materials. It trades in forestry, horticulture, and dairy products, and lies on the pipelines from the offshore natural gas fields of Kapuni and Maui.

Hamilton is home to Waikato University (1964), and features of interest include the the Waikato Museum of Art and History (1997) and the Ruakura Animal Research Station.

Hamilton

Administrative headquarters of South Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the Clyde, 17 km/10.5 mi southeast of Glasgow; population (2001) 48,600. A declining industrial town, its industries include textiles, electronics, and engineering.

There is a racecourse, and between Hamilton and Motherwell is Strathclyde Country Park which is an extensive recreational area, with a theme park, recreational and sporting facilities. The man-made loch in the park was the site of Hamilton Palace, one of the largest palaces ever built in Scotland, which was finally demolished in 1927.

The ruins of Cadzow Castle (1744) lie 1.6 km/1 mi south of Hamilton in Chatelherault Country Park and are home to a breed of wild white cattle.

Hamilton

Family name of the dukes of Abercorn. The family's seat is at Barons Court, County Tyrone. The 3rd duke was the great-grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Hamilton

City in the southwestern corner of Ohio, on the Great Miami River, 19 mi/30 km northwest of Cincinnati; seat of Butler County; population (2000) 60,700. Its industries include livestock processing and the manufacture of metal products, motor-vehicle parts, security equipment, paper, and building materials.

The city was built on the site of Fort Hamilton, constructed in 1791 by General Arthur St Clair and used as headquarters by General Anthony Wayne during his campaign in the Northwest Territory (1792–93). It developed rapidly after the construction of the Miami-Erie Canal in 1827 and was incorporated as a city in 1857.

Hamilton

Town in Victoria, Australia, 294 km/183 mi west of Melbourne; population (1996) 9,248. It is the regional centre of a sheep-farming district, and wool is the basis of the economy; the town has also has meat-packing factories, and it is a tourist centre, with Mount Eccles, Mount Napier, and Mount Rouse nearby. It is the site of the Ansett Transport Museum.

The museum is named after Sir Reginald Ansett (1909–1981), one of Australia's aviation pioneers, who was a resiident of Hamilton.

Mount Eccles, Mount Napier, and Mount Rouse lie in a region known as the Western District Plains. They form part of a geological system which geologists refer to as the Newer Volcanics Province, which covers an area of 15,000 sq km/5,800 sq mi. The volcanoes were last active around 5,300 BC. Mount Napier rises to 440 m/1,443 ft above sea level, making it the highest point in the Western District Plains of Victoria.