Stephen Gleave’s Favourite Spots in Ancaster

If you haven’t visited Ancaster, you’re missing out on potential opportunities to see some amazing sights. If you’re a native or just visiting, here are some favourite places you can check out in Ancaster, Ontario.

Tiffany Falls Conservation Area

Tiffany Falls is a 21-meter-high ribbon waterfall located in the Tiffany Falls Conservation Area, just off Wilson Street East, Ancaster, Ontario. Tiffany Falls was named after Dr. Oliver Tiffany, the first doctor in the district. He was born in Massachusetts, he studied medicine at the Philadelphia Medical College before coming to Ancaster Township in 1796. It’s best viewed in the early spring as it tends to dry up significantly in the summer months. Use for ice-climbing in the winter months with permission from the Hamilton Conservation Authority. Nearby attractions include Sherman Falls, Iroquois Heights Conservation Area, Dundas Valley Conservation Area, Hermitage Ruins, Fieldcote Museum, and Griffin House.

The Great Canadian Gift Company

The Great Canadian Gift Company is a retail store located in beautiful Ancaster, Ontario. It specializes in selling exclusively Canadian-made, designed, or themed products. If you’re traveling and want to find yourself some Canadian gifts, this is the place to go. Are you vacationing here and want to bring home some Canadian trinkets for friends or family? Then you must visit the Great Canadian Gift Company.

Griffin House

Griffin House is a house that was built in 1827 by Englishmen in Ancaster. It was purchased by an African American escaped slave in 1834 who had enough cash to purchase 50 acres. It offers tours regarding the Underground Railroad and history-related programs. Griffin House was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada back in 2008. The house is a rare surviving example of a four-room house that was typical in Upper Canada in the early 19^th Century. It was owned by Enerals Griffin, an African American slave from Virginia who escaped to Canada in 1834. For the next 150 years, their descendants lived and farmed here atop a hill in relative peace. The property was later sold to the Hamilton Region Conservation in 1988. The home was then restored between the years 1992 and 1995. Over 3,00 artifacts were discovered during that period.

Theatre Ancaster

Theatre Ancaster has been providing entertaining musical theatre productions since 1997, welcoming audiences from Hamilton, Burlington, Dundas, Waterdown, Brantford, and many more. The year-round programming includes celebrated Broadway musicals, plays, and concerts suitable for any age. You can also audition for a show, volunteer for the crew, or join a diverse range of adult and youth programming. The theatre has a popular summer camp led by experienced instructors, nurturing a lifelong love of music and theatre for children in the age bracket of junior kindergarten through to the eighth grade.

Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum

Fieldcote is a cultural heritage centre that emphasizes on the collection, preservation and exhibition of local history, the promotion of fine arts and the celebration of natural heritage through stunning landscaped gardens and walking trails. You can explore ‘Stories From the Edge”, an exhibition celebrating the colourful history of Ancaster. Set on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, with a bounty of water and resources, Ancaster has attracted people since the retreat of the last glacier disappeared over 10,000 years ago. Using 31 stories and artifacts, one for every year the museum has operated, this exhibition offers snapshots of Ancaster’s history from the earliest human occupants to this very day.