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THE BROWN FAMILY HISTORY In 1806, Col. Brown, an agent for the Northwestern Fur Traders Co. [Company] in York (Toronto) bought several hundred acres of land on Waterdown Heights. His grandson Alex married Sarah Applegarth whose father gave them some land from Oaklands to the Short Trail, which became known as the Brown Property. The Brown Homestead stood originally in La Salle Park, where the old pavillion was and was moved across the road where it stands neglected and unpainted as a landmark. Alex W. Brown built Brown's Wharf about 1820 and it became one of the busiest shipping centres of the Great lakes in the Victorian era. He also helped construct Burlington Beach Canal 1823-1833. He and his father-in-law William Applegarth were commissioners for this project. In its period of greatest prosperity Brown's Wharf was covered and the adjoining shore too, with cordwood to supply the steamers on the opening and the continuance of the navigation season. One record year boasted a supply of no less than 4500 cubic cords. Those were under contract, other cutting brought the total wood supply up to the 5000 mark. Flour was carted by wagons and sleighs drawn by huge Clydesdale horses from the Waterdown Mills, and wood and lumber from Guelph. In the fall of 1896 between 15,000 and 20,000 barrels of apples were shipped from Brown's Wharf. The landmark for Brown's Wharf was the Sentinel Oak towering 15 feet over the other trees in the ravine at the end of Lancefield's road, officially registered as the corner of Forsythe Ave., and Filman Rd., now Park Ave. Clipping of PARK LANDMARK The home of Alexander Brown was moved by the Hamilton Parks Board from its original site, where the La Salle Park pavilion now stands, to its present location on the north side of North Shore Boulevard. It was Alexander Brown who built Brown's Wharf, near the present La Salle [LaSalle] Park docks, and promoted Aldershot to the position of one of the leading shipping centres on the Great Lakes.