THE HEART OF THE CITY

        PAGODA RESTAURANT        

               85 1/2 King Street East

IMAGE: button(490 bytes)CURRENT STATUS (1999)IMAGE: Pagoda Restaurant - present exterior (18131 bytes)
Present Owner: Sarah Wertman of Willowdale
Present Use: Pagoda Chop Suey House
Heritage Status: Listed on the City's Inventory of Buildings of Architectural and / or Historical Interest
Locally Significant Date: N/A

IMAGE: button(490 bytes)BUILDING INFORMATION
Date Built: c.1842
Original Owner: John Erwin, builder
Original Use: John Larkin, dry goods merchant
Subsequent Uses: Various retail and service businesses
Previous Building on Site: Unknown, probably none

IMAGE: button(490 bytes)ARCHITECTURE
Size: Three-storeys
Design and Style: Georgian
Architect, Builder: Possibly John Erwin, owner
Construction Materials: Brick masonry
Architectural Integrity: Moderate (upper facade largely intact except for replacement of three original second storey windows by one large window)
Architectural Features: Originally the end unit of a three-unit rowhouse known as "Erwin's Block"; remaining corner unit features a hipped roof with wide eaves and three window bays with upper storey sash windows intact (with voussoir arch lintels and continuous stone sill under windows)

The Pagoda restaurant, located at 85 ½ King Street East is the oldest restaurant in Hamilton still in operation. The restaurant started in 1942, and quickly became known as a specialist in Cantonese and Szechwan cooking. Pagoda2.jpg (40002 bytes)

The Pagoda was also known for helping Chinese immigrants. Early in this century, Chinese men were encouraged to immigrate to Canada to work in mines, do logging, and help build railways. But these men were not taken care of when their jobs were done. Furthermore, the law prevented them from moving their families to Canada. Most times, the only way a man could see his family again was if he saved up enough money to move back home Pagoda1.jpg (19258 bytes)just before he died. The Pagoda employed Chinese men who were away from their families. They even allowed one man to stay in one of the attached apartments without paying rent after his retirement from the restaurant.

On April 23, 1974, a grease fire devastated the Pagoda. The fire started in the ventilation system where the grease had built up and suddenly burst into flames. The staff tried to use extinguishers, but could not control the flames. The grease mixed with the water from the firemen’s hoses and spread very quickly. The ground became very slippery and it was difficult for the firefighters to even keep their balance, let alone properly combat the flames. Once the fire was finally put out, over $5,000 in damage was done to the restaurant.

Pagoda is still in operation today and the restaurant is still located in its original downtown location.

REFERENCES:
Chinese in Hamilton Scrapbook. Volume 1. Special Collections.HPL.
Clipping File – Hamilton – Restaurants – Pagoda Restaurants. Special Collections, HPL.
Fires in Hamilton Scrapbook. Volume 4. Special Collections. HPL.

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