Throughout its rich history, Brantford, Ontario has been home to remarkable individuals who have left an indelible mark on Canada and the world. From legendary athletes to groundbreaking inventors, these are the people who put Brantford on the map.
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, universally known as “The Great One,” was born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, where he first learned to skate on the Nith River behind his grandmother’s house. By age six, he was already playing with 10-year-olds, and by ten, he had scored an astonishing 378 goals in a single season.
Gretzky went on to become the most decorated player in NHL history, holding or sharing 61 NHL records. His career statistics are staggering: 894 goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 total points—records that may never be broken. The City of Brantford honors its most famous son with the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, and his childhood home on Varadi Avenue has become a pilgrimage site for hockey fans worldwide.
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
While born in Scotland, Alexander Graham Bell considered Brantford his true home, famously declaring it “the telephone city.” It was at his family’s homestead, Melville House (now the Bell Homestead National Historic Site), where Bell conceived the idea for the telephone in 1874. The first long-distance call was made between Brantford and Paris, Ontario in 1876.
Bell’s contributions to communication technology revolutionized human interaction and laid the foundation for the modern connected world. The Bell Homestead, located at 94 Tutela Heights Road, remains one of Brantford’s most treasured landmarks, attracting visitors from around the globe who wish to see where this world-changing invention was born.
Pauline Johnson
E. Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake)
Emily Pauline Johnson, known by her Mohawk stage name Tekahionwake (“Double Wampum”), was born on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve near Brantford. She became one of the most famous Canadian poets and performers of her era, captivating audiences across Canada, the United States, and England with her powerful readings.
Johnson’s poetry celebrated both her Indigenous heritage and her connection to Canada’s natural beauty. Works like “The Song My Paddle Sings” and “Flint and Feather” remain beloved classics of Canadian literature. Her childhood home, Chiefswood, is now a National Historic Site and the only remaining childhood home of a Canadian literary figure, honoring her remarkable legacy as a bridge between Indigenous and European cultures.
Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward Hartman was born in Brantford before his family moved to the United States when he was ten. He would go on to become one of the most versatile performers in American television history, spending eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where he was known as “The Glue” for his ability to hold any sketch together.
Hartman’s impeccable comic timing and uncanny celebrity impressions—including Bill Clinton, Frank Sinatra, and Phil Donahue—made him an SNL legend. He later starred as Bill McNeal on NewsRadio and voiced multiple characters on The Simpsons, including Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz. His tragic death in 1998 robbed the entertainment world of one of its most gifted performers, but his Canadian roots in Brantford remain a point of local pride.
Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson, known as “The Big Train,” spent his early years in Brantford before his family moved to Kansas. He became one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history, spending his entire 21-year career with the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927.
Johnson’s fastball was legendary—clocked at speeds estimated over 90 mph in an era before radar guns, he dominated the American League for two decades. He retired with 417 wins (second all-time), 3,509 strikeouts (a record that stood for 56 years), and 110 career shutouts (still the all-time record). Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the original five members in 1936, Johnson’s Brantford connection represents the city’s contribution to America’s pastime.
Robert Warren
Robert Warren
This is an excellent spot for an Ambush interview and other thing to post about Mr. Warren for the entire community of Brantford and surrounding areas to read about.