from the sale in order to survive. Another two years later, in 1820, they sold their reserves around the mouths of Bronte Creek, Oakville Creek, and the Credit River, leaving the Credit River Mississauga nothing more than 200 acres of land on the east side of their namesake river. The entire Nation now had less land than many contemporary pioneering families. The three townships and Waterdown were founding constituents of Wentworth County in 1816. Waterdown was created in 1879 from that part of East Flamborough above the Niagara Escarpment and within approximately a kilometre of King's Highway No. 5. The town of Dundas was created from parts of West Flamborough and Ancaster Townships. In 1974, Flamborough Township was created by amalgamating the townships of East Flamborough, West Flamborough and Beverly with the village of Waterdown. At the same time, a small portion of Beverly Township near the community of Clyde was ceded to North Dumfries Township and a more populous but smaller portion of East Flamborough near the community of Aldershot was ceded to Burlington. Flamborough became a town in 1985. In 2001, the provincial government amalgamated Flamborough with Ancaster, Dundas, Glanbrook, and Stoney Creek into the enlarged City of Hamilton. The amalgamation was bitterly and unsuccessfully protested by some Flamborough residents and those of adjacent communities, particularly since the incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP, Toni Skarica's government had promised in the previous election that the amalgamation would not occur. Skarica resigned in protest, but the amalgamation was not rescinded. The population of Flamborough at the 2001 census was 37,796. By the 2006 census, its population had increased to 39,220. Flag and Coat of Arms of Flamborough On September 14, 2009, the Flamborough Heritage Society formally petitioned Claire Boudreau, Chief Herald of Canada, for a grant of arms which would ". . . reflect the former Town of Flamborough and its rich heritage so that we can better educate residents in the region." The Chief Herald accepted the petition and assigned Dr. Forrest Pass, Saguenay Herald, to the file. That fall, the Flamborough Heritage Society created the "Grant of Arms Committee" to work with Dr. Pass to create a suitable design for the community. The first meeting of the Grant of Arms Committee was held on January 2, 2010, in the "Kirk Room" of the Royal Coachman in Waterdown. At this initial meeting four key themes were identified by the committee