CALEDONIA MILL - First Millers' Day 1999
Haldimand County, Ontario
Robert Miller photo


Oldest Millstone in North America - c.1610 found in Canada at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

How Millstones work

LINKS to Google MAPS, David Sweeney's photo gallery, and many Canadian mill websites

Milling Through History
"Escape the super highways and travel the back roads along popular waterways and you will find significant, but often overlooked connections to Canada’s industrial past. Your reward may be a simple limestone wall or the rough outline of a foundation. Or it could be a working mill that is still operating the way it did 100 or more years ago—grinding grain, carding wool or sawing wood."


A TYPICAL SPOOM MILLERS' DAY
Fall Millers' Day, Niagara 2000


Pre-1812 Gristmill at Ball's Falls, Niagara
Measured overlay Drawings of the mill
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Opening the sluice gate




"MILLS IN ONTARIO - MILLS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC"
Wonderfully detailed booklet about almost 70 mills open to the public across Ontario locations/phone&web/descriptions
by Maryanne Szuck
(PDF)
Free download - please join the Chapter

Ontario's Historic Mills
(Amazon link)
by George Fischer and Mark Harris

ONTARIO MILL RESEARCHERS
Census Data, King's Mills 1783, Servos Mill 1791, Secord Mill 1783
Maps of Upper Canada & Canada West by District & County


THIS WEB SITE WAS CREATED IN 1999 AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND HOSTED SINCE THEN AT NO COST TO THE CHAPTER. IF YOU FIND ANY BUGS PLEASE CONTACT ROBERT MILLER.


CANADIAN CHAPTER OF SPOOM
Society for the
Preservation Of Old Mills

The Canadian Chapter of the Society for the Preservation Of Old Mills, also known as "SPOOM", promotes interest in old Canadian mills - their history, function and preservation.

The Canadian Chapter is a branch of the American international organization of SPOOM
, chartered in the State of Maine in 1972. SPOOM "national" is dedicated to "promote interest in old mills and their related cultural features now quickly passing from the present scene".

The Canadian Chapter was initiated in 1999 and in 2012 we became registered as a not for profit Canadian Corporation through our affilation with the Ontario Historical Society.

Twice yearly, Canadian mills are selected for tours and speakers in a friendly get together in Canada that we call a “MILLERS' DAY”.

If you have an interest in the history and future of old Canadian Mills, please click
JOIN US. Only $20.00 per year which includes the "Millstone News" electronic journals and other email notices throughout the year.

Members of the Canadian Chapter are encouraged to also become members of our parent organization in the United States which reports to its members through a quarterly "Old Mill News" magazine. For more information please visit their website www.spoom.org This link will open a new window.

Click to join our private Facebook Group Canadian Chapter Facebook Group

NOTICE: Our SPRING MILLERS' DAY 2013 will take place on May 11, 2013 at Ruthven Park National Historic Site and at the Caledonia Mill on the Grand River. Members will examine the site of David Thompson's huge complex of mills at the Indiana ghost town on Lock 1 in the Grand River Navigation Canal. A special guided tour of the Caledonia Mill restoration project will happen first thing that morning. Meet us at the Caledonia Mill 10am May 11, 2013 for a great day of old mills.
Registration Form (download & print)
Map (good regional detail for printing)

 
View Caledonia Mill in a larger map


 
Many members toured Sir Adam Beck Power Generation Station following the Chapter's October 2012 AGM in Niagara Falls. Beck produces slightly more hydro electric power than Hoover Dam


47 Members tour Toronto Distillery District - Spring Millers' Day 2012

Backus Mill (see video below) in Port Rowan Ontario, is a national historic site and of special significance, as it was during the bicentennial celebration year for this mill in 1999 that the Canadian Chapter of SPOOM was born.

 

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