Grist Mill Aqueduct - Port Rowan, Ontario
N 42° 39.218 W 080° 28.122
17T E 543547 N 4722489
Backhouse Mill, built in 1798, is a Canadian National Historic Site. The aqueduct carried water from the pond above Dedricks Creek dam to the mill for processing flour. It is one of the earliest and best preserved examples of this industry in Canada.
Waymark Code: WM10P1Y
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 06/05/2019
Views: 1
Backhouse Mill, built in 1798, is a Canadian National Historic Site. The aqueduct carried water from the pond above Dedricks Creek dam to the mill for processing flour. It is one of the earliest and best preserved examples of this industry in Canada.
In 1976, the owners of the site, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, received an award from Heritage Canada for its restoration of the site and other buildings in this pioneer village.
The aqueduct is not that long, about 40 metres, and rather narrow. But it is still operational as was seen on the day of visit and as shown in these photos.
There is a full write-up on the mill at (
visit link) Some excerpts:
* This rare technological and architectural survivor of early grain milling in Upper Canada was built by John Backhouse (or Backus) in the 1790s and remained operational until 1957. Typically found in frontier agricultural communities of the early 19th century, such heavy timber-framed structures used water power to mill grain. These mills marked the beginning of what became one of Canada’s major industries.
* Its large, simple volume, hand-hewn timber frame and surviving machinery are an enduring reminder of the origins of Canada’s agricultural sector.