Woods Mill Building - Smiths Falls, Ontario - Ontario Heritage Properties on Waymarking.com

This property contains two historic three-storey stone mill buildings, with a two storey office building connecting the other two buildings. It is prominently located in the centre of the town of Smiths Falls, on the bend of the Rideau River adjacent to the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The first mill building, the West Mill, was constructed by Abel Russell Ward in 1852. The East Mill, the other stone building fronting on Beckwith Street, was built by Alexander Wood in 1890. Wood purchased Ward’s Island and all the mills on it in 1880 from Ward, and it became known as Wood Island. The island had grist, oatmeal, carding and saw mills, and a granary.

The East Mill is constructed of contrasting dark and light limestone from Beckwith township, in keeping with the materials used for the Town Hall, at the other end of Beckwith Street. The casement windows in the attic storey were traditional in Smiths Falls architecture at that time.

Alexander Wood, who was a partner in Frost and Wood, brought wheat by rail from Western Canada to mill into flour at his roller mill. The flour was stored in the adjacent frame elevator building. Wood’s flour was destined for the urban markets of Montreal and Toronto.

After Wood died in 1895 the milling complex was leased by a variety of individuals. It was owned by Mary Chalmers Wood from 1907 to 1919, and was then purchased by the United Farmers of Ontario. Area farmers started this movement during World War One, and set up a co-op store in the mill. In 1923 the Smiths Falls Waterworks Commission purchased the property. During the 1950s the East Mill was used for offices and apartments. In 1981 the Canadian Parks Service purchased the run-down property, and restored the East Mill building for their offices and established a museum devoted to the Rideau Canal in the adjoining rebuilt elevator building. There were plans at that time to restore the West Mill as a working stone grist mill.

This property was designated a heritage property in 1979 for its historic and architectural value or interest.

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Link to Property in The Ontario Properties Database: [Web Link] Building or Property Type: Industrial Building or Complex County or Regional Municipality: Lanark

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