A HISTORIC DESTINATION
Our History.
Nestled along the scenic Grand River in Ontario, Canada, the Elora Mill property has been transformed into a captivating blend of thoughtful hospitality and architectural charm. The structure that stands is the reminder of what once was coupled with the aspiration for what is.
INCEPTION OF THE MILL
THE EARLY HISTORY.
The Elora Mill has a long and rich history that dates back all the way to 1833. William Gilkison, a Scottish Naval Captain was the person behind the original construction of the Mill. In 1832 Gilkison had a vision to build a Saw Mill that was to be located along the Grand River. In order to achieve this vision, Gilkison purchased land surrounding the river and laid out the original portion of the Village of Elora. Gilkison initially planned for the Saw Mill to be located on the south side of the river but ran into difficultly when trying to dynamite the thick limestone on the river’s edge. Due to this, the construction was moved to the north side of the Grand to the location that the Mill stands today.
1859 to 1876
THE ELORA DISTILLERY.
The Eastern part of the Elora Mill (where the kitchen is located) was once the Elora Mill Distillery. From 1859 to 1876 whiskey was brewed at the Distillery to be sold to local citizens and beyond. The business only lasted a short time however due to the questionable practices of the owner J.M Fraser and his views on alcohol taxation. The taxation of whiskey at the time was high and Fraser the owner of the Distillery was not willing pay – at least not for all of the alcohol that was being brewed. Because of this, the Distillery was on the top of the Chief Revenue Inspector Charles Romain’s “troublemakers list”. Throughout the years, Chief Romain made several efforts to catch the Distillery carrying out unlawful activities. The most notable of these efforts occurred in 1870 when the Chief conducted a surprise raid on the facility and arrived to find workers trying to drain a fermenting tank into a pipe that ran into the Grand River, to try to cover up just how much whiskey was being brewed. This incident prompted a shutdown of the Distillery for two weeks. After years of scandal and rumors the Elora Mill Distillery eventually closed in 1876.
1855
THE GRANARY.
The Granary building has served a variety of different uses over the years. Dating back to 1855, the building was first constructed by William Knowles to serve as a cabinet workshop and retail space for a furniture business he was trying to establish. After nine years of operation, Knowles recognized that the furniture business was not taking off and decided to open a hardware store in the building. This shift in use proved to be a good decision for Knowles as the hardware store became so successful that the Granary building was expanded by a storey to accommodate demand. Knowles eventually gave up the store in Elora and moved the business to Downtown Toronto. Since Knowles’ ownership, the Granary has been used for a variety of different activities including a shipping department for the Mundell Factory and a lumber storage facility for Norman Drimmie.
OUR LANDMARK
THE TOOTH OF TIME.
The Tooth of Time, one of Elora’s most well-known landmarks was almost destroyed in the early twenty century. On March 20th, 1903 the entire riverside wall of the Elora Mill collapsed into the river. Although the Mill was in poor condition at the time, the current owner George Fergusson was certain that the wall collapsed was due to the Tooth of Time was diverting high amounts of water onto the Mill’s foundation. Ferguson was determined to get the rock dynamited out of existence and had the majority of Elora citizen’s on board with his plan. The local newspaper at the time read “A grist mill in operation in the village is of far more importance than a lone rock in midstream — the one is a tax producer and a public convenience, the other simply a portion of rock indicating the height of land over which the Grand River tumbled in past ages.” The only factor that stopped the Tooth of Time from being destroyed was an extremely narrow vote by Village Council. Due to cost concerns, council decided that dynamiting the rock would not be in the best interest of town. It was this close and controversial council decision that sealed the fate of this local landmark.
FLOWING WITH INDUSTRY
THE GRAND RIVER.
It is not uncommon for unusual articles to show up in the trash rack at the Elora Mill Hydro Station. With this being said, the materials released into the Grand River today are nothing in comparison to the volume and types of materials that were released into the Grand River during 1870s through to the 1930s. During that time there was a strong local grain market in the town and a high demand for logs and saw. Due to this, large areas of forest along Grand River were completely cleared and stocked in piles for sale. When the river would flood, hundreds of logs, bark and trees would get pulled into the river. In addition to wood, several of the industries located near the river would release chemicals daily into the water stream. This included kettles of acid from Tanneries, dye vats from Woolen Mills and outhouse waste from business located along Mill Street. John Smith of the Elora Observer noted in 1873 that a visitor could smell the Grand long before he could see it. It wasn’t until the 1930s when the Grand River Valley Board of Trade was formed that the strong protection of the River began. Presently the Grand River Conservation Authority manages and protects the Grand River Watershed.
The Themes of Elora.
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The history of the past interests us only in so far as it illuminates the history of the present.
– Ernest Dimnet
