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Many visitors come to Huron County for the water, mainly the crashing waves of Lake Huron’s magnificent beaches. But most of the inland communities, especially in the northern part of the county, owe their existence to the presence of water that could power the mills needed to take life to the next level after the settlers cleared the land.
This trip will take visitors inland from the lakeshore to some of the towns that grew up to serve the settlers of the early and mid-1800s: to grind their wheat to make flour for their bread, to spin their wool fleece into yarn for their clothes.
We start at Amberley at the corner of Hwy. 21 and County Rd. 86, also called Amberley Rd. Head east on Amberley Rd. toward Lucknow, 19 km inland. Lucknow recruited its first settlers in 1858 and many were drawn by the potential of the Nine Mile River to power the mills that were going to be needed as the community developed. (By the way if you’re wondering what that “Sepoy Town” saying means, when the village was being settled in 1858 the Sepoy Rebellion was taking place in India and Scottish soldiers, heroes to the Scots that settled the village, were key to the “relief” of the Indian city of Lucknow.)
None of the mills that used water power remain. The last two burned decades ago. You might see the remnants of Treleaven’s mill pond on your left after you pass Havelock St. to the east end of the main business section. There was also a MacDonald’s mill pond in the south end of the village.
Lucknow’s claim to fame in more recent times was as the hometown of Paul Henderson, hero of the 1972 Canada-Russia hockey showdown. There’s a big mural of his ecstatic celebration on a downtown wall near the arena.
Travel east again toward Wingham, another 18 km inland. Built at the junction of two branches of the Maitland River the town had lots of water power potential. The town still celebrates the legacy of the river but there’s little evidence of the mills the river once powered.
If you turn left on Helena St. at the western edge of town you can travel past the remnants of the Howson millpond. After a short jog, turn right on Victoria St. Here, as you cross the bridge, you can see off to your left where the Howson dam was washed away in 1983 (the original Howson flour mill was burned in the late 1940s).
The loss of the dam was seen as an opportunity for the community which came together to plan and create the Wingham River Flats Ecological Park. If you turn left on William St. it will take you to the riverside park area. There’s a little jog to the left at John St. but you’ll soon find yourself at the park area where there’s a splash pad for the kids, a playground, a picnic pavilion and walking trails.
The road curves to the right at Patrick St. Go up to Leopold St. and turn left again and travel Minnie St. If you follow this road right around, you’ll travel under the old CNR railway bridge which has been converted to a pedestrian bridge as part of the riverside trail system. Follow the street to Josephine St. and turn right. Just up the hill there’s an entrance to the trail and the bridge, which offers a spectacular view of the Maitland.
Travel south through Wingham’s main shopping area on Josephine St. (which is also Country Rd. 4) until you get to the corner of County Rd. 86. Turn left (east) toward Listowel.
Your next stop is Bluevale, just 7 km. east. On your way you’ll pass a lovely, large roadside picnic area perfect for a stop if you’ve brought lunch.
Coming into Bluevale turn right onto Queen St. and proceed to Clyde St. which is the original main street of the village. Turn right again and you’ll soon come to the old Bluevale mill on your left, and the dam beside it that creates a large mill pond. There’s a parking area beside the dam. The water roaring over the wide dam provides a calming sound so you may want to stay for a while. The water roaring over the wide dam provides a calming sound so you may want to stay for a while. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) has created the Pioneer Conservation Area here.
Leaving the parking area, turn right again and travel up the length of the main street to where Clyde meets Amberley Rd. Turn left and then at the corner that immediately follows, turn right onto County Rd. 87.
The next stop is Wroxeter, another village along the Maitland that harnessed the river for power. Turn right on Howick St. and when you reach Gibson St. you’ll see the large Wroxeter mill pond ahead of you. The dam is right beside Gibson St. which is the hamlet’s main street.
Wroxeter residents showed their fighting spirit a few years back when they found the village had been included in a book on ghost towns. They organized to show they weren’t dead yet, sprucing up the village and demonstrating their sense of humour by holding a ghost town festival.
After you’ve toured the village return north on Gibson St. until you come to County Rd. 87 again. Turn right and head east towards Gorrie. The highway winds beside the river here and you’ll often see birds like Canada geese and great blue herons.
In Gorrie, turn right on Huron County Rd. 28, called Victoria St. in the village. You’ll soon see the MVCA’s Gorrie Conservation Area off to your left and the old mill dam holding back the water. Go through the valley and up the hill to Mill St. on your left across from the post office. The short street loops around past the Gorrie mill. You can stop and park and walk out into the park area around the mill.
The Gorrie mill was built in 1856 by the Leech brothers, who arrived during the winter of 1855. The mill was remodeled into a three-storey building in 1867. It ran six days a week and at one time was capable of dressing and packing 150 barrels of flour per day. The mill is unusual in that it was one of the few flour mills, as opposed to grist mills in the area.
In 1962, the Gorrie Community Club, began negotiations with the owner to purchase the site and later that year the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, in co-operation with the club, bought the property. In recent years the Maitland Mill Association has been working to preserve, and eventually restore the mill.
As you leave you can follow Mill St. to Edward St. and turn right. It’s just a block to Victoria where you’ll turn left and head south out of the village on Huron County Rd. 28. The highway winds its way southward until it meets Perth Line 86. Turn right and drive west on what quickly becomes Huron County Rd. 86. In about seven km. you come to County Rd. 12, where you can turn south toward Brussels.
Brussels was a major industrial centre coming out of the water power and steam power era and you can see the result of that prosperity in the long main street filled with classic Victorian-era architecture. The industry, however, has long since left and the village is now a service centre for the large surrounding farming area. It’s such a pretty place with so many large, beautiful homes, that many people have moved there from Kitchener-Waterloo and commute to work in the city.
You can access the MVCA’s Brussels Conservation Area by turning left on County Rd. 16 in the north end of the village but our destination is the mill, so keep going down the main street (Turnberry St.)
DAYTRIPPING ALONG THE OLD MILLS' STREAMS
Many visitors come to Huron County for the water, mainly the crashing waves of Lake Huron’s magnificent beaches. But most of the inland communities, especially in the northern part of the county, owe their existence to the presence of water that could power the mills needed to take life to the next level after the settlers cleared the land.
This trip will take visitors inland from the lakeshore to some of the towns that grew up to serve the settlers of the early and mid-1800s: to grind their wheat to make flour for their bread, to spin their wool fleece into yarn for their clothes.
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