KAGAWONG—The history and the people involved in the first 100 years of the history of the Kagawong Old Mill and the evolution of the community are featured in a new book that has just been published.
“Absolutely, I thoroughly enjoyed putting this book together,” stated Rick Nelson, curator of the Old Mill Heritage Centre, last Wednesday, as he picked up the first 75 copies of the 250 being printed in the first edition of the book. “As a member of the museum board, we knew that that this year marked the 100th anniversary of the Old Mill and that we would want to have a book published providing its history.”
“I had a lot of help on this project, everyone in the community pitched in and helped,” said Mr. Nelson. “For example, Nancy Vaillancourt provided historical information and helped steer me in the right direction.”
“It is important to have a book that relates the history of the Old Mill. After all, a 100th anniversary only comes around once every 100 years,” quipped Mr. Nelson.
As was noted in the book, the Old Mill was built in 1925 as a pulp mill and marked an important industrial milestone on Manitoulin Island. Mr. Nelson explained ‘Kagawong Old Mill Celebrating 100 Years’ is a tabletop book with over 100 pages of information and historic photos. “It is a combination: we provide historic information from newspaper records and photos, and from talking to descendants of people who worked there. And there are still people around who worked in the building, people like Bruce Gordon who told me a whole bunch of good stories that are included in the book. Elva Lloyd’s late husband worked there when it was converted to a Hydro One office.”
“The book provides the history of the Old Mill and life around Billings at the time when the mill started and provides a glimpse of its 100 years of evolution as well as that of the town,” continued Mr. Nelson.
The building actually started out as a pulp mill and then evolved into a hydro generating station, said Mr. Nelson. “The book provides a look back to when the building was actually constructed, before construction, and how the community looked before, during and after the mill was built.”
Construction of the two-storey pulp mill in Kagawong began in the spring of 1925. At that time, it would have been the only pulp mill on Manitoulin Island. By December of that year, the first pulp was produced, ground from spruce and shipped by boat to Wisconsin to be made into paper for Sears-Roebuck catalogues.
The spruce pulp was the key to the mill construction in Kagawong. Spruce was abundantly available and was needed to give the Sears-Roebuck catalogue pages a shiny finish.
To supply power for the mill, water was diverted from the Kagawong River via a canal. Water flowed from the upper village down the hill by way of a large wooden flume, into the building, thus offering the necessary means to provide hydro. Waterpower also turned two large millstones which ground logs into pulp. The pulp mill only operated for five years before the depression forced its closure.
In the early 1930s the Old Mill was converted into a hydro-electric power plant and was the sole source of electricity for Manitoulin Island. Increased demand for hydro finally led to its closure in 1962.
Thirty years later local volunteers restored the building for community use. Today the Old Mill is a multi-functioning building housing the township municipal office, Edward’s Art Studio and the museum known as the Old Mill Heritage Centre.
Mr. Nelson is setting up a display of the books at the Old Mill Heritage Centre Museum. As part of the book Dianne Fraser, a long-time member of the Museum committee wrote a foreword for the book. “We also included a lot of congratulation messages that we have received, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Barb Hannah, granddaughter of former Prime Miniter Lester B. Pearson, Billings Mayor Bryan Barker, Alicia McCutcheon, publisher of The Manitoulin Expositor, author/journalist Steve Paikin, Mark O’Neill CAO of the Canadian Museum of History, author/journalist Mike Strobel, Andrew Cohen journalist, professor, and author of a book on Lester B. Pearson.” The book also provides wonderful photographs from locals Patrick Kiley, Pat Hess, Craig Jackson, and beautiful sketches from Jenna Carter.
OJ Graphics printed the book with graphic design provided by Kendra Edwards.
The museum committee is also hosting a gala the third Saturday in July at the museum and will be talking and sharing its plans for the development of the Mariners Park, as well as having people with links to the Old Mill on hand, said Mr. Nelson, indicating more information will be provided on the gala after scheduling is firmed up.
As well for the annual History Day in Kagawong celebrations in August, the museum committee will be focusing on the anniversary of the Old Mill. There will also be musical entertainment provided by the Manitoulin Swing Band.
“It took months to put together the book. It was my winter project,” Mr. Nelson told The Expositor.
The book will be sold at the Old Mill Heritage Centre Museum, and at the market in Kagawong this summer.
The new book is $40 including taxes, said Mr. Nelson. He pointed out he currently has 75 copies of the book, with 250 having been printed in the first edition. “They are going to go fast, so people better purchase one as soon as possible.”
