BEDFORD MILLS

NAME: Bedford Mills COUNTY: -- ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Snow in Winter, Warm Summer. BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Semi-ghost. REMAINS: Many buildings.

One of the “must see” ghost towns of eastern Ontario is Bedford Mills. In 1829, a sawmill was built at the foot of Buttermilk Falls. Knowing the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832 would bring prosperity to the area in time, the sawmill was replaced in 1847 and a stone gristmill was added that still stands today. The town had a population of 150 residents, a church, a school, stores, a cheese factory, mica mining, barge building and homes, both large and small. Then came the railroads. Canal traffic declined followed by the erosion of the town’s economic base. Its residents departed and soon Bedford Mills was a ghost town. Part of the town has been restored to life by retirement living and some of its stately homes have become summer residences. Bring your camera. Submitted by: Henry Chenoweth

BACK