Harris Woolen Mill Ruins

Location: Rockwood

Status: Open to visitors to the conservation area

Waypoint: Google Map

Summary: Once the mainstay of Rockwood’s economy, this mill was first established in 1867 on the Eramosa River. The original wooden mill burned and was replaced by the current limestone structure in 1884. The mill employed 70 to 80 people during WWI and produced everything from shirting and sheeting to knitted underwear and blankets for the Canadian army. Rigid competition from larger mills in Toronto and Hespeler pressured the company to close during the depression year of 1933.

The Harris family sold the mill and property to the Grand River Conservation Authority in 1959. The mill burned in 1967 and a stone shell is all that remains. However, the mill ruins were preserved and are not only a popular spot for tourists, but the site has also been a backdrop for movies, advertising shoots and weddings.