ADM Mill Office (The old Barber Mill), Streetsville

The lazy course of the Credit River today belies its importance to the early development of Peel County. The establishment of mills, particularly saw and grist mills, often marked the beginning of a community and provided the impetus for growth. Mills fulfilled a practical need in the life of early settlers as places to grind grain, cut wood, or weave cloth. By 1851, approximately 60 mills were operating along the Credit River and by 1859, 10 of these were woollen or textile mills.

The most significant of these textile manufacturers was the Barber brothers’ mill near Streetsville. The Barber brothers, who also owned a large mill in Georgetown, expanded their operation in 1843 when they purchased William Comfort’s mill-site and farm. (William J. Comfort had purchased this five-acre site on the north edge of Lot 1 Concession 4, just south of Streetsville, in 1826. He had a grist mill in operation within a year.) In 1852, the Barbers built a large four-storey stone woollen mill, which burned in 1861. Three months later the mill was rebuilt and back into production. Due to the early success of the Streetsville mill, the site continued to expand and by 1865 included several additional buildings. The mill complex, known as the Toronto Woollen Mills, produced 1000 yards of cloth daily and employed 100 people. By 1870, the mill was the fourth largest textile mill in Ontario.

As the fortunes of the Barbers’ declined, the small community that had grown around the mill became deserted, leaving only the ghosts of the once-busy mill village behind. William’s home, built circa 1862, remains on the corner of Mississauga Road and Barbertown Road as the Old Barber House Restaurant.

The four-storey mill was built of stone following the fire of 1861. The stone is now concealed beneath modern stucco and siding. Connected to the main structure was the warping room, the mule room, the dye house, the boiler house, the dry room and the wool house. This was an early example of a ready-to-wear factory, where raw wool could be dropped off and picked up as a finished product as there was also a tailor shop next to the mill.

ADM Milling now owns and operates the textile mill. As stated by a older employee of the Mill, a section of the mill may be haunted. The ghost is that of a woman on the second floor, believed to be a seamstress.

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