Barber Mill and Dynamo
Established in 1854 on the banks of the Credit River in Georgetown, the Barber Mill is a rare example of a pre-Confederation industrial complex. Operated by the Barber family—leading industrialists in Canada West—it became the largest industry in the County of Halton, employing hundreds of workers from the surrounding communities. The complex contributes to both the history of paper milling in Canada and the pioneering use of hydro-electric power.
The mill initially produced “rag paper” from cotton and linen rags, then manufactured paper from oat, wheat, and rye straw for nearly ten years, when it was superseded by wood pulp in 1869. The principal product of these mills was machine-finished book paper, lithographic and label papers, coloured covers and posters, and the better grade of newspaper. The complex supplied paper across the country until 1948.
About 3 km downstream are the stone ruins of the Barber Dynamo, a remarkable innovation dating to 1888 and reported to have been the first long-distance transmission of hydro-electric power to supply an industrial plant in North America. It was operated by James Charles Alexander (1874-1954) who worked there his whole life. His responsibilities included turning the power on and off and maintaining the machinery and being on call at any time as requests were telephoned from the Mill down to the Dynamo.
The mill initially produced “rag paper” from cotton and linen rags, then manufactured paper from oat, wheat, and rye straw for nearly ten years, when it was superseded by wood pulp in 1869. The principal product of these mills was machine-finished book paper, lithographic and label papers, coloured covers and posters, and the better grade of newspaper. The complex supplied paper across the country until 1948.
About 3 km downstream are the stone ruins of the Barber Dynamo, a remarkable innovation dating to 1888 and reported to have been the first long-distance transmission of hydro-electric power to supply an industrial plant in North America. It was operated by James Charles Alexander (1874-1954) who worked there his whole life. His responsibilities included turning the power on and off and maintaining the machinery and being on call at any time as requests were telephoned from the Mill down to the Dynamo.