Description of Historic Place

The West Mill is part of the Wood’s Mill complex located at Smiths Falls. The complex itself sits at the northern end of Ward’s Island adjacent to the waste weir channel of the Rideau Waterway at Smiths Falls. The large stone building features a mansard roof, gable-roofed dormers and a five bay façade with regularly placed windows. The central main entrance is flanked to one side by the large doors of a loading bay. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The West Mill is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The West Mill, as part of a mid and late-nineteenth-century industrial complex, is closely associated with the development of the grain milling industry in eastern Ontario. The complex also shows the evolution and adaptation of grain milling from a local service industry, to one based on the processing of imported western grain and the export of the product. The industrial development of the Smiths Falls area is notable where the shift from reliance on the canal to a reliance on the railway was evident. The West Mill is associated with A.R. Ward, one of the first permanent settlers of the area and founder of the milling complex, and A. Wood, an important local entrepreneur who operated several industrial firms in the area.

Architectural Value
Valued for its good aesthetics, the West Mill exhibits domestic vernacular form, scale and proportions. The industrial character of the building is expressed through the evenly spaced fenestration pattern and the elements relating to its function including the double loading doors and the functional interior spaces. Good craftsmanship and materials can be seen in the stonework of the exterior walls.

Environmental Value
The West Mill reinforces the commercial character of its industrial complex and streetscape setting at Smiths Falls, and is a familiar landmark in the region.

Sources: James De Jonge, Wood’s Mill Complex, 34 Beckwith Street South, Smiths Falls, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report 88-044; Wood’s Mill Complex, 34 Beckwith Street South, Smiths Falls, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement 88-044.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the West Mill should be respected.

Its good aesthetic, functional design and good quality craftsmanship and materials, for example:
- the two-and-a-half-storey massing;
- the exterior walls of stone;
- the mansard roof and the gable roofed dormers;
- the regular placement of the doors, windows and the loading bay doors;
- the interior configuration.

The manner in which the West Mill reinforces the commercial character of its industrial complex and streetscape setting at Smiths Falls, and is a familiar landmark in the region, as evidenced by:
- its overall scale, design and materials, which contribute to its commercial streetscape surroundings and complement the edge of the industrial complex;
- its visibility due to its location within the streetscape, at the edge of the commercial core and adjacent to a water channel.