A Brief History of the Village of Eden Mills

The Garden of Eden

In my little book of memories
There’s a page so dear to me
And my thoughts go drifting backward
To old friends I long to see

There’s a little country hamlet
Nestling mid the verdant hills
Tis the place my dreams are centered
Lovely, peaceful Eden Mills

- Nell Simpson

The village known today as Eden Mills, located on the banks of the Eramosa River, was originally the hunting and fishing grounds of the Neutral Indians. Farmers ploughing area fields have uncovered the stone axes and arrowheads of the Neutrals. To this day, there are stories of native spirits near the bridge on the Indian Trail in Eden Mills.

The Eramosa River splits into two branches in the village, flows into the Speed River at Guelph and joins the Grand River, which has been designated as a Canadian Heritage River.

Aaron and Daniel Kribs founded the village of Eden Mills, in 1842 and called it Kribs Mills. A June 1866 article in the Guelph Mercury reads “Finding there was sufficient fall in the bed of the river to raise about eight feet head of water at that place, we proceeded at once to clear the ground for the mill dam”. So in April of 1842, the Kribs brothers began clearing the dense cedar swamp that covered the ground where the village now stands. By October, they had completed the mill dam and saw mill. The mill was a frame building located just south of where the present renovated mill now stands at York and Barden Streets. Local pioneers then convinced the Kribs to build a grist mill. Unfortunately everything went wrong with this mill, largely due to an incompetent millwright. The Kribs brothers became discouraged and sold the mill and property to Adam Argo on January 4, 1846.

Adam Argo renamed the village “Eden”, as the location seemed to be as beautiful as the Garden of Eden and may also have reminded him of the river Eden in his native Scotland. Shortly after that, the post office authorities insisted that the word “Mills” be added. Adam Argo was a man of great energy, skill and vision. Under his guidance the mill thrived and the village prospered. Around this time an oatmeal mill was built (located where the house with the water wheel on York Street now stands). After the original frame mill burned, a fine Scottish stone masonry three-storey mill was built. In 1855, Argo sold the mill to the Hortop family who ran the mills for many years. It has been said that the flour and oatmeal from these two mills won gold medals at the World Fair. The Barden family bought the mill in March 1917 and operated a grist mill, a cider mill (most of the cider went to Guelph to make hard cider) and finally a saw mill. Three generations of Bardens owned and worked in the mill. In both 1968 and 1980 fire destroyed the mill and Ted Barden sold the mill to Charles Simon in May 1980. Simon, a well-known Toronto-based architect, renovated the building into a private residence. The magnificent stone Hotel located at the corner of Barden and York Streets was originally an Inn built in 1867 and has been designated as a heritage site. The road through Eden Mills was once the main route to York (now Toronto) and was busy with wagons, coaches and travelers. Leon and Connie Rooke, founders of the Eden Mills Writers Festival, were owners of the Hotel for several years.

The three-storey stone building located across the street from the Hotel was operated as a general store and post office from 1873 until 1990. The Eden Mills General Store was known for its fine old cheddar cheese, thick sides of bacon and jars of candies. The general store was a place where villagers gathered to share the news and discuss the politics of the day. It is fitting that the Eden Mills Writers Festival’s first public readings took place outside the old general store in 1989. The village also supported a second general store, built in 1861, located on York Street where Eden Place craft store is now located. The first Community Hall was built around 1893, when Henry and Fanny Hortop donated the land to the village trustees. It burned down in 1916 and was reconstructed in 1917. The Hall was made accessible in 2002. The Hall, operated by volunteers who belong to the Eden Mills Community Club is the heart of the village and a centre for the many village activities.

As you make your way through the village of Eden Mills you will notice that it looks very similar to the way it looked 100 years ago. The sound of the waterfall and the rustle of the leaves invite you to linger awhile and enjoy the natural beauty of the Garden of Eden.

By: Barbara Marshall (whose grandfather owned and operated Marshall’s General Store for over forty years)

References
1. Helen Mack. History of Eden Mills and Vicinity. Eden Mills Women’s Institute. 1954.
2. Ann Veronica Chesworth. The Historic Houses of Eden Mills – a Guided Tour. Heritage Eramosa. 1992
3. Ted Barden. Eden Mills By Ted Barden. Unpublished. 1992
4. Barbara Marshall. Business in Eden Mills. Jean Little Centennial Essay Competition. Unpublished. 1967

Acknowledgments: With thanks to the Eden Mills Callithumpians.

Source: Eden Mills Writers Festival Program. 2004.