Tweedsmuir Thursday #3

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Dunvegan was a bustling town with many lucrative businesses, tradesmen, and merchants. The construction of the C.N railroad in 1880-1884 triggered the growth of many businesses including, a gristmill, a couple tanneries and asheries, a tinsmith, a blacksmith, a shoemaker, general stores, hotels, and sawmills.

The above photographs were taken of the Dunvegan sawmill. Originally owned by Dan MacKercher of Moose Creek, it was sold in 1919 to W.A MacEwen of Maxville. Unfortunately, the Tweedsmuirs do not list the year the sawmill was established. Shortly after the sale, the mill was dismantled and resold again to Mr. W. W. (Wallie) MacKinnon and transported by horses to Dunvegan, where it was reassembled on the south side of the road beside the creek in the village. The mill was in operation again by the early 1920’s. Powered by steam, the creek supplied the water for the boiler and slabs and sawdust from the mill provided the heat source.

In the winter months, logs were brought to the lumber yard by horse and sleigh. In the early spring, sawing began with employment of approximately ten local men and a full-time fireman. The mill’s lumber was sold all over the county and throughout Ontario. Electricity had not yet arrived to rural areas and residents depended on slabs of wood that the mill delivered by horse and dump cart, to keep their stoves burning for warmth. A lot of lumber was also hauled to Greenfield and loaded on flat cars at the train station. Frank Philips was a teamster for many years and took pride in the large loads his team “Paddy and Jack” could haul. Mr. MacKinnon always kept two teams of horses.

Several times a year, there would be special orders for ash wood to be used for sporting equipment. Farmers in the St. Elmo area, who shipped milk to Montreal, came to the mill yard for sawdust to pack their ice for the summer months. Companies from Montreal and Casselman also purchased lumber from the mill. The mill also made shingles from cedar blocks and cheese boxes, which were sold to Neil Fraser of Vankleek Hill who sold cheese from his factories in wooden boxes.  

The men who worked at the mill had dinner at the MacKinnon home in town and some even stayed in the home during the workweek. It was apparently a busy household with five young children running around.

In 1942, the mill was sold to D.A Graybut. A few years later, it was resold and moved to Quebec. Although nothing remains of the sawmill on the site today, the milled lumber could possibly be found in old houses throughout the Glengarry countryside.