Allan's Mills

Introduction

The Allan Mills general store

©Copyright: Jeri Danyleyko

Allan's Mills, named for William Allan, was a small milling hamlet located just west of the town of Perth in Lanark County. The community got its start after Allan built saw and grist mills, followed by a general store and blacksmith shop. A post office was opened in 1872.

At its height, Allan's Mills included a wagon maker, shoemaker, carpenter and two blacksmiths. The surrounding area was dotted with other small mills that included the McCabe Mill, the Ritchie Mill and the Bowes Mill. A school located on the Scotch Line was shared by all the surrounding settlements.

By the late 1890s, business was beginning to slip. Timber supplies had become depleted and farmers were making a gradual transition from wheat to dairy farming. Many of the mills did not survive the upheaval.

William Allan got out of the millling business at a good time. In 1892, he sold the grist mill to the Burgess Milling Company. The mill reportedly stayed in business until the 1970s.

Today Allan's Mills is one of the few ghost towns that remains relatively intact. The stately stone grist mill has been restored and is now used as a private dwelling. Behind it stands one of sawmills, now used for storage. Both the general store and blacksmith shop are still standing, as is the handsome Allan home. The Scotch Line cemetery, located at the north end of Allan's Mills Road, is well tended and still sees the occasional burial.