LOCATION:

Mill Falls (and Lower Mill Falls, also known as Mill Falls) is located on Ancaster Creek at the Old Mill Restaurant on Old Dundas Road in Ancaster (Hamilton.) Just past the Old Mill Restaurant on the right, park at the upper Old Mill Restaurant parking just after Ontario Street. Cross the road to the Old Mill restaurant and follow the creek upstream until you see Mill Falls. Click on the Road Map button below for a Google road map and driving directions. The Falls Locator button shows a map of other waterfalls in the area.

ACCESS:

The Mill Falls are located on private property, but the restaurant owners welcome visitors to view the falls. The lower parking lot gives an excellent view of the falls. Some consider this to be one waterfall with a total height of 9 m. Some areas of the falls are wheelchair accessible. You can also view the falls from inside the restaurant or the outdoor patio in season. Click on the Trail Map button below for area walking trails.

THE MILL FALLS AREA:

Millwright James Wilson along with his affluent fur trader, entrepreneur and business partner Richard Beasley were the primary founders of Ancaster village. With Beasley’s financial help, Wilson opened a gristmill in 1791 and a sawmill in 1792. Wilson constructed a small community consisting of a general store, a blacksmith shop, a distillery and a tavern, near his mills. Today, the main road that winds through the historical Ancaster Village still bears the Wilson name.

The upper half of Mill FallsIn 1794 Wilson sold his business empire to another trader named Jean Rousseaux who already had a home and general store on Wilson Street. James Wilson at this point moved away and the local villagers by 1795 gradually began referring to the community of Wilson's Mills as Ancaster Village. Rousseaux eventually resold the mills to the Union Mill Company. In 1794-97 Rousseaux also added a general store, brewery and distillery as well as hiring Ancaster's first school teacher. His other accomplishments being the first assessor, tax collector, magistrate and the Township's first Lieutenant Colonel of Militia.

Harris and Alonzo Egleston arrived in 1832 and began working at a foundry and eventually bought it. The Egleston's then proceeded to expand their own business empire which included building a foundry in 1843 employing 25 people and rebuilding a gristmill in 1863 at the present day location of the Old Ancaster Mill on the old Dundas Road. This Egleston mill was the 4th Ancaster mill and the third to be rebuilt at this current location. Wilson’s original mills burnt down in 1812. Upon rebuilding, Wilson's mill's were relocated from this original site at Wilson and Rousseaux street a little further downstream and rebuilt in stone at the present Old Ancaster Mill location on Old Dundas Road. Again at this same location a second mill burnt down in 1818 as well as third mill that was damaged by fire in 1854.

The much restored and modified remnants of Egleston's 1854 mill now operates as the Ancaster Old Mill, a restaurant and banquet hall.It was the Ciancone family that bought this site in 1972 and built the present “Old Mill Restaurant” in 1979.

The waterfalls are named after the four mills that once stood at this site. Much work was done to give better access to the falls and to preserve the stoneworks looks of the old mills limestone blocks. A great view of the Upper Falls can be had from a window seat in the dining room. And an outdoor patio gets you right up close to the falls.