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Neat picture and angle Arnold! The structure was originally built around 1867 by Hull & Old as a steam-powered grist mill. A fire in 1907 destroyed both the structure and station. Both were rebuilt. During later years, the prominent building served as grain elevator / feed mill. This well-know landmark burned to the ground in September 1996.
Trackage, as pictured to the west, has been removed leaving one track up past the station and sufficient rail to serve Nicholson & Cates. The east leg of the wye now severed with trackage removed over Orkney Street.
Thanks, Glenn: I wondered about a structure near there that burned in 1996 as this image is 1997 and I can’t figure what was missing. It must have been out of sight of my view.
A minor error in my presentation was this image was shot on June 13th, not Aug 13th, as I have posted. A June FRIDAY the 13th.
Longtime resident Ron Clark bought the station for just $1. Local businesses chipped in to help with restoration, as the station was home to the Chamber of Commerce for quite some time. Not sure if they still occupy the building, but local historian Barb Martindale was there and always lent her time to an inquisitive teenager (me!). I was able to jump on board (yes, pun intended) and volunteered my time in repainting the name boards you see on the station today…
….that old mill, and a small building last known when I lived there as the Riverside Dairy (good burgers there too!) is now the site of today’s Food Basics. The Dairy became a laundromat I think, which didn’t last long. I remember hearing about the fire that took the Old Mill. Sad it’s all gone…although, a portion of the old Dunnville Sub. is still intact….with a wonderful trail beside it. All overgrown of course….but no one can resist feeling the history of this once busy divisional point. Moving to Caledonia in the late 80s….I can still remember freights trundling in from Hamilton on the Rymal Sub…having come up Ferguson Ave. in Hamilton and blocking traffic on Argyle Street. Or having completed switching at the old Domtar Gypsum plant (now gone too).
Lots of old memories, all good.