Erin Village Branch Updates

We’re excited for the upcoming opening of our new Erin Village Branch! Stay tuned for details as renovations wrap up and we prepare to move in. The restored historic Grist Mill will soon be home to a welcoming library with a cozy fireplace, a dedicated children’s area, and a stunning top-floor room overlooking the Credit River. This new branch will be accessible, innovative, and a true community hub.

The Grist Mill and surrounding property at 51 Main Street was purchased by the County of Wellington in 2022 with the intent of moving the library out of its location at Centre 2000, where it shared space with Erin District High School.  Building a new library in Erin Village serves the needs of the community well into the future. 

The 1849 Grist Mill is one of Erin’s most significant and distinctive 19th century landmarks. It was one of several mills built by Daniel McMillan, one of the founding fathers of Erin, alongside his younger brothers Charles and Hugh. At just 18 years old, Daniel McMillan bought the first sawmill in the area before erecting the first home in the village. In 1849, he started work on a new grist mill, or flouring mill; however, near the end of the construction, he tragically developed blood poisoning from a splinter and passed away on December 17, 1849, at age 38. The mill opened 5 days later. 

The building endured multiple fires in the 19th century, as well as one on October 22, 1946, after which Donald Kirkwood rebuilt it with a flat roof. Over the years, it served a variety of purposes—including a period when turkeys were raised inside. In 1959, Halton Cooperative Supplies purchased the property and converted its power source from water to electricity. During the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, the United Cooperative of Ontario (CO-OP) ran a chopping and feed mill on the site. It was most recently used for storage by Mundell Lumber.