History

The Mill is built of beautiful, locally quarried rock, special for its abundance of heart-shaped fossils, left behind by ancient mollusks.

The original wooden building was constructed in 1842 by Robert Dickson, the eldest son of Galt’s founder, William Dickson. Requiring power for his mills, William erected a dam that created more energy than any other water power plant in Waterloo County. The dam provided enough power for a flourmill, sawmill and a wool factory.

Sadly, soon after the wooden buildings were constructed, they were destroyed by fire, and in 1844, these buildings were replaced by the existing building, a limestone gristmill.

Following a major flood in 1974, many riverside buildings were demolished and replaced by flood walls and berms. Thankfully, Dickson Mill survived the flood and remains an impressive reminder of what was once an unbroken row of stone mills and factories lining the Grand River.

Presently, Dickson Mill is a well-known architectural landmark. The Ciancone family, owners of the Ancaster Mill in Ancaster, Ontario, purchased the Dickson Mill in 2008 and immediately began the extensive building and restoration process. In 2011, the mill was given new life as Cambridge Mill, a stunning riverside restaurant and special event facility.