Toronto Old Mill Neighbourhood

Old Mill History

The historic Old Mill neighbourhood located on the banks of the Humber River was a favourite fishing and hunting spot for people of the First Nations Tribes long before the first European pioneers settled here in the 1790's.

In 1793 the Kings Mill - the forerunner to todays Old Mill - was built in order to process lumber for the first homes in Toronto - which was then known as the Town of York. A series of fires forced the Mill to be re-built three times. Today the skeletal ruins of the last grist mill also destroyed by fire in 1881, provide the backdrop for the Old Mill restaurant.

The Old Mill restaurant and "Tea Garden" was opened in 1914, at the outbreak of World War I. The Old Mill attracted a clientele from all over the city and doubled as a sales office for Home Smith and Company, which developed this neighbourhood in the 1920's and 30's.

Old Mill Overview

The Old Mill neighbourhood is nestled along the thickly wooded slopes of the Humber River Valley. This is an ideal neighbourhood for families as it offers miles of parkland with a myriad of recreational opportunities.

This neighbourhood has many unique and special landmarks including the ruins of the Old Mill - which provide an enchanting backdrop for the Old Mill restaurant, the historic Old Mill bridge, and of course the Humber River which has recently been designated as a Canadian Heritage River.

For info on Old Mill's finest condominium buildings click on any "Old Mill" on this page.

The Toronto neighbourhood text profiles, sketches and maps displayed on this website were published in Your Guide to Toronto Neighbourhoods, are copyright Maple Tree Publishing and have been reproduced by the Toronto Real Estate Board under license.