Description of Historic Place

West of the town of Wakefield on a sloping riverbank adjacent to the La Peche River, the Grist Mill is a simple, rough cut stone and brick, rectangular building that rises three stories above its stone foundation at the front façade and four plus a basement at the rear.
The structure’s additions at the south and west facades are sheathed in wood board and batten siding and abuts the original stone structure. The stone portion of the building has evenly spaced double sash windows, which are topped with stone lintels. At water level there are turbines to drive the mill machinery. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Grist Mill is a good illustration of settlement and industrial development of the north shore of the Ottawa River and the Gatineau Hills. The presence of a gristmill at Wakefield bolstered settlements as it provided farmers with a convenient outlet for their surplus. William Fairbairn, a Scottish immigrant who had been a miller, built the Wakefield Grist Mill in the late 1830’s and sold it to the Maclarens in 1844 who operated it successfully until 1941. It allowed this family to diversify economically and develop buisiness interests which eventually made them one of the Ottawa valley’s most prominent families. In 1941 the mill was sold, converted and operated as a feed mill even after it was sold to the NCC in 1962.

Architectural Value
The Grist Mill is a good example of the principles of design for automatic process mills. Its design typical of mill design across the country is utilitarian and the factors that affected its design were practical rather than stylistic. The form of the mill was determined by the fact that mill machinery at this time was generally arranged on a vertical axis. Its stone foundation was designed specifically to withstand the vibrations caused by the milling machinery. Its simple massing, form and construction materials as a result of its function-oriented design characterize the building.

Environmental Value
The Grist Mill establishes the present character of its location west of the town of Wakefield. It maintains an integral functional and physical relationship to the La Peche River and its sloping riverbank setting. This strategic location adjacent to the village on a busy regional road ensures that visitors and local people are aware of the building making the mill a landmark within Gatineau Park.

Sources:
Sally Coutts, Wakefield Grist Mill, Wakefield, Quebec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Building Report 84-025; Grist Mill, Gatineau Park, Wakefield, Quebec. Heritage Character Statement 84-025.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character defining elements of the Grist Mill should be respected:
its rectangular massing and low-pitched gable roof. its vernacular classical inspiration illustrated by its simple form and by its evenly spaced double hung windows. its vertical emphasis determined by the mill machinery, its strong stone basement and large cut stone walls. its addition sheathed in wood board and batten.

The manner in which the Grist Mill establishes the present character of its sloping riverbank setting on the La Peche River and is a landmark for the adjacent town of Wakefield and within Gatineau Park.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The original Wakefield Grist Mill, built in the late 1830s, burnt down in 1877 and was rebuilt. Fire struck again in 1910 leaving only the walls standing. The mill was again reconstructed with an extra storey of brick added to the extant stone walls. The Mill derives its heritage significance from its association with the settlement and industrial development of the north shore of the Ottawa River and of the Gatineau Hills. It is probably one of the few recorded mills built during the nineteenth century which remains in reasonably good working condition.

ARCHITECTURE
The Mill is built of large rough cut stone and brick with a functional design that is ideally suited to its industrial purpose. According to the principles of design for "automatic process" mills, the building rises three stories above the foundation at the front facade and four plus a basement at the rear to house the elevators, chutes and storage bins. Neither its design, size or construction set it apart from other mills.

HISTORY
The first inhabitants of ;the township of Wakefield arrived in 1830, those of Masham township in 1837 and their population grew quickly, despite the fact that reasonable agriculture land was sparse. The presence of a gristmill at Wakefield undoubtedly bolstered both settlements as it provided farmers with a convenient outlet for their surplus. For example, the little la Pêche River soon had a woolen mill and a sawmill on it. William Fairbairn, a Scottish immigrant who had been a miller, built the Wakefield Grist Mill in the late 1830s and sold it to the Maclarens in 1844 who operated it successfully until 1941. It allowed this family to diversify economically and develop business interests elsewhere that eventually made them one of the Ottawa valley's most prominent families. The Maclarens sold the Mill in 1941 to J.P. Henderson of Ottawa who converted it into a feed mill. It was run by Ken and Ernie Young who continued their business, even after the mill was sold to the NCC in 1962, until 1980.

ENVIRONMENT
The Mill is located west of Wakefield, where Regional Road 366 crosses the La Pêche River. This strategic location, before reaching the town of Wakefield makes the mill a landmark within Gatineau Park, where it is the only interpreted industrial building now open to the public during the summer months. It will increase in status when the NCC completes its plans and opens a totally operating, restored mill in 1988.