Babcock Mill

The beautiful and historic Babcock Mill is located on the banks of the Millhaven Creek in the village of Odessa. The mill is an important part of Loyalist Township's rich history. The stone mill was built in 1856 on land deeded by the British Government to Joshua Booth in 1803.

This picturesque property is the perfect location for an afternoon play at the natural play structure or a stroll along the newly developed path, topped off with a picnic on the grass overlooking the creek.

Hours of Operation

The 2023 Babcock Mill visiting season is now over. Please check back in spring 2024 for summer opening details. Subscribe to this page to make sure you don't miss anything!

Admission is free
Donations gratefully accepted! Your generous support funds exhibits, programs and operations

Are you planning a visit to Babcock Mill, the natural playground, or the nearby multi-use pathway? We have some construction happening in 2024-2024 which affects Bridge Street, but we're making sure visitors can still access all recreational amenities and our beautiful Babcock Mill during construction.
We are installing signs on Bridge Street to help you reach the Mill, as well as where you can park throughout the project, including accessible parking. A temporary walking path has been installed at the end of Bridge Street, and we will have signs to assist with safe navigation of the temporary path. If you have questions or need assistance planning your visit, please reach out to the Project Supervisor, Joe Gratton, by email or by phone, 613-386-7351, ext. 172#.

Exploration Days

We are excited to present our new free summer Exploration Days - fun, interactive learning experiences that will be hosted at two of our beautiful historic sites, the Bath Museum and Visitors Centre and the Babcock Mill on a rotating weekly basis. Check out the activities planned for this summer!

historical stone mill

Location

100 Bridge Street, Odessa

Accessibility

Please note that as a historical site, the space does have some physical barriers.

History

In 1845, Odessa was host to a woolen fulling and carding mill, a sawmill, a grist mill, and a planing mill.
The mill was built in 1856 for Phillip and John Booth by the Saul Brothers, a firm of stonemasons.
Originally the mill was meant to be a grist mill but was never outfitted as such because the Grand Trunk Railway had been built the same year. This made cheaper flour available from larger mills in Toronto and Montreal.
Instead, the mill was used as part of the Booth family's woolen mill and later used for a variety of purposes including just storage.
In 1907, John Babcock acquired the mill and installed line shafts, pulleys, belts, and basket making equipment.
The Babcock Mill became the only water-powered mill used to make baskets and the baskets that John Babcock designed were known as "Better Baskets by Babcock".
John was granted two patents for his baskets, one in 1915 and another in 1919.
In 1926, the mill was redesigned and the energy generated used to power both the mill and a generator. At that time, the mill provided enough energy to power the village of Odessa!
Purchased by Loyalist Township in 1977, Babcock Mill was restored and opened as a museum to the public in 1985.
Aside from hosting school tours a few times a year, the mill was officially closed to the public in 1992.
The mill represents the technological evolution of power from water by waterwheels and water turbines, steam power, and electrical power.

Gallery

Photo Gallery: Babcock Mill and Park will appear here on the public site.