Location: Galt

Status: Viewing Only ?private offices

Waypoint: Google Map

Summary: Between 1843 and 1851, Issac Sours built a woollen mill where Mill Creek flows into the Grand River. The Galt Woollen Factory at 36-38 Water Street South is the oldest surviving textile mill in the area. Under Sours?ownership, the mill workers worked an average of 64 hours per week. Alexander Young taught school in the woolen factory before the Warnock family purchased it in 1881 to house the original Tiger Brand Knitting Company. Tiger Brand moved to larger facilities across the street in 1904.

A section of the limestone building is currently a pumping station for the Grand River Conservation Authority. The remainder of the building, once known as the Purple Pool Hall, has been converted into offices and apartments by architect, Carlos Ventin.

This multifunctional structure is a good example of adaptive reuse, conservation and restoration of a heritage building. From the west side of the river, one can see where the water from Mill Creek, that was used to power the mill, re-enters the Grand River.