Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Mac Dixon's Mill 25 years later

     My brother sent me these photos yesterday as he was travelling around central PEI.  It's the old Mac Dixon Mill in South Melville.
     In my 67th post on this blog, June 2011, was about this old mill - these photo I took were taken in 1989 - 25 years ago.  Amazing to know the old mill is still here after all these years - although not in the greatest condition.
     In 1987 or 1988 two prominent Island businessmen talked about purchasing this mill and restoring it to operate as a tourist destination.
     In Meachams 1880 Atlas of Prince Edward Island it shows three separate parcels of land, each 50 acres around the mill, owned by John, William and George Beer.  It notes this as a saw mill.
     The McAlpine's Prince Edward Island Directory 1880-1881 notes Geo. Beer as a tanner; and Wm Beer with saw and grist mills in Hampton district.
     In Cumins 1928 Atlas of Prince Edward Island it shows Manford Beer owning the mill property with 80 acres of land.
     On the "Old Mills of Prince Edward Island" map by JoDee Samuelson 1996, it shows this as being a saw mill owned by the Beers. 
     So not sure when the Dixon's took over the mill.  I know Mac told us about his father going to Boston to get the bran duster.
Refer to previous posts about Mac Dixon and this mill...
http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/2011/06/mac-dixons-grist-mill-south-mellvile.html
http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/2011/10/dixon-mill-owner-obituary.html

2 comments:

  1. would love to save this mill, before its to late

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  2. I as the owner of the Dixon Mill want to have it restored. I would like to find out who the business men were that wanted todo a restoration. The back wall where the waterwheel was has begun to collapse. Our family are asking for assistance with a new foundation. once that is in place we will do the restoration work ourselves as we have 2 licensed red seal carpenters that live on the land . The information on the internet is incorrect, the Dixon Mill was built by our family over 150 years ago.
    Paula Dixon

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