St. Johns
Text from the plaque
A sawmill built in 1792 on nearby Twelve Mile Creek by Benjamin Canby, an early entrepreneur, formed the nucleus of a settlement, which by 1799 was called St. Johns. Other enterprising businessmen, notably John Darling and John Street, developed several mill-sites and the flourishing community soon became the Niagara District's leading mill-centre. A post-office was established in 1831, by which time the village contained numerous operations, including a woollen factory, foundry, tannery, and several saw and grist-mills. The completion of the Welland Canal and the rapid emergence of industries on that waterway hampered the further growth of St. Johns, and the decline was accelerated by the bypassing of the Short Hills area by the Great Western and Welland Railways, completed between 1853 and 1859.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The Region of Niagara
The City of Thorold
On Holland Road at street number 2984
2.2 km west of Merrittville Highway (Road 50)
Also recorded for this place: The Region of Niagara
N 43 04.737 W 79 16.746
Recorded June 2012. Check current access before visiting.