The story
About Todmorden Mills Heritage Site
Todmorden Mills opened to the public in 1967 as part of East York's contribution to Canada's centennial. The site is a cross-section of history, stacked century-by-century, from an Indigenous waterway to industrial hub, from a prisoner of war camp to a modern arts and theatre venue. In 1821, the Helliwell family settled in the area and established a brewery and distillery, naming it after their home town in Lancashire, England. The Todmorden paper mill was the first of its kind in Upper Canada to produce machine-made paper.