Notice of Intention to Designate 81, 83, 89, 91 Carleton Street as a Property of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Pursuant to Section 29 (3) of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, C. O.18

Dated and published on the municipal website the 5th day of November, 2026.

Description of Property

The properties, 81, 83, 89, 91 Carleton Street, are located on adjacent lots at the end of Carleton Street, once known as Coleman’s Lane, on Coleman Island. Constructed as two single detached dwellings, later converted to semi-detached structures, the houses have hipped gable roofs with paired eaves brackets and hipped gable dormer windows that break the eaves. Each side of the semi-detached features a one storey entrance porch.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The cultural heritage value of the Superintendents’ Houses lies in their being examples of employee housing constructed with simple balloon frames, a building technique popular in 1870s Ontario. They are also significant because of their association with the Rosamond family and its milling operations, which had just expanded on to Coleman Island in the 1860s. They contribute to the distinctive character of the mill complex on Coleman Island.

The Superintendents’ Houses have design value as simple balloon frame structures. They are unembellished, one and a half storey structures with clapboard siding, hipped gable roofs and dormers, side entry porches (added later), wood sash windows, paired eaves brackets, and stone foundations. Their simple style and construction method reflects their function as worker’s housing. The houses are not identical but share a similar form and expression.

The Superintendents’ Houses have historical value as part of the mill complex on Coleman Island built by the Rosamond family starting in the 1860s. In 1862, Bennett and William took over their father’s milling business which had been operating in the area since the 1850s.  Astute businessmen, they soon doubled the capacity of their existing mills. In the 1850s the Rosamonds began purchasing land on Coleman Island in anticipation of eventually expanding there. The new mill on Coleman Island, which was built in 1867 to manufacture fine tweed was a great success. The company was a leading Canadian wool manufacturer and Bennett Rosamond was a leader in manufacturing.

The Superintendents’ Houses have contextual value through their location on Coleman Island near the Rosamond mills, where its occupants worked.

Description of Heritage Attributes

Key exterior elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Superintendents’ Houses as good examples of utilitarian 19th century workers’ housing include:

• One and a half storey simple wooden balloon frame construction, with limited exterior decoration
• Clapboard siding
• Stone foundation
• Semi-detached form, designed to accommodate four families in total
• Enclosed side entry porches
• Symmetrical plans
• Hipped gabled roof and dormers
• Paired eaves brackets
• Wooden sash windows, arranged singly and in pairs with wooden surrounds

Setting

• Location close to former mill buildings

Objections

Please be advised that any person wishing to object to this designation may do so under the objection process set out in Section 29 (5) of the Ontario Heritage Act by giving the Clerk of the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, within 30 days after the online publication of this notice, or before 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2026.

This notice must be sent by registered mail or delivered to the Clerk of the Municipality of Mississippi Mills and must set out the reason for the objection and all relevant facts. If a notice of objection is received, the Council of the Municipality of Mississippi Mills shall consider the objection and make a decision whether or not to withdraw the notice of intention to designate the property within 90 days after the end of the 30-day objection period. If Council decides not to withdraw its intention to designate, a heritage designation by-law must be passed within 120 days after the date of publication of the notice of intention to designate. Council must publish a Notice of Passing of the designation by-law which is followed by a 30-day appeal period when appeals of the by-law may be given to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a hearing and decision.

For further information, please contact the Development Services and Engineering Department – 613-256-2064 or mplanner@mississippimills.ca.