The Minden Power Plant

By Guy Scott

Workman’s Falls on the Gull River near Minden was an excellent site for a water-powered industry. From the 1860s to 1930 it was the home of several mills, collectively called Stinson’s Mills. By 1930, the grist mill, saw mill and woolen mill were essentially finished. The era of the water-powered mill was over. But a new water energy was growing in importance: hydro-electricity. The Orillia Power Company, a private company producing hydro electricity began to build power-producing dams in the area. They supplied electricity to a wide area of central Ontario. The dam was rebuilt and a three storey power plant constructed. The higher dam increased the area that was flooded upstream. A large transmission line was built cross-country from Minden to Orillia. The power plant was opened in 1935 and continues to hum along since then. In latter days, smaller power generating plants are back in fashion as plants at Fenelon Falls and Elliot’s Falls have reopened.