Ritchie Mill – Robert Ritchie
Robert Ritchie arrived in Strathcona from Ontario early in 1892 and within a year, he had built and began operating a flour mill near the end of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway line. The Ritchie Mill, built in 1893. is the oldest surviving mill in Alberta and possibly the earliest of its kind in Canada.
The mill, at 10170 Saskatchewan Drive, was one of the first mills in the west to be equipped with steam-powered steel rollers and in its heyday, farmers with grain-laden wagons lined up on the street all the way to Whyte Ave. In 1948, the building was converted to a feed mill and remained in use until the mid 1970's. It was declared a Provincial Historic Resource in 1978 and rejuvenated as offices and a restaurant in time for its 100th anniversary in 1993.
Ritchie Mill – The Ritchie Mill Restaurant
Robert Ritchie came to Edmonton with the Calgary and Edmonton Railway in 1891 – and moved his family here in 1892. He was from Ontario farming stock – his family originally from Scotland. He was a middle-aged businessman with a wife and seven children when he decided to relocate in the Canadian west a start a milling business at the end of the railway line. The Ritchies became strong members of the community of Strathcona joining and forming many valuable societies such as the agricultural society.
The initial mill ground 75 barrels of flour a day, but soon a second mill was built to the south and eventually Ritchie and his investors owned 16 structures all producing flour, bran shorts and chop feed as well as seed for the western market. Farmers came from as far away as Wetaskiwin and Stony Plain. In 1895 Ritchie set up a retail store on the north side of the river for Edmonton customers. Ritchie retired in 1920 but the mill, under the direction of the North West Mill and Feed Company continued operations Until 1948 when it specialized as the North West Feeds until 1978. Although abandoned for a number of years, and frequently in the late 1980s in jeopardy of being torn down like a number of elevators, the Ritchie Mill was saved and has become a restaurant and a popular site for those curious to see the inside of an old mill.
Built in 1893 Located at 104 Street and Saskatchewan Drive.
Named for Robert Ritchie, miller
CEA EA-266-86
Architectural Details:
Frame construction – 3 stories over a stone foundation (1 story high), covered with metal cladding. Fired by coal burning steam engine.
