By Dave Johnson/Tribune Staff
PORT COLBORNE — While war raged across most of Niagara in 1812, Port Colborne — known as Sugarloaf Settlement at the time — was left relatively unscathed.
One part of the settlement that survived three attacks by American renegades was Christian Zavitz's Grist Mill, said both Brian Heaslip, chair of Port Colborne-Wainfleet War of 1812 bicentennial committee, and local historian Don Anger.
The mill that grew to be among the world's largest flour milling industries by the mid-20th century was the only one left standing at the end of the War of 1812.
All other mills across Niagara were destroyed during the war to prevent British forces and Canadian militia from having a food supply.
War didn't destroy Zavitz's mill, built in 1790 on the northeast side of the Eagle Marsh Drain, but time took it's toll and sometime around 1834 it was closed.
While the mill is are long gone there are two remaining pieces — mill stones used to grind grain.
One of the stones sits on the grounds of Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum. The other, after 85 years of sitting in the same location, was just moved to the shop floor of Glenmount Memorials for refurbishing.
It had been sitting on Sugarloaf St. since about 1935, when it was placed on land, vacant at the time, but now home to Newport Centre, in honour of Christian Zavitiz, who originally came from Pennsylvania, for his role in the development of Niagara.
Removing the stone wasn't easy. A boom-crane truck from HGH Granite, of Dundas, had a hard time removing the mill stone and its concrete base from the soil. The stone had to be removed from its mount and a larger crane was brought in to remove the base itself.
Heaslip said the bicentennial committee was looking for a suitable project for the War of 1812 for the area and thought the mill stone would be a worthy effort. "It seemed to lend itself well to the theme of the bicentennial."
The bicentennial will celebrate in 2010 200 years of peace, co-operation and friendship between Canada and the U.S.
Heaslip said the mill stone will have a new mount, with granite base and stand, installed by Glenmount, and it will be placed at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park in late 2011 or early 2012.
"We went to Glenmount and asked if they could do up a proposal for us and they came back with an exceptionally good package," he said.
The committee thought the park was a good location for the mill stone to be placed so that everyone can see it. It will be placed on the small hill near the Fielden Ave. entrance to the park. A dedication ceremony will be held in June 2012.
Source: Welland Tribune