The Friends of Morningstar Mill is a volunteer group in St. Catharines that is committed to preserving the historic Morningside Mill site and interpreting its rich history.
Get Involved
We always welcome new friends who would like to share their skills and experience in the process of restoring, interpreting and maintaining this Niagara landmark. Please contact us if you'd like to get involved.
Volunteers assist with:
- Guiding tours
- Gardening
- Conservation and light maintenance work (e.g., cleaning, painting, historic object management, etc.)
- Collection management (e.g., research, cataloguing, etc.)
Schedule
Our volunteers are typically at the site on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As a volunteer, you don't need to come all day, every day. Any time that you can give is appreciated.
What We Do
Over the year, our volunteers have built and restored the Morningstar Mill. This includes developing exhibits, demonstrations and tours. Thanks to our volunteer efforts, admission to the site is free to the public.
About us
In 1992, Gary Konkle approached St. Catharines City Council to get permission to form a group of volunteers called the Friends of Morningstar Mill. Once established, they began to restore and then operate the mill, which continues to be the only operating water-powered gristmill in the Niagara Peninsula.
At the start of the restoration project, most of the machinery and stones were in the same place Wilson Morningstar left them in 1933. The buildings were collapsing, and some had disappeared altogether.