The Power Glen Heritage District in the City of St. Catharines is significant for its history as an important site for milling and power production. Remnants of the area's original saw and grist mills can still be found in the neighbourhood, which is located in the west end of the City – much of it bordered by Pelham Road and Twelve Mile Creek.
Learn more about the heritage characteristics and view a map of the Power Glen Heritage District.
Heritage permit
If you own a property within the Power Glen Heritage District, you may need to purchase a heritage permit before beginning construction or renovation work on your property.
History of Power Glen
The saw and grist mills were first established in the late eighteenth century by Duncan Murray and the Honourable Robert Hamilton. By the mid-nineteenth century, the area became known as “Reynoldsville” when Benjamin Franklin Reynolds purchased the mills from Peter Thomas. Reynolds owned and operated the mills for the next four decades, supplying the shipbuilding industry and local settlers with grains and flour.
The area's first power generating station, intended to supply power to the City of Hamilton, was established in 1898, which gave the neighbourhood its current name – Power Glen. The six homes on the north east side of Power Glen Road, which were built by the Power Company to house the workers of the generating station, also remain.
Heritage characteristics
Twelve Mile Creek and the trail system in the valley, provide connectivity within the district and beyond. On the plateau lands, the tree-lined streets, period lighting and narrow winding road define the streetscape and give the neighbourhood a rural sense of place. These attributes lend themselves to the urban-rural setting of Power Glen, a village in the city that doesn't dominate over its natural setting.