Ritchie Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ritchie Mill |
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Ritchie Mill building
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| General information | |
| Type | Flour mill |
| Location | Strathcona, Alberta |
| Address | 10170 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton |
| Country |  Canada |
| Coordinates | 53°31′24.4″N 113°29′39.6″W / 53.523444°N 113.494333°W |
| Construction started | 1892 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 5 |
The Ritchie Mill is a very old building in Alberta, Canada. It is the oldest flour mill still standing in the province. A flour mill is a place where grains, like wheat, are ground into flour.
The Mill's Story
The Ritchie Mill was built in 1892. It is important because it shows us how farming and industries grew in Alberta a long time ago. It was one of the first places to use new technology. Instead of old stone wheels, it used steam-powered steel rollers to grind wheat. These steel rollers were much better for grinding the tough wheat from the prairies.
The mill was built in the Strathcona area of Edmonton. This area became important when the Calgary and Edmonton Railway arrived in 1892. The railway track ended right near the North Saskatchewan River valley. The Ritchie Mill was built right there, at a spot called the 'End of Steel'. This made it easy to bring grain by train from southern Alberta.
Later, big storage buildings called elevators were added in 1895 and 1902. The Ritchie Mill worked as a flour mill until 1948.
Robert Ritchie's Role
The mill is also connected to a man named Robert Ritchie. He came to Strathcona in 1892. Within a year, he had built and started running the flour mill. He also added the grain elevators.
Robert Ritchie was also involved in local government. He served as an alderman (a local council member) and a school trustee (someone who helps manage schools). He was also a justice of the peace (a local judge). In 1906, he even became the mayor of Strathcona.
Today, the Ritchie Mill building has been changed into offices and shops. It is still a well-known building in the area.
Protecting History
The important parts of the Ritchie Mill were recognized as a Provincial Historic Resource in 1979. This means the province of Alberta protects it because of its history. It was also named a Municipal Historic Resource by the city in 1997.
