Wile Carding Mill facts for kids
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| Established | 1968 |
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| Location | Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
| Type | carding mill, museum |
The Wile Carding Mill is a fascinating old factory in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada. It used to prepare wool for making clothes and blankets. Even though it's not making wool anymore, the machinery can still run! Today, it's a museum where you can see how things were done long ago. The Province of Nova Scotia owns it, and the DesBrisay Museum helps run it.
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What is a Carding Mill?
A carding mill is a special kind of factory. It takes raw wool, which is often tangled and dirty, and cleans it. Then, it uses machines to "card" the wool. This process combs the wool fibers so they all lie in the same direction. This makes the wool soft and fluffy, ready to be spun into yarn.
How the Wile Mill Worked
This mill was powered by water, which was a common way to run factories in the past. A large waterwheel turned the machines inside. This waterwheel got its power from Shady Brook, a small stream that flows into the Lahave River. The waterwheel was quite powerful, providing about 7 horsepower (5 kilowatts) of energy.
The Wile Family's Legacy
The Wile family owned and operated this mill for a very long time. They ran it from 1860 all the way until 1968. That's over 100 years! The Wiles hired many workers, often unmarried women, to help operate the machines. These workers were very skilled at preparing the wool.
A Special Heritage Site
The Wile Carding Mill is more than just an old building. It's an important part of history. Because of its historical value, it became a Registered Heritage Property in Bridgewater in 2013. This means it's recognized as a special place that needs to be protected and remembered. Visiting the mill today is like stepping back in time to see how people lived and worked in the past.
