Old Stone Mill, Delta, Ontario

DMS at the IPM

The Delta Mill Society had a large display set up at the International Plowing Match held at Crosby, Ontario on September 18-22, 2007. It was one of the largest mobilization of volunteers for the society and our display was a huge success. Special thanks on behalf of the society is extended to Art Shaw, Anna Greenhorn and Mary Freiday for their exceptional volunteerism.

Art not only organized and built our displays, including an incredible quarter scale working waterwheel, but he also solicited and organized the volunteers (including himself) that worked our booth at the IPM.

Anna and Mary organized volunteers and spent many hours of their own time staffing the mill and museum, greeting the many (more than 500) visitors that came by to pay us a visit.

Dozens of other volunteers provided their time to help make the week a huge sucess - congratulations to all!!

Click on any photo to see a larger version

Art Shaw - the main organizer and display construction chief (and crew) for our IPM display stands beside his working model of the Old Stone Mill's waterwheel
The Delta Mill Society's display at the IPM. In addition to the working waterwheel, we had signboards, antique chairs (and the tools that made them), antique skiffs (and the tools that made those) plus a selection of our books on display. Our volunteers handed out hundreds of our brochures and many people visited the Mill during the IPM as a result.
The book, chair and boat section of our display
The working waterwheel was a crowd magnet - for young and old alike. The kids were not detered by the rumour of snapping turtles in the reservoir - they loved to dip their hands into the swirling water.


The Halladay boats were a big hit - people appreciating the beautiful lines of these boats and the construction details.
Visitors enjoyed examining the tools of the trade.
Examining the details of these mid-1800s chairs
DMS Treasurer Mary Freiday (centre) chats with a visitor.


Under the Big Top. We were located in the Heritage Tent - one of the many large tents set up for the IPM
The Heritage Tent at the IPM
An estimated crowd in excess of 80,000 people attended the IPM over its 6 day run.
Kids were fascinated by the working waterwheel


Browsing the display
A fascination with turning things powered only by water.
The secret of the waterwheel model revealed - a circulating pump. Note the wooden millstone at the top of the model
The model did need a little TLC - delivered by Art on occasion with a power drill, a shot of lubricant, or a surgical whack with a hammer.


It only took a few hours on the day after the IPM to pack up the displays and move the bits and pieces back to Delta
An eager crew made light work of moving the displays
Many hands made loading the 400+ lb waterwheel model into the back of a pickup truck a relatively easy job
The crew gets ready to secure the waterwheel model in the back of the truck. The model travelled unscathed to and from the IPM. Rumour has it that this cannot be said for a couple of other display racks that suffered minor mishaps on County Road 42 (who would have guessed that 2 by 6s have aerodynamic qualities?).


Art was thinking ahead when he built the model, it has 2 inches of clearance on the larger set of doors at the Old Stone Mill. The model now sits in the mill close to the full size waterwheel and will demonstrate how the wheel was able to power machinery.
Many thanks to Art Shaw for a yeoman's job in getting our presence at the IPM organized, the displays built, the volunteers solicited and co-ordinated, and for many hours schmoosing the hordes of visitors.
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