On a waterway in the southwest of Nova Scotia, a historical detective is delving into the forgotten remnants of North America’s history.
The Allains River, formerly known as Lequille River, meanders as a tributary of the Annapolis River, flowing from the heart of the province to its current location in Annapolis Royal.
Approximately four centuries ago, the river hosted one of the earliest industrial ventures post-colonization: a flour mill constructed in 1607 and later destroyed by fire in 1643.
The mill’s precise whereabouts remained a mystery for ages. However, an amateur historian from the United States, along with a group of researchers and archaeologists, is making headway in pinpointing its location. This endeavor sheds light on the region’s colonization history, interactions, and the millennia-long presence of the Mi’kmaw people in Nova Scotia.
Mark Borton, a writer hailing from Connecticut who spearheaded the quest for the Poutrincourt gristmill, expressed his fascination with the mystery and the site’s immense historical significance.
In the early 17th century, a fortified fur-trading post was established by Samuel de Champlain at what he dubbed Port Royal on the Annapolis Basin. The settlers required a mill to produce flour since bread accounted for a significant portion of the French diet at the time.
The Poutrincourt gristmill, a water-driven facility for grinding grains, is documented on maps from that era, including Champlain’s cartography.
Borton, previously a creator of boating guidebooks, stumbled upon Champlain’s map during a visit to the Maritimes in 2018. This discovery sparked his interest in tidal power and the Bay of Fundy. Recognizing the mill’s historical significance, Borton embarked on a mission to locate it, aiming to unveil the oldest mill and the onset of industrial prowess in North America.
Despite challenges posed by inaccuracies in contemporary maps, Borton’s analysis, combining Champlain’s map with current geographical features, led him to a potential site. By scrutinizing Google Maps from his home in Connecticut, he identified a faint square on the marsh’s edge that could be a foundation, hinting at the mill’s location.
After acquiring a permit from the Nova Scotia Museum, Borton continued his investigations, supported by a team of researchers. Their efforts included collecting samples for radiocarbon dating and using lidar mapping to reveal remnants of early 17th-century dikes in the region.
Collaborating with archeologists and researchers from Kwilmu’kw Maw‑klusuaqn and Saint Mary’s University, Borton’s project aligns with ongoing research on the era of French-Mi’kmaq interactions. Allains River stands as a crucial historical site, embodying a convergence of European and Indigenous land use practices.
Plans for further exploration utilizing ground-penetrating radar are in place to delve deeper into the mill site. Fowler emphasized the significance of this shared historical landscape, highlighting the cooperation between different communities during that early period.
Borton’s endeavors have unveiled multiple historic mill sites in the vicinity, hinting at a rich tapestry of multicultural heritage that deserves preservation for future generations to appreciate.
