Eugenia

Introduction

Eugenia was first settled in the late 1850. The immense power generated by the stunning Eugenia Falls nearby seemed the perfect location for a large mill site. By 1860 the community boasted both saw and flour mills. By 1865 it contained a store, tavern and post office. Eventually it grew to include two churches, a school, and Orange hall.

In 1895 William Hogg harnessed the power of the falls to build a small electrical plant. He achieved modest success but sadly passed away before he was able to attract additional interest.

In the early 20th century, power was all the rage. Around 1905 another group calling itself the Georgian Bay Power Company (CBPC) arrived with the novel plan of building a turbine through solid rock and diverting the river in the hope of creating sufficient fall to generate power. They ran out of money before their grand scheme came to fruition. In 1914, the government owned Ontario Hydro purchased the site and constructed a hydro facility which remains in use to this day.

The village of Eugenia was not so lucky. After the railway bypassed Eugenia in favour of Flesherton, it could no longer attract additional industries and quietly languished. Today Eugenia continues to support a small population. Several of its streets sill contain a number of ruins. The nearby waterfall and conservation area are both popular tourist attractions. Learn more