Lockerby

Introduction

Lockerby was a small milling community located in Bruce County near Paisley, first established in the mid-1850s.

Lockerby enjoyed remarkable success as a small mill centre. At its height it boasted both grist and sawmills. Later on they equipped the sawmill with generators and used it as a power plant for about 30 years. The grist mill operated for well over 100 years.

Lockerby never had much to offer beyond the mills and a small group of houses for the mill workers. There were no stores or a church. The school lasted until the mid-1960s when they centralized the school system.

Although the Lockerby mills were extremely successful, the community never progressed much beyond a “paper town.” The former mill site is now a community park, marked by a cairn that pays homage to this small community and the mill owners. The schoolhouse still stands and is now a private home. The area remains in use for farming and still supports a rural population. Learn more