Albion Falls

Albion Falls. . , European settlement began here in 1792 with William Davis (1741-1834), a United Empire Loyalist who left North Carolina to fight alongside the British in the American Revolution. Davis was granted 2300 acres in Barton and Saltfleet Townships including 500 acres around Albion Falls. Davis' estate included a tannery, orchard, distillery, general store, saw mill, and grist mill, located on the east side of the falls. The millstone located in this park commemorates the milling history of the area. John Secord, the father of Miss Laura Secord (made famous for warning the British of the American troop movements during the War of 18 12), purchased the gristmill in 1814. It operated until 1907 and was demolished around 1915., Cultural Heritage, Albion Mills is reported to be the first place that natural gas was discovered in this part of Ontario. The natural occurring sulphur gas that emanated from the rocky creek bed was used to light the gristmill for over 100 years. It is said that, during periods of low water, the sulphur spring can still be seen bubbling up from the creek bed., There is extensive evidence of aboriginal occupation of this area of the Niagara Escarpment. Not far from Mount Albion there has been documentation of a Paleo-Indian site dating back 11,000 years to a time just following the retreat of the continental glacier, when herds of caribou and mastodon likely roamed the Red Hill Creek Valley.