Waterford in Norfolk County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Bridge Park

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 10, 2026

1. Bridge Park Marker

Inscription. In 1797, Job Slaght and Paul Averill constructed the first grist-mill in Waterford on Nanticoke Creek. A pond formed and became the staging area for floating logs downstream to the sawmill. The mill was an important community building and was used as a polling station in 1800. It was destroyed during the War of 1812 but subsequently rebuilt by Job Loder. In 1871, the Canadian Southern Railway was built from Niagara to Detroit. Waterford was a service area where the trains picked up passengers and were refuelled with coal, water and ice. In 1885, an American-made dynamo was installed in the mill. The water driven dynamo powered 12 arc lamps making Waterford one of the first communities in Ontario to have electric lighting. The dynamo was shut down in 1896 after operating costs became too high. In 1930, following a serious train-auto accident, the mill was demolished to provide a site for an overhead bridge. In 2001 that bridge was replaced with the present bridge.

Erected by Waterford and District Horticultural Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts •

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Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1797.

Location. 42° 56.127′ N, 80° 17.489′ W. Marker is in Waterford, Ontario, in Norfolk County. It is at the intersection of Main Street South and Alice Street, on the left when traveling north on Main Street South. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3 Alice Street, Waterford ON N0E 1Y0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area

and in Southwestern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Founding of Waterford (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Shadow Lake (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); a different marker also named Shadow Lake (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); a different

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 10, 2026

2. Bridge Park Marker

Centre of photo, between the two benches. Facing north

marker also named Shadow Lake (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); The Black Bridge Centennial Festival (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); a different marker also named Shadow Lake (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); a different marker also named Shadow Lake (approx. 1.2 kilometers away); Founding of Simcoe (approx. 10.7 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waterford.

Bridge Park from the southern end of the current Main Street Bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 10, 2026

3. Bridge Park from the southern end of the current Main Street Bridge

Shadow Lake (mill pond), facing toward the Main Street Bridge, 2026 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 10, 2026

4. Shadow Lake (mill pond), facing toward the Main Street Bridge, 2026

Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 16, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.