St. Catharines in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Morningstar Mill - The Miller's House

Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 12, 2026

1. Morningstar Mill - The Miller's House - Marker

Inscription. One Sunday in 1882, Wilson Morningstar took his wife, Emma, for a horse and buggy ride along Cataract Road from Welland to Decew Falls to see whether or not she liked the idea of purchasing Mountain Mills: Emma said that she liked the property but didn't really care for the house, which was originally a small wooden frame house. Wilson and Emma purchased the property for 53,500 on February 7, 1883, their first wedding anniversary, with the understanding that the house would eventually be replaced.

Around 1895, Wilson had the current two storey clapboard house built by a master carpenter and his assistant from Thorold. Wilson purchased the logs from a neighbour and sawed them into lumber at his saw mill. The carpenter was paid $1.50 per day, and his assistant $1.00 per day, the tradesmen were also provided with three meals a day.

The Morningstars' home was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1997. The simple late-Victorian era house features three gables, scalloped clapboard siding, large bay windows and interior window benches, three porches with decorative wood columns and wooden brackets, ball

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and spindle gingerbread; double hung windows and a large pocket (sliding) door in the parlour's entrance.

Erected by City of St. Catharines.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 43° 6.637′ N, 79° 15.861′ W. Marker is in St. Catharines, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It can be reached from Decew Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2714 Decew Rd, St Catharines ON L0S 1E6, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe

and in Niagara Canada.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and 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 walking distance of this marker: Morningstar Mill - The Spiral Staircase (here, next to this marker); Morningstar Mill - Wilson's Grandchildren

The Miller's House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 12, 2026

2. The Miller's House

Photo faces east. Marker is 10 metres west of the building, 90 metres north of the road, at the back of the Morningstar Mill property.

(a few steps from this marker); Morningstar Mill - Later History (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - The Barn (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - The Sawmill (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - The Mills and Property (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - The Blacksmith and Carpentry Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - Welcome (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Catharines.

More about this marker. Captions:
Left: Emma and Wilson Morningstar with their daughters, Jessie and Nora, circa 1900.
Right: Wilson and Emma Morningstar c. 1920s, and the original house c. 1894

Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2026, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 12, 2026, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario.