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

Morningstar Mill - Wilson's Grandchildren

Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 12, 2026

1. Morningstar Mill - Wilson's Grandchildren - Marker

Inscription. Stories of Wilson Morningstar and the sights and sounds of mill life have been preserved through early photographs, handwritten logbooks and letters, and the fond recollections of two of Wilson's grandchildren, Lorna and Donald Robson.

Lorna recalls... "I was with Grandfather most of the time as soon as I could get around and be with him, in the grist mill, in the saw mill, and in the work shop when he was shoeing horses or hammering metal on the anvil. ...It was much more fun to be with him than in the house with the women."

Lorna lived with her parents and grandparents at Morningstar Mill until 1920 when her parents purchased a home in Power Glen on Pelham Road. While Lorna and her brother, Donald, attended Union School No. 6, located just east of the mill on Decew Road, they lived with their grandparents at the Mill during the week and went home on weekends. Her family moved back into the house when Wilson died in 1933.

Quote from Memories of Morningstar Mill by Lorna Robson with Paul Hutchinson, Slabtown Press, St. Catharines, 1994

Erected by City of St. Catharines.

Topics. This historical

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 43° 6.643′ N, 79° 15.858′ 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 - The Miller's House (a few steps from this marker); Morningstar Mill - Later History (within shouting distance of this marker); Morningstar Mill - The Barn (within shouting distance of

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 (left) is 5 metres west of the house, along the walkway to the house; 90 metres north of the road, near the back of the Morningstar Mill property.

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 (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Catharines.

More about this marker. Captions:
Left: Wilson Morningstar with his grandchildren, Eleanor, Donald and Lorna, circa 1922.
Centre: Lorna Robson on the walkway in front of the house, c. 1918
Right: Lorna Robson listening to her grandfather's pocket watch, circa 1914.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 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.