A Canoe and More

Sue was to have a quick coffee date with a friend. It was to only last for an hour, but I decided to drop her off and perhaps take a few photos.

I had seen, in passing, a scene the day before. It was a colorful tree by the river with adirondack type of chairs below. When I got closer with my camera, there was also a canoe to include in the frame.

From there, I just had to drive around the corner to photograph another little setting that I had also seen in passing. Once again there was a resplendent tree but this time with a dilapidated factory behind.

This ^ was once the Hawthorne Factory, mostly textiles if I recall correctly. Recently, there has been a grand scheme to turn it into condos and also erect another building with a high class restaurant on the top. However, to the regret and anger of the prospective developer, the plans were not acceptable to the town. And so it sits vacant and forlorn for the present time.

I still had some time to pass before picking up the lovely Sue, so I drove to another spot amongst what are often referred to as the back bridges. In the background is another former factory that is abandoned at present. I believe that there are also plans to condo-ize this building.

This ^ factory was the Gillies Machine Works, built in 1875. 

In 1875, after selling his interests in the timber limits and ostensibly retiring, he built the Gillies Machine Works, which manufactured steam engines, milling machines and woolen mill machinery. Originally, the building stood four storeys high; the dormers were a later addition. Note, also, the circular windows at eaves and adjacent stone building, once a blacksmith’s shop. The bridge connecting the mills is known as Gillies Bridge.

https://lanarkcountytourism.com/carleton-place-heritage-properties/

I had time for one more photo before it was time to move on. This from close to the same spot as the previous one but looking in the other direction.

PS: After I posted the first photo (of the canoe) on FB, it was so nice that the owner messaged me directly to thank me.