PULP MILL AT SALTERS FALLS IN CHARLESTON, C.1910
The Nova Scotia Wood Pulp and Paper Company mill was located at Salter's Falls in Charleston, a small community a short distance up the Medway River from Mill Village. In its earliest days Charleston drew sustenance from lumber and gold. Several sawmills operated in the area, the lumber being shipped to market through Port Medway. The gold was taken from narrow seams by the Gold Eagle Mining Company.
The Nova Scotia Wood Pulp and Paper Company mill was built in 1881 was one of the first pulp mills in the province and was located on the site of earlier sawmills at Salter's Falls. Ralph Johnson's history of the forests of Nova Scotia notes that this mill burned in June of 1903 but that it was quickly rebuilt. The pulp produced at this mill was taken by wagons and sleds pulled by horses and oxen to Port Medway, from where it made its way by steamers to the United States.. When this mill was destroyed by fire in 1947, the business closed for good.
One of the problems facing the mill in its early days was a lack of water during the summer, meaning that the mill could only run about nine months of year. In 1916 a dam was constructed by the mill owners, creating a pond to water. When the mill burned for the final time, the site became a federal and provincial fish hatchery.
From where the cache is located, you can look across the river and see the remains of the dam which was constructed in 1916. The actual mill was located further down river near the Charleston bridge on what is now Riverview Drive..
This artical was reprinted from Images of Our Past, Historic Queens County, Nova Scotia by Tom Sheppard and the attached photograph is from the Tim McDonald collection.
*** The cache is located on part of the original 'structure'. There is no need to go near the damaged part. Enter from the 'dry well' side, near where you should park.