What the Longley Windmill would have looked like before the sails came down in 1837
There are no pictures of the Longley windmill, although it very likely that it was very similar to the smaller one down river from Prescott that was involved in the famous Battle of the Windmill.
(Book: Donald E. Graves: Battle of the Windmill 1838)
Tower starts life as a windmill
Built by George Longley in 1828 as a windmill to make flour. There is only one sketch made in 1840 that shows the property as it was then.
Wind power ends up being too inconsistent, so in 1837, Longley imports the first steam engine (30hp) from England and converts the mill to steam power, and expands the mill. The windmill is converted to a Silo.
Large building built between Tower and Water to house grist mill, and a Large Wharf built to accommodate large boats to bring grain to mill, and take flour up St Lawrence to Montreal and England
Longley's Mill becomes one of largest flour mill in Upper Canada (the largest by some accounts).