Near 200-year-old mill in Huntingdon, Que., has found a buyer, but future use is unclear

Chris Kurys · CBC News

· Posted: Aug 20, 2026 12:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: August 20

One of the best-known landmarks in Huntingdon, Que., is closer to a new chapter.

The near 200-year-old Henderson Mill, located in the town about 75 kilometres southwest of Montreal, has an accepted offer on the table.

The building, which the town says was built in 1832, was listed for sale at $250,000.

Steven Latulipe, the real estate broker handling the property, said a buyer is conducting due diligence on the property on Henderson Street, with the parties expected to know more by Friday.

The future use of the mill remains unknown, but Latulipe said prospective buyers have shown interest in preserving its character and appearance.

A municipal zoning bylaw protects the character of Huntingdon’s centre, he said, and requires the necessary permits for future work. That includes preserving the mill’s distinctive look and stonework. 

"If you look at the zoning, it's required," he said.

Latulipe said the municipality has also been supportive of preserving the building.

"I've spoken to the mayor a number of times," he said. "All buyers that we've had so far have wanted to preserve the authenticity of the building and the mill."

He does not know what the current buyer plans to do with the property. A kayak and canoe rental business is currently operating in the space.

'We fed all the animals around'

For those who remember the mill as a working feed operation, its importance goes well beyond its stone walls.

Longtime Huntingdon resident Robert Dobson managed the mill during the 90s with business partner Tommy Côté. Operating as Agri-Mix, they ran the business until it was sold in the late 90s.

"We mixed grain, corn, barley, oats, molasses and minerals. We mixed feed to feed the farm animals," recalled Dobson. “We fed all the animals around."

Côté remembers the mill as part of a farming community that depended on it.

"We were selling cow feed, chicken feed and pig feed to supply the customers around here," he said.

The work had its challenges. The mill flooded every spring, Dobson recalled, while Côté remembers the building being cold in winter. Much of the equipment that once filled it has since disappeared.

"If you talk to older farmers, all the farmers know that place," Dobson said.

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Having lived in Huntingdon for nearly his entire life, he hopes the building remains part of the town.

"Since I can remember, I've been seeing it there," he said. "It'd be nice to keep it."

For Côté, the mill is a reminder of Huntingdon's agricultural past.

"It's a growing town now," he said. "But at the time, it was kind of a country town."

With an accepted offer now in place, the mill's future is closer to being decided.

"I'd like to see it renovated," Dobson said. "That would be perfect."