Distillery District - Gooderham and Worts Limited

John Worts was a successful mill owner in Sussex, England.  In 1831, he decided to move to Toronto with his eldest son, John, and his wife, Elizabeth, and establish himself in the same business.  Choosing a place at the mouth of the Don River, he built a windmill on the Toronto waterfront.  The next year his brother-in-law, William Gooderham, decided to join him in his new business venture.  The business prospered, as it processed grain from all over Ontario and then shipped it out via the port at Toronto. 

In 1834, Elizabeth Worts died in childbirth.  A few weeks later, John Worts threw himself into the company well and drowned.  Gooderham kept the business running, involving his nephew John Gooderham Worts.  The business prospered further as the wind-powered mill was converted to steam power.  A distillery and grist mill were added.  With business thriving, architect David Robert Sr was commissioned to construct a five-storey limestone mill.  The distillery opened in 1861.  The original windmill was removed to make way for a cooperage, malting and several other red-brick buildings. 

The distillery became the most successful in the British Empire.

By the mid 1890s, architect David Roberts Jnr had been brought in to design and watch over the construction of the final Victorian buildings in the district. 

After 153 years of continuous production, the Gooderham and Worts Distillery closed in 1990. 

The unique and beautiful constructions of the Distillery District served as the backdrop for many films and TV series through the 1990s.

In 2003, the Distillery District was officially opened to tourists, offering all sorts of dining and shopping experiences.  You can also see the place where the original mill built by John Wort is believed to have stood.  An arc of red bricks was built over the original windmill's limestone base in commemoration of the structure.

There have been many reported incidences of loud banging and footsteps when the buildings in the Distillery District were empty.  Doors have been seen to open and close on their own.  A man in old-fashioned work clothes was reportedly spotted by someone working on a film crew but, when the figure was approached, it vanished.  Some areas of the Distillery District are said to have spots of chilling air, even in the heat of summer.  The sound of heavy furniture being dragged across the floors has been heard in some of the buildings.  In one of the restaurants situated in the old boiler room, a woman reported seeing a man hanging by a rope.  Some have claimed to have seen the figure of a man that they believe is John Wort, still walking around his mill after his sad death. 

The Distillery District is a wonderful place to visit.  The buildings are beautiful, and there are any number of interesting stores to shop in and eateries and pubs to sample the local cuisine.  When you step through the gates there is a feeling that, just for a little while, you have stepped back in time.