This settlement not far from Berlin on the Alder Creek, owes its existence to the Millar brothers, Frederick, William, John and David from Dundee Scotland probably in the 1830s. They started businesses here while still living in Berlin. John Millar, dammed the creek and built a sawmill. Later Frederick bought most of John's properties and built a large grist mill which would continue operating until 1980. In the 1850s, he arranged for the completion of a village plan but the area did not attract many settlers because it was some miles from the main roads and the railway. Later, Lutherans from Germany settled here as did some Mennonites from Waterloo Township. The Post Office was opened in 1852. By 1870, there were two churches, two hotels, a school, the sawmill and the flour mill, and factories that produced shingles, rakes and flax, as well as two stores and two hotels. The population was 250. In 1904, Ezra H. Thamer opened New Dundee's first Bell Telephone exchange, the New Dundee Rural Telephone Company, and started a small home-based creamery. By 1908, other investors joined the group, and the creamery became a larger operation, initially as the New Dundee Farmer’s Cooperative Creamery Company Ltd.; it was later renamed to the New Dundee Co-Operative Creamery Ltd. The operation became the community's largest industry, processing 140 million pounds of milk in 1964, for example. The businessclosed in 1998 and the factory was dismantled in 2005. The current New Dundee Public School was built in 1928, with additions in 2008 and 2013. The Dundee Country Clubgolf course opened in 1970. Many small businesses are located within the community on Alder Lake and some historic buildings are still standing. William J. Wintemberg, called by some the "Father of Canadian Archaeology", and an expert on Iroquioan prehistory, was born in the village.
Geography
New Dundee is situated along the Grand River watershed. The local stream is called Alder Creek. Alder Creek flows into the Nith River a few kilometres downstream. The original settlers built the town because of its creek.
