By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
After close to four decades, nearly 25,000 guests, and countless memories shared inside one of Haliburton County’s iconic architectural landmarks, Don and Jessie Pflug have closed the doors of the Stouffer Mill Bed & Breakfast.
For 37 years, the Pflugs welcomed 24,968 guests at their unique residence in Algonquin Highlands. And if it wasn’t for Father Time, the couple would have likely continued along with hosting visitors from afar. Don will celebrate his 89th birthday on July 29, the exact same day the couple is scheduled to pack up and move to Minden.
“Age and the property is a lot of work,” Don explained when asked when he knew it was time. “We don’t have any employees, we do it all ourselves, and I keep the road open in the winter, and I look after it in the summer and everything. And Jess is a little younger than me, but, you know, she has the brunt of the bed and breakfast because she’s doing breakfast every day.”
The building itself was a local wonder in the Highlands. It is a dodecagon, a symmetrical, 12-sided structure that was built 50 years ago by original owner Elgin Stouffer.
“He built it out of his head,” Don recalled. “There are no plans. I didn’t get any plans with it.”
Each wall contains a heavy steel rod, leaving the entire upper floor suspended from above. The foundation is just as sturdy, featuring a massive central tank in a full basement with a poured concrete floor thick enough that the owners used to seamlessly drive their car in a full circle around it.
“So the house is not going anywhere,”
Don said with a laugh. Don and Jessie’s venture into the B&B business started by accident, essentially. In 1989, the couple was working in real estate when the housing market suddenly tanked. Left with few options, they took a leap of faith on the unique property, which sat on 136 acres of forest featuring five kilometres of trails, which Don had carved out.
The idea for the business came simply on a quiet morning overlooking Halls Lake.
“We came up one morning and looked out at the lake, and it was absolutely beautiful,” Jessie said. “Don said to me, ‘You know, Jessie, we should be sharing this.’ And I said, ‘well, why don’t we start a bed and breakfast?’ We said, ‘okay, let’s do it.’ That was the amount of thought we put into it.”
For nearly 40 years of operation, the three-bedroom B&B generated staggering statistics with 37 years in business and 25 consecutive years of visits from a single group of friends.
When Stouffer Mill first opened, the internet as we know it did not exist. The Pflugs built their reputation through physical guidebooks, local word-of-mouth, and expensive radio advertisements. Their breakthrough came via a snail-mail invitation from a new website called BB Canada. Don and Jessie signed up immediately.
Decades later, that adaptability saved them during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the hospitality industry took a massive hit, Don researched hospitalgrade disinfectants, bought a fine-particle paint sprayer, and carefully sanitized every railing and surface. They divided their dining spaces into three isolated areas, turning their rural property into a muchneeded refuge for isolated city dwellers.
“People from the city, if you were in a condo, you had to get away,” Jessie recalled. “They could come here, walk the trails, and just breathe. It gave Don and me a purpose through COVID.”
As for saying goodbye, the announcement of the closure was met with tears, hugs, and an outpouring of messages on social media from around the world. Over the decades, the mill hosted everything from standard road-trippers to international weddings, including a memorable winter wedding on New Year’s Eve and a ceremony where a bride’s parents flew in directly from Shanghai.
So what’s next? The 12-sided house is transitioning into a private residence, and Don and Jessie are downsizing to Minden to stay close to their church and friends. They have zero plans to slow down. Don is already eyeing a return to the curling rink, and both intend to find new volunteer roles.
“I just like to thank them all for finding us and adding to the quality of our life,” Jessie said of the nearly 25,000 past guests. “It was always like opening a Christmas present when a guest came to the door. We cherish every one of them.”
