The Old Mill

In 1854 Anson Call of Bountiful erected a grist mill on the south side of Deuel Creek near this site. The three-story building, made from Centerville Canyon rock, had its machinery on the top floor, and local people brought grain to be ground into flour while the miller kept a portion as pay. Water from Deuel Creek powered the grinding wheels by flowing into two holding ponds on the hillside above the mill and then through pipes to a water wheel that turned the drive shaft. The larger pond also served as a baptismal font for many pioneers, and in winter, when the water froze solid, ice was cut into blocks and stored in sawdust for use in spring and early summer. The first miller of record was Mr. Southworth, followed by Messrs. Symns, Winn, McKinney, and Miller. After lying idle for 15 years, the mill was taken over in 1890 by Alwood Brown, who renovated it and installed new machinery. After he left, several others operated it, including Mr. Everett, Mr. Hancock, and finally Jim Brown. At one time Mr. Everett ran a wholesale bakery in the basement and drove a bakery wagon throughout Davis County; he also had an ice-cream parlor that drew young couples on warm summer evenings. The mill last operated about 1905. Its lumber was removed in the 1930s, the building decayed, east winds blew in the walls, and because the structure became dangerous it was completely torn down in 1944. Davis County later purchased the site and constructed a storm water debris basin here following the flood of 1983.

Centerville, Utah · United States