Ely's Mill was built in the 1920s by Andrew Jefferson Ely, known as "Old Man Ely," a Yale law school graduate, practicing Tennessee lawyer, and printer who, disenchanted with city life after his wife's death, bought a 30 acre tract in an effort to live a healthy life. Strongly opinionated, he preached against smoking and strong drink, coffee, tea, alcohol, and foods he considered harmful, including milk, salt, whitebread, and store-bought food, while advocating fresh vegetables, honey, bananas, buttermilk, and lots of spring water. For years, the old Lines bakery made a special bread from his flour. He held strong views on politics, taxes, marriage, youth, religion, and the like, and was said to talk for hours with those he liked or spend an afternoon telling someone he disapproved of so. He hired local craftsmen to build the mill and showroom to display their wares. Initially called Water Wheel Craft Shop, it featured weaving and local crafts and later made solid wood furniture and sold antiques. Water powered the furniture shop machinery, including belt sanders, lathes, and planners, through a system of pulleys and belts. The wheel itself was almost 30 foot in diameter and 8 foot wide, supplied with water from a race that came over the top of the buildings and began nearly a quarter mile upstream. As the place grew, more buildings were added, including barns for livestock, sheds, and chicken houses. A caretaker family also lived there to help tend the garden, keep bees, and manage the animals and grounds. A hammermill was built to crush and mix feeds, and a blacksmith shop was added to repair tools and make parts. By the time construction was completed in the 1940's, Ely's Mill had grown to almost twenty buildings.