Samuel Mims first appeared in Spanish records in 1786. In 1797, he acquired a land grant near Boatyard Lake, where he established a plantation and operated a ferry across the Alabama River near his home to transport travelers on the federal road. The plantation included the main house and numerous support buildings. In 1813, it was fortified with a log wall or palisade and a blockhouse. The main house was a one-story frame structure with front and back porches.