The original Hurd and Briggs double sawmill stood on this site after its purchase from Joseph Fellows in 1845. It functioned as both a lumber and grist mill, and the mill structure also contained a shingle and cheese box factory. Clark W. Hurd owned the south saw while Joseph B. Briggs owned the north saw, and the two shared repair expenses. The millrace was built on land previously used by Native Americans as a cornfield. The site also included a board shanty called "The American," which was used for storage and temporarily housed the workers who built the mill and dug the race.