Golden Creek Mill began with a mill built by William O'Dell in 1815 across Golden Creek from the present-day mill site, and its ruins are still visible. A deed dated 1836 transferred the property to John Arial as 50 acres and a corn mill, and Arial added a cotton gin and press. Later owner George Hendricks added an ice plant. In 1985, Joyce and Leroy Stewart bought land across the creek from the original site and built the present replica of the earlier mill. They assembled parts from around the country, bought grindstones in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1987, constructed the millrace, and had a 14-foot metal waterwheel built. The mill began grinding corn in 1990, and the Stewarts sell corn meal and related items in their gift shop. Nearby north of Pickens are two other restored mills: Hagood Mill, a fully operational restored mill on Highway 178 operated by the Pickens County Museum of Art and History, and Meece Mill, owned by Julian and Elsie Yoder, renovated though not operational and open to the public one weekend a month.