In the 1850s and 1860s, Arcola was a small but busy village whose sawmill operations began in 1847 and helped launch both a prosperous business and a growing community. Beyond the Mower Mansion and mills, the village included a blacksmith shop, homes for workers, a boat yard, a school, a general store, and a warehouse. Its residents included lumbermen, a merchant, a clerk, three farmers, and ten laborers, along with wives and children, and at its height the village was home to about 40 people. With the demise of logging, the residents moved to other locations. Today, Arcola sits within the boundary of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.