Thompson's Mills State Heritage Site near Shedd preserves a historic water-powered mill whose long working life reflects Oregon's changing needs. First built in 1858 and rebuilt immediately after a fire in 1862, the site still contains hand-hewn beams from that reconstruction. Successive owners adapted it from a flour mill to a feed mill and later a hydroelectric plant, and it continued operating until 2004, making it one of Oregon's oldest continuously operating water-powered businesses. Bought by Oregon State Parks in 2004 and opened to the public in 2007, it now features restored grounds and working machinery that demonstrate how its water-powered systems functioned.