William Kent first settled the community in 1844 when he came looking for lumber for ship masts and built a lumber mill powered by Osceola Creek. Other industries followed, along with a flour mill in 1852. The place was first called Leroy in honor of Leroy Hubbard, the first white man to die there. It was later changed to Osceola Mills and finally, around 1900, to Osceola after the Indian chief and the first boat built in the St. Croix Valley.