Judge Samuel Dexter originally built the dam in 1824, and Mill Creek took its name from the hydropower the dam supplied to sawmills and gristmills that provided much of the timber and flour for the growing community in the village and surrounding farmlands. Henry Ford rebuilt Mill Creek Dam in 1919 and 1932. The water behind the dam formed Mill Pond, a 22 acre impoundment area that took in water from a 144 square mile watershed. Residents used the impoundment area for recreational activities including fishing, boating, and, when the surface was frozen, horse racing and ice skating. By the 21st century, the dam no longer served its original purpose, and with the rebuilding of the Main Street Bridge it was removed in 2008, causing Mill Pond to dissipate and opening the way to reshape the landscape adjacent to Mill Creek for the development of Mill Creek Park.