After 1838, land on this side of the river was in the Mississinewa Reservation and was Indian land, where Smith Gilbert established a trading post at the ford, now seen as smooth rock bottom, in 1823. In 1849, much white activity occurred across the river: Jalapa was founded by Jacob Specher, and a gristmill and sawmill were built by Lorenzo Jacobs. Wooden dams, one damaged by the flood of 1913, provided water for a mill race with a pond extending up river for two miles. The mill was operated for many years by William and Nelson Conner, becoming known as Conner's Mill. Harry Charles owned the mill when operation was discontinued in 1921.