Charles Burks began a distillery operation around 1805-1815 in connection with the family gristmill, located near the present stillhouse. At the site of the present stillhouse, he erected a waterpowered gristmill in September 1805, and the limestone walls of that early structure still stand as foundation support for the present stillhouse. Charles Burks died in 1831, and the distillery operated until then. In 1889, George R. Burks, his great-grandson, began distilling again and erected the present plant now known as Maker's Mark Distillery. Formerly known as Burks Mill and distillery, the site has seen continuous grain milling since 1805 except during prohibition.