In 1847 New York millwright and speculator Pliney Pierce built Rock Mill beside the rapidly falling waters of Devils River. First constructed as a sawmill, it was quickly converted to a gristmill after the area's available timber was depleted. Serving mostly local German, Czech and Irish immigrant farmers, it ground as many as 118 bags of grain a day and produced wheat, rye and graham flour and animal feed. For almost 90 years, the mill functioned as the social center of rural life here before ceasing operation in 1934.