This grist and saw mill was built by Zebulon Gurley sometime prior
to 1778 along the Fenton River. It is known as Mason's Mill, named
after the Mason family who acquired it in the latter half of the
19th century. It was operated as an up-and-down saw mill, and
although this type of mill went out of general use in the United
States around 1840, this mill continued its use until it ceased
operation about 1935. The mill was torn down in the 1960's. The saw
from the mill is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institute in
Washington, D.C.
In 1995, this mill was the subject of an important lawsuit over
riparian rights. Charles Mason, along with Emory B. Smith and
William Williams, mill owners in Gurleyville, brought suit against
James Hoyle of Willington. Hoyle had dammed the Fenton River in
Willington, thereby reducing the water flows for these mills
operating downstream. The plaintiffs won the lawsuit that it still
cited today as a precedent in cases involving water rights.
The mill functioned as an important part of the Four Corners
community, as evidenced by the following an excerpt from Edna Mason
Parker's memoirs that you can read from Mason's Mill
History, and pictures. This area is part of the Joshua's Land Trust and they
graciously gave us permission to hide these caches on their
property.