E.T. Benson Grist Mill

A mill built by an apostle made this the seat of Tooele County. In 1850 Brigham Young sent Ezra Taft Benson — an apostle whose great-grandson would one day head the church — to raise a mill on Twin Springs Creek to grind for the Tooele settlements. A sawmill came first, then in 1854 the Lee brothers built the flour mill, its great timbers hauled by team from the Oquirrhs. The little settlement around it, called Richville, served as the county seat until 1861. By 1860 the mill ground twelve hundred barrels of flour a year.

What the plaque says

In 1850 L.D.S. Church Apostle, Ezra Taft Benson, was authorized by President Brigham Young to develop a mill site at Twin Springs Creek to serve Mormon communities in Tooele County. In 1851 a sawmill commenced operating and in 1854 the Lee brothers, skilled pioneer artisans, were hired to build the mill. The mill's large mortised timbers were hauled by team and wagon from the nearby Oquirrh Mountains. In 1855 the millsite community became known as "Richville" and served as the County Seat until 1861, when Tooele City was designated. In 1860 the "E.T. Benson Flour Mill" had one male employee and one run of millstones which produced 1,200 barrels of flour, 72,000 pounds of bran and 56,000 pounds of corn meal, together valued at $17,000. In the same year, Brigham Young acquired the mill, when E. T. Benson moved to Cache Valley. By 1862, the mill was referred to as "Young and Rowberry's," Bishop John Rowberry being an early resident of the Milltown (Richville) area. The mill that year reportedly processed 200 bushels of wheat per day under a 250 horsepower capacity. In 1922, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. (A U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and later an apostle in the Mormon church) purchased the mill. Earlier its original wooden waterwheel and millstones had been replaced by a metal turbine and imported free-standing "grain breakers." After finally ceasing flour-milling operations in 1938, the mill was used several years for grinding animal feed. A volunteer committee was organized in 1983 to acquire and restore the historic mill, which was donated by Terracor Corp. to Tooele County. Listed on National Register in 1972.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Bingham Canyon Mine — 12 mi
  The largest man-made excavation on Earth
• Saltair — 13 mi
  A haunting lakeside resort with a storied past
• Great Salt Lake — 13 mi
  The largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere
• International Peace Gardens — 20 mi
  A hidden garden where 28 countries are represented in miniature

More markers nearby

• Adobe Rock — 0.8 mi
• Buffalo Park — 3.4 mi
• Black Rock Resort — 5.4 mi
• Garfield & Lake Point Resorts — 5.4 mi