Construction Begins on The Mill

In 1872, Adronirum John Daley chose a site on the west bank of Little Butte Creek, approximately 20 miles northeast of Jacksonville and 11 miles northeast of Medford. His father, John W. Daley, Sr. and Eber Emery began construction in July, 1872.

The building was situated on a fairly steep bank on the west side of the creek. An old irrigation ditch on the site was dug deeper by horse and hand labor.

The lumber for the mill was milled from a pine stand located at Butte Falls. Utilizing traditional techniques of the era, they crafted the mill using hand-hewn lumber, employing mortise and tenon joints, and securing the structure with sturdy square 4-inch nails. Over the span of approximately eight months, the framework of the mill began to take shape, with the first floor standing proudly as a testament to their craftsmanship.

The original mill was a four-story structure with a daylight basement, the main floor with the grinding floor and shop area, and two upper floors probably used for storage. To the north of the mill building were four square storage bins for grain.