Benson Grist Mill

Notable Events

1. 1850L.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. hmdb.org
2. 1851A sawmill commenced operating on Twin Springs Creek, and in 1854 the Lee brothers were hired to build the mill. hmdb.org
3. 1854Thomas Lee and other members of the Lee family oversaw the construction of the Grist Mill, which was completed in 1854. tooelecountyparksandrec.org
4. 1855The millsite community became known as "Richville" and served as the County Seat until 1861, when Tooele City was designated. hmdb.org
5. 1860After Benson moved to Cache Valley, the mill's rights were transferred to Brigham Young, likely to prevent the mill from being seized by the federal government during the conflict over polygamy. intermountainhistories.org
6. 1866Ezra T. Benson paid Brigham Young for all claim to the grist mill known as Benson's Mill on Twin Springs Creek. npgallery.nps.gov
7. 1878The mill returned to the hands of a church corporation headed by Stake President Francis M. Lyman. npgallery.nps.gov
8. 1900The Richville Milling Company took over the grist mill, with a Mr. Wrathal as president and Mr. Rowberry as secretary. npgallery.nps.gov
9. 1922The Richville Milling Company operated the mill until J. Reuben Clark Jr. bought it. npgallery.nps.gov
10. 1936The gas motor was taken out and a hammer mill installed to grind feed for turkeys and dairy cattle. npgallery.nps.gov
11. 1938After finally ceasing flour-milling operations, the mill was used several years for grinding animal feed. hmdb.org
12. 1940sAfter the last bag of flour was ground, the gristmill lay silent for over 40 years, gradually falling into disrepair. tooelecountyparksandrec.org
13. 1960The mill served its feed-grinding function until it was abandoned. npgallery.nps.gov
14. 1972The mill was listed on the National Register. hmdb.org
15. 1983A volunteer committee was organized to acquire and restore the historic mill, which was donated by Terracor Corp. to Tooele County. hmdb.org
16. 1983An ambitious committee of volunteers acquired the mill site property and began restoring the structure one piece at a time, after more than 40 years of silence and disrepair. tooelecountyparksandrec.org

People

• Francis M. Lyman, Stake President who headed the church corporation that owned the mill (before January 1878).
• J. Reuben Clark Jr., bought the mill from the Richville Milling Company (1922).
• Brigham Young, Church President whose orders sent Benson to construct a gristmill for the new pioneer settlements.
• Ezra Taft Benson, LDS apostle who arrived in Tooele Valley with orders from Church President Brigham Young to construct a gristmill (arrived in 1854).
• Jack Smith, chairman of the original restoration committee: Jack Smith, Chairman, Wayne Shields, Boyd and Ouida Blanthorn, Ray Court, Bob and Marilyn Shields, Douglas Smith and Maxine Grimm.
• Thomas Lee, oversaw the construction of the Grist Mill, hired with other members of the Lee family (construction completed in 1854).

Sources

1. ksl.com/article/51312075/these-historical-utah-treasures-are-on-the-verge-of-disappearing-forever
2. facebook.com/bensongristmill
3. agritourism.utah.gov/farm-directory/listing/benson-grist-mill
4. preservationutah.org/properties/benson-grist-mill-%28also-known-as-e.t.-benson-flour-mill%29-
5. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/farmers-market-hideout-farms-and-ranch-june-22-october-19
6. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/pioneer-fun-at-the-mill
7. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/ren-faire-september-20-21
8. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/fall-festival-october-18-19
9. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/christmas-lighting-and-live-nativity-november-30
10. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/benson-grist-mill
11. nps.gov/places/bensons-gristmill.htm
12. artsandmuseums.utah.gov/utah-museums-directory/listing/benson-grist-mill
13. tooelecountyparksandrec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Bowery-Agreement-fillable.pdf