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The first sawmill was built by Ard Godfrey and John G. Jameson along the Elk River shortly after they built the dam. In a September 1851 letter to his .wife Nancy, who was also Godfrey's sister, Jameson says that they had started work on the dam and the gristmill (on the other side of the river) and would be starting the sawmill either that winter or by the following spring. Godfrey and Jameson ran the mill together until 1855 when they divided their property. Jameson took the farm land east of the Elk River while Godfrey kept the mills and the land west of the river. In 1858 Godfrey sold the mill property to Richard Martin, who then sold the property to Edward Martin in 1863. The mills were purchased by James B. Mills in 1863 and by George Albee, Mill's brother-in-law, in 1865. The first planing mill in Elk River was built in 1873 by Thomas S. and W.C. Nickerson at approximately the same location as the first sawmill. This first planing mill was destroyed in the May 1887 fire. Another planing mill was in operation by 1890 and was most likely in the same location as the first planing mill. This mill was initially powered by the Elk River but by 1894 a steam plant was built for additional power. Lumber that was cut at the sawmill on the Mississippi River and was then brought to this mill for finishing touches. Avast lumber yard occupied the area between the sawmill and the planing mill. The planing mill operated until 1903 when the sawmill machinery was sold and the operation shut down. The building was then used as storage for a number of years by the Houlton family for the farm located near the mill and the offices in the mill were used as a residence for a time. In March 1923 the planing mill was destroyed by fire.z In 2004, Rothaus' team identified the remnants of two building foundations were located along the south bank of the Elk River that probably could be associated with these early industrial sites. The first foundation consists of brick and mortar that surrounds a shallow cellar depression. The foundation measures roughly 5 by 7 meters and sits on a level terrace that appears to have been graded. No non-structural artifacts were observed. The second foundation is made of brick, several of which are stamped: "EVENS & HOWARD" "ST LOUIS". The foundation measures approximately 9 meters wide and is at least 10 meters long. The interior of the foundation consists of a brick floor, now covered with grass. Additional brick fragments were found along the river shoreline. Many are stamped "EVENS & HOWARD" "ST LOUIS". The Evens and Howard fire brick company began producing bricks in 1855 (Brick 1904). Several one inch thick iron rods protrude from a slightly elevated platform within the building's footprint. The rod ends are threaded and stout enough to anchor heavy machinery, larger than would be expected for farm use. A two inch black pipe also extends from the building floor. There is a high probability that additional mid to late nineteenth century industrial features and cultural deposits exist in the area. Most of the area overlooking Elk River appears to be z R. Rothaus, R.M., J. McFarlane, and J. Haug, Prehistoric and Euroamerican Archaeology of Elk River Township, Minnesota: Probability Modeling and Reconnaissance Survey, St. Cloud State University, 2005; R. Rothaus, J. Haug, and J. McFarlane, "`Prehistoric and Early Historic Heritage of Ells River, Minnesota: Current Knowledge and Probability Modeling." Minnesota Archaeologist 63 (2004) 97-117. 3