Cobbs and Mitchell Mill No. 1

In June 1871 Cadillac’s first sawmill began to operate on this site. Originally called the Pioneer Mill, it was built by an Indiana resident, John R. Yale. Jonathan W. Cobbs bought the mill in 1872 and took William W. Mitchell as his partner in lumbering operations on Lake Cadillac. The mill was then renamed Cobbs and Mitchell Mill No. 1. Enlarged several times, the mill cut pine, maple and, later, other hardwoods. By 1885 the mill was a major contributor to Cadillac’s lumber production, having cut 5,679,000 feet of lumber. By 1940 it was Cadillac’s only remaining sawmill. When it was razed that year, material salvaged from it was used to build an addition for the Wood Parts Company.