S.S. Vaughn Mill

 “The first steamer that arrived at Bayfield was the Lady Elgin which occurred on the 16^th day of June 1856, on which boat arrived the engineer, carpenters and others for the purpose of building a saw mill in Bayfield.  And on the 27^th day of July 1856 the propeller Mineral Rock arrived with the engine and machinery for the mill and Mr. John T. Caho one of the owners of the mill which was built on the west half of Block 121.  The mill was finished and commenced cutting lumber to about the first of September 1856. The mill was destroyed by fire on the 12^th day of January 1857 and the following July a new saw mill was commenced and on the 28^th of August of the same year the mill was finished and commenced work.  The same is now known as Vaughn’s Mill”. 

From the early settlement Bayfield has continued to improve.  In the spring of 1869, a large sawmill was built by Mr. R. D. Pike which ?? the business of Bayfield together with a large fishing business inaugurated by N. [Nelson] & F. [Frank] Boutin which had the good effect of making it a self-sustaining place with no minus around it.  Andrew Tate, ca July 4, 1876 speaking at a Bayfield Lyceum…Eleanor Knight.

This history brief was written by Robert J. Nelson. Generously sharing our local history through his research and writing.