The two story tall wood frame/stone contructed mill was built by Edmund Riggins in 1829. The mill, Milford Mill, was built in the former community of Milford, name later changed to Wila.

The above sketch of Toomey Mill is from a booklet entitled Old Mills of Perry County, published by The Perry County Tourist Bureau, Fourth Printing-1989. The art work was done by Stephanie Scott Brown.

Emanuel Toomey started to work for John Riggins in the Milford Mill at the age of 19. After learning the trade, he milled for different mills in the county, later returning to Milford where he leased the Milford Mill for 3 years.

Emanuel's son, Jerome, bought the mill and began producing a brand of flour called 'Dandy'. The mill burned twice from 1880-1896, while Jerome was running the mill and each time it was rebuilt.

In 1896 Thomas L. Toomey became the owner, eventually spending his entire life at the Milford Mill which later became known as the Toomey Mill. In the 1920's, Thomas developed and built a fuel heated automatic corn roaster. He later completed work on a wheat steamer and, in the 1930's, he developed a chemical feeder for bleaching flour. He also developed the first hydro-electric plant in the area.

T. Luke Toomey received the mill property after Thomas' death in 1945. Within five years, the manufacture of flour was phased out and the main business was now in feed. In 1947, Luke was elected to the House of Representatives in the Pa. State Legislature and he served five terms.

Toomey's mill was equipped with French grinding stones, three stands of flouring roller mills with a capacity of 40 barrels of flour in 24 hours. The mill and equipment were powered by 2 water wheels. The Perry Co. community of Wila have been served well by five generations of the Toomey family.

In 1957, Toomey's mill merged with Zeigler Bros. Feed Mill, Inc. of Gardners and New Bloomfield. The mill closed its doors in the fall of 1957. Today all that remains are the ruins of the once popular mill. All of the machinery was sold, disposed of, or left to rust away.

A neighbor stated that the mill was still in good shape until a few years ago. A new owner had the doors and windows taken out so that he and friends could shoot paintball in the mill. Without windows and doors, it didn't take long for the weather to have devastating effects. The barn is on the mill property also but in better condition.

Toomey Mill located in Juniata Township at the village of Milford, now Wila. The mill was built in 1833. It last operated by T. Luke Toomey. It ceased operating in 1957. It was still standing in the 1970's.