The flouring mill was built by George Washington Adair, a Rockbridge Co., Va native, in 1867 in company with E.W. Metzgar. Adair was responsible for the developing of Shell Rock as a town.

Mr. Adair had earlier, in 1853, dammed the river and built a saw mill in the same locale. Between 1855 &1857, Geo. and his brother, William Andrew Adair, built the west side flouring/grist mill, but soon sold out to John F. Wright. The community was greatly dependent on the Adairs for lumber and bread makings. Another arrival, Ephriam Town of Vermont, worked first in the saw mill 1855-56, then became a millwright in the grist mill the next spring.