View looking SW, of the rear facade of the this Frederick Kesler built mill that bears his trademarks. A rather small stone mill, one to two stories in height with a hoizontal clerestory/monitor running the length of the mill. The sides of the monitor were frame with several windows for the admittance of light into the mill. Mr Kesler was reknown for the early mills built in Mormon country.

Samuel P. Hoyt, a native son of Vermont, was living in Fillmore, the then capitol of Utah, when Brigham Young urged him to go to Hoytsville to build a needed grist mill. He built a 2-room log cabin for his family in 1861 and the mill was completed a year later in 1862 and began operating in 1863. Water rights were obtained for the operation of a grist mill and carding mill. The mill operated for only about 4 years, the Weber River water supply was deemed not to have sufficient fall and flow. The grist mill closed and the carding mill, only recently completed, never had the equipment installed for this same reason.

The grist mill's mechanisms were sold after many years to Hank Stevens, who installed them in a grist mill to the south at Oakley, Utah. The Stevens family later were known for their greamery at Oakley, behind the grist mill. The carding mill suffered a fire and years afterward, some of the remaining rock was used to build a creamery on the Hoytsville Road; later, a laundery was added to the creamery enterprise.

Samuel Hoyt built his thirteen room, three story mansion of cut and dressed sandstone in 1863 according to Vermont standards. The house boasted nine fireplaces and a well in the basement that is still used today. For a while, two rooms on the third flooor housed a community school taught by Holts' first wife, Emily Smith Hoyt. Holt also built a store for the community and also helped in raising a fort nearby for protection from the local Indians. This was not used greatly, as most of the Indians were friendly to the whites. Some events ascribed to the Indians were later found to have been non-Mormon white initiated. A placque along Hoytsville Road at Creamery Lane commemorates the fort (gone) and the mill.

Hoyt built this barn, and along with the mill and mansion, were surrounded by a massive stone wall topped with 3-4 inch stone slabs reminisant of New England landscapes. Later, Hoyt busyed himdelf with cattle ranching, mining sorties, and farming. *Information gleaned from a book, "Echos of Yesterday", Summit County Centennial History. Compiled by Marie Ross Peterson & assisted by Mary M. Pearson & published by Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Summit County-1947* Permission was granted by the owner to take the photos and place them on the web. Permission is necessary to view the mill as the grounds are on private property. Please respect the owners privacy.

Old photo of the Kesler / Hoyt Mill graciously shown to me by the current owner of the Hoyt Mansion and mill ruins.

Another view of the mansion depicting some depth and dimension to the house.