This mill site was established in 1808 when John Unthank built a gristmill along Anderson's Fork. The natural waterfall provided an ideal location for a mill.

The milling ownership information painted on the mill wall, using Pureana Feeds logo/checkerboard pattern, describing the facilities and services available.

This particular mill was built in 1912 by William Oscar Beam, where Unthank's Mill stood. A dam was built over the waterfall to create a millpond, which helped turn the waterwheel that was located in the basement. The two story miller's house, beyond the far end of the dam, is constructed of the same type of concrete block so popular in the early 1900's, giving the appearance of stone material.

The dam in above picture is to the left in this photo, the photo taken from Main Street/Sr 134. The covered/tunnel-like pull-thu enabled the farmers to load and unload in the dry, a good feature, considering that it was raining this particular day.

The original wooden dam on the left of the picture was built on a natural waterfall, and at first, created a millpond with 8-9 feet of vertical head.

The millpond has, over the years, silted in so that it is olny about 2-3 feet deep behind the dam.

The head race behind the mill feeding from the dam, on the right, into the mills basement. The large tank on the left was used to store black-strap molasses, which was added to livestock feeds as a nutritive additive, as well as making the mixture more palatable to the creatures.

The mill as seen from across Anderson's Fork, at high water, from 1st Street/Paintersville Road/Sabina Road/Cr 5.

The mural of the mill, painted on the side wall of the mill addition, depicts Port William's founding year, 1824, along with the mill and C.A. Mason's Ice House on the east bank of Anderson's Fork.

The mural was dedicated to thoise whio served on the 79thv Ohio Voluntary Infantry during the Civil War from 1861-1865.

A view of the present area where the old ice house used to stand. The storage silos across the stream are a business called Roberts Farms, which may or maynot be associated with Joe Beam & Sons.GPS: 39' 33.06'N, 83' 47.26'W 1,017'/310 meters Port William Quadrangle

Thw mill, which converted to electric power in the 1930's, originally produced cornmeal and flour from wheat, and today is a family-owned feed mill. The mill was capable of storing 20,000 bushels of grain. Today, William's grandchildren, Maynard and Malcolm Beam, own the mill. The mill is structurally sound, with floor joists of beechwood, beautiful hardwood floors, and is still in operation.