2021.87.110

George P. Heath was a native of New York state who came to settle in Michigan around 1845. He first selected Van Buren County where he built his first grist mill. When it burned in 1866 he came to Saugatuck and built a new mill on the river between Hoffman and Main Streets. Heath was the patriarch of the Heath clan, which included his grandson Doc Heath who was the husband of May Francis Heath. During the second half of the 19th century Water St. was the primary location of Saugatuck's mills. The lower photo show the mill, a large four-story structure which housed the grinding machinery and product storage which the milling business required. The photo is an enlargement of a small area seen in the headline photograph. The white plume and dark stain on the north wall of the mill provide clear evidence that a large steam engine was the source of power. In 1875 Heath received a lucrative offer to move his mill to Ludington. He accepted the offer and proceeded to dismantle the mill structure and stacked the material on the dock. Before it could be moved however, he died in an epidemic of typhoid fever that swept through the community. His sons, Calvin and George Jr. apparently did not share his desire to move to Ludington, as they rebuilt the mill exactly as it was and continued the milling business until 1879 when the mill was destroyed by fire.

Remembering When

Winthers, Sally

12/25/2022

11/18/2023