SIGN 1 | GET YOUR BUCKWHEAT GROUND ON FRIDAYS
In 1844, two men, Adams and Peters, built a grist mill and named it Hudson Mill. The mill primarily processed wheat and corn, successfully producing about 6,000 barrels of flour annually.

The mill was eventually purchased by Thomas Birkett. After renovating the mill, Birkett placed the following ad in the local paper, the Dexter Leader. The ad ran for three months, from December 1870 to March 1871.

(Old newspaper ad: Hudson Mills. The subscriber having thouroughly repaired the above Mills, by putting in New Custom Bolts, Smutter, &c., would respectfully inform the farmers of the surrounding country that he is now prepared to do Custom Milling in all its branches in a workmanlike manner. I have a good Water Power Corn, Shelller, capable of shelling 50 bushels per hour. No Extra Charge for Shelling. Buckwheat ground on Fridays. T. BIRKETT. Hudson, Dec. 1, 1870 44m3)

Birkett wanted local farmers to know they were getting a superior product with the new additions of mesh screens (bolts) and scouring tools (smutter).  Back then, many farmers had to shell their own corn.  Using the mill would save them valuable time.

Captions
1| Inside of a grist mill in the mid 1800s.




SIGN 2 | HUDSON... GONE WITH THE MILLS
The hamlet of Hudson, located on the corner of North Territorial and Plank Road, prospered only while the mills were operating.

The town once consisted of four homes, two grocery stores, a school, a hotel, a cemetery and five mills. Before the railroad arrived, the hotel was a famous stopover for wagon trains hauling freight from Detroit to towns in Livingston and Ingham counties.

The last mill, a pulp mill, closed in 1913. Today, all that remains of Hudson are two of the original homes, a cemetery on Dexter-Pinckney Road (Plank Road) and one of the mill’s stone foundations. Horizontal logs of this mill’s raceway may be seen on the riverbed when the river is low.

Captions
1| The remains of the Hudson Mill millrace.
2| A portion from a plat map of Dexter Township in 1895.




SIGN 3 | ALL AROUND THE MILL POND
In 1827, Cornelius Osterhaut and Issac Hull built a sawmill here on the Huron River. Sawmills were generally the first type of mill built in a new community. These mills provided lumber for homes, shops and barns as settlers moved into the area.

During 1844, a grist mill was constructed, followed by a cider mill and plaster mill. A pulp mill was added in 1882 by Thomas Birkett. This mill employed 11 men and produced wood pulp for the manufacturing of printing paper. It ran day and night.

Eventually, Mr. Birkett owned Hudson Mills, Dover Mills (near the Bell Road Bridge), Peninsula Mills (near Mast Road and Huron River Drive) and a flour mill in Petoskey, Michigan.

Captions
1| The Birkett Mill on the left, looking northwest.