THE MILL RACE

What in the world is the "Mill Race"?  And why is it important to the descendants (us) of James Bennett (Sr.) and Sarah Head Bracken?

The Mill Race

When Isaac Riddle, following his lost cow discovered Pine Valley as the first "white man" there, the valley was completely full of enormous mature ponderosa pine trees.  When this information made its way to Brigham Young, he could see the potential of using the huge trees to help build the communities of the early church.  The lumber for the famous tabernacle organ, one of the largest organs in the world, was taken from Pine Valley to Salt Lake City for the organ's pipes.
Several families were called to Pine Valley to build and operate saw mills.  Among those called were James Bennett Bracken, Sr. and his family who were called make a shingle mill.  True to the Bracken grit, they chose a spot on the Santa Clara Creek just below the valley where the water would be swift and sure - although quite difficult to access as Grandpa Keith and Uncle Justin can attest to from their scouting trip trying to locate the old Bracken Shingle Mill.
At one time, there were a total of 11 sawmills in the valley.  One of the mills was located just across the street and a few yards to the west of our Pine Valley place.  Needing a source of swiftly running water for its operation, a ditch was made to deliver the water to this mill.  Part of that ditch runs through the Pine Valley acreage on its way to the mill. 
In 1955 a monument was constructed to honor those who had made and operated the mills by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and placed near the location of the mill (see photos).  A replication of the saw mill was constructed in the meadow near there sometime in the 1990s.