History of Gays Mills
In 1847, James B. Gay, a civil engineer and a native of Indiana, journeyed to the unsettled Kickapoo Valley in southwestern Wisconsin. Impressed by the acres of untouched forest that covered the hills and valleys, he found a good rock bottom in the river where he decided to build a dam and saw mill. He erected these about 16 feet above the present dam, and the saw mill proved to be a flourishing success. Because of his failing health, James B. Gay persuaded his brothers, John M. Gay and Thomas W. Gay, to come to the valley and help him with his business. Then in 1865, John M. Gay built the first flour mill just south of the saw mill.
In the years between 1848 and 1865, many families had moved to this little community, which by mutual consent, bore the name of Gays Mills in honor of its founder and his brothers.
Today, Gays Mills is rich in history and rich in natural activities. Apple picking, berry picking, mushrooming, hiking, cross country skiing, biking, turkey and deer hunting, horseback riding, snowmobiling, spelunking, fossil collecting, and viewing the beautiful fall colors are all activities found here. The Kickapoo River offers walleye, smallmouth bass, trout, pike, and catfish for the fisherman and is one of the country’s “windingest” rivers (70 miles by road and 120 miles by river), which makes it great for the canoe enthusiast. Come and enjoy Gays Mills in Wisconsin’s Hidden Valleys.
Wisconsin Historical Society photographs of Gays Mills.
Log Cabin Heritage Park
Log Cabin Heritage Park is an open-air architectural museum of log houses which was established to preserve the folk architecture of the Kickapoo Valley. The park is located next to the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Gays Mills. The park includes six log structures along a spring fed creek, two shelters, grills, restrooms, volleyball court, horse-shoe facilities, ball diamond, swimming pool, and children’s playground.
The Log Cabin Heritage Society was formed in 1996 as a sub-chapter of the Crawford County Heritage Society to repair and maintain the Log Cabin Heritage Park. The Crawford County Historical Society planned and established the Log Cabin Park in Gays Mills about 26 years ago. The Village of Gays Mills granted use of the land on the site of an old saw mill.
