One of the most prominent residents of Delta was Walter H. Denaut. Born in Prescott, Denaut worked in Delta for a time before returning permanently in 1839, opening up a general store. In 1849 Denaut built himself a very impressive family home, today’s Denaut Mansion Country Inn. In 1850 he bought the Old Stone Mill from the previous owner, Amelia Macdonell. He invested heavily in the mill, including switching power from a waterwheel to turbines in the 1860s and changing it from a custom mill to a merchant mill. The mill was known at that time as Denaut's Mills.