The timber industry boomed in the later days of the 19th century into the 1900s, and a number of lumber mills were established in Gopher Valley over the decades. One of the first was Ryan’s Mill, followed by Stowe’s Mill, and later by Thomson’s Mill, for which a road leading to the west, and connecting to the upper end of Rock Creek Road, is named. Most of these mills were in the north end of the valley, with one exception: at one time, a flume carried logs down the valley to a sawmill.