The Bountiful Chapter of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers (SUP) bestowed its annual Modern Day Pioneer award to Robert Blattner for his valuable preservation of the history of the first grist mill in the area. 

Blattner, who lives in the original home of the first mill operator, discussed the importance of the Heber C. Kimball Gristmill to Bountiful’s first settlers during the Wednesday evening event held Nov. 19 at the Joy Luck Restaurant in Bountiful.

His 1854 home is located next to the remaining wall of the mill at the corner of 400 East and Mill street by Bountiful High School. Only the foundation and some parts of the original adobe walls remain at the site, marked by a monument featuring a replica mill and original grist stones. 

Blattner purchased the historic home and several acres of land in 1973 after first renting an apartment on the property in 1966. “I’d just finished grad school and was looking for a place to live,” he said to the group of attendees. “Someone said, ‘Oh my grandma has an apartment you could rent!’ It turned out to be a chicken coop.”

Living in an old pioneer home has not been without its challenges, said Blattner. “But it’s been a great experience,” he continued. “The house has a spirit about it. I don’t know this for sure, but I assume Heber C. Kimball visited there.” Blattner has chosen not to list the house on the National Record of Historic Places because of the possible restrictions associated with doing so.

He told the group of attendees about the bears who used to be housed in the lower level of the mill after it ceased operation in 1892 when more efficient roller mills put it out of business. 

“The story goes that the bears were being trained as show bears. They were supposed to be taken west to perform but are said to have rebelled and never went,” Blattner said with a smile.

Following the destructive floods in 1983, Davis County purchased the old mill site from the Bountiful SUP who began leasing the property in 1966. The county constructed a storm water debris basin in 1984 and in the process, discovered two large grist stones. 

“The stones were found in the trees and one of them actually had a tree growing up through it,” said Blattner. “The stones came from France, which is really quite a thing to think about.”

A monument was constructed displaying the two millstones and dedicated in 1990. Metal plaques were later mounted on three stone pillars commemorating those involved in the old mill. The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers erected a replica of the old mill at the site in 1937.

Since 2022, the SUP and Bountiful Youth Council have cleaned up the old mill site annually except this year. The next clean-up is scheduled for May 2, 2026.

If not for Bob, not many people would know all the things we learned about the old mill tonight,” said Ron Andersen, past president of the Bountiful Chapter of the SUP as he presented the Modern Day Pioneer award to Blattner.