The Mitchell area was settled in 1813 when Canadian Samuel Jackson opened a gristmill on land given to him by the U.S. government as a reward for his services in the War of 1812. A village soon grew up around the mill, and a lucrative trade of shipping grain, meat and whiskey to New Orleans began. With the coming of two railroads in the mid-1800s, the town's position as a trade and shipping center was solidified. Learn More...