Gays Mills, WI

Gays Mills grew from James B. Gay's 1847 dam and sawmill on the Kickapoo River. His brothers joined him, a flour mill followed in 1865, and the settlement took their family name. The 2020 census counted 523 residents. The village sits in Wisconsin's Driftless Region, where State Highways 131 and 171 meet in the narrow Kickapoo Valley. The river still cuts through town, carrying the same water that once powered mills and now supports fishing, paddling, and floodplain parks.

Apples give Gays Mills its seasonal rhythm. Orchards spread through the surrounding hills, the Apple Festival marks the fall harvest, and the village's local businesses and events gather around that agricultural identity. Log Cabin Heritage Park preserves seven historic log structures beside the former sawmill site, while the Kickapoo Cultural Exchange and folk festival keep music and community arts in the mix. Gays Mills has also had to live with the river's force; flood recovery remains part of village planning. Its present is a blend of orchard work, river management, historic buildings, and events that draw the surrounding valley into town.