Residents are up in arms over a proposal to demolish a historic cotton mill and replace it with an uninspired structure. The Cottonwood Paper Mill, a cherished landmark that has graced the entrance to Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon for over a century, is at the heart of the controversy.

Despite the mill’s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, the site’s current owner, Doug Shelby, has described it as an “attractive nuisance” and a threat to public safety, citing its irreparable structural issues as justification for its demolition.

In its place, suggestions such as a plaque, a digital project, and a vague tribute in the town center have been put forward. However, these ideas have done little to quell the community’s dissatisfaction.

During a public meeting held on Wednesday, locals expressed their discontent. Alan Brown, one of the attendees, lamented the proposal as marking a “very sad day” for the community, accusing it of showing a blatant disregard for their historical heritage.

This sparked anger among locals who offered their thoughts at a public meeting on Wednesday.

Alan Brown deemed the proposal a ‘very sad day’ for his community and said it signaled blatant disregard for a historic building.

‘It means something to the city,’ he added.

The Cottonwood Paper Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places 

It has stood at the mouth of the Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utahfor more than 100 years 

Shawna Bland said that she lived next to the old mill and said the owners were responsible for the state of the building.

‘They let it for years just become dilapidated,’ she said. ‘There was graffiti all over it.’

Rehabilitating or preserving the mill was ‘infeasible’ and fiscally irresponsible, according to a 2022 review cited in the demolition application.

The mill had no foundation, its walls could collapse and the building was deteriorating and hazardous.

It was deemed unfit to use in 2005 after concerns were raised over earthquake building codes.

A full overhaul could cost more than $45 million, per a further building report issued in 2024.

Mike Young called the mill ‘evidence of the lack of stewardship that the owners have given their property over decades.’

He lives 1,028 feet from the historic site and said his son had just moved into a home down the street.

‘We have much of our life savings invested and this is personal,’ Young added.

He said: ‘The demolition of the old mill is an initial step in the future development of our canyon.’

Some of the ideas proposed to replace the historic site included a plaque, a digital project and a tribute in the town center

The Cottonwood Paper Mill was declared a historic site in 1966 by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

The Cottonwood Heights Planning Commission met on Wednesday to hear demolition plans and take public comments regarding the old mill’s future.

Shelby has claimed the building’s decline was not because of him or prior owners, but because ‘the materials, design and original construction ensured the building would not last and could not be salvaged.’

It was also claimed that the mill faced ‘multiple incidents daily’ of trespass and vandalism, as it was a ‘popular’ location for ‘break–ins.’

Dan Hammer, an attorney representing Shelby, said: ‘I snuck over the fence when I was in high school and went there.’

The mill’s owner proposed three options to mitigate the ‘environmental and cultural impacts’ of tearing down the historic mill.

The first option proposed was preserving elements of the mill – which were not specified – and incorporating them into the city’s proposed center.

Architects and engineers would be charged with choosing how to honor the mill.

Another idea offered was a commemorative bronze plaque, which had been pitched by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, made using blocks from the mill.

Finally, the Cottonwood Heights Historic Society also volunteered to create a ‘digital history’ of the mill.

‘This initiative would document the mill’s history for future generations,’ Shelby’s application said.

Local resident Alan Brown called the demolition proposal a ‘very sad day’ and said it signaled blatant disregard for the iconic mill

The mill started as a paper–making operation that created jobs for locals but has been vacant for years.

It was declared a historic site in 1966 by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

The proposal did not make any mention of what would stand in place of the mill site. 

‘I want to see it reused and revitalized so it can be part of the community, instead of something people just remember,’ Robyn Taylor–Granada told ABC4.

Even though the site has been empty for years, some still see the mill as an ‘anchor point’ for the Utah town.

‘If you now start to look at all the developments that’s been happening around this historic structure, that identity has expanded beyond that,’ Brandy Strand, the executive director of Preservation Utah, told Building Salt Lake.

She said the mill did not have to be ‘completely restored to perfection’ while still remaining useful.

‘It can be adaptively reused to what we need that parcel to be,’ she said.

The planning commission will continue to discuss the future of the mill during its next public meeting on March 4.

The final decision will be made by the city council, but a required waiting period makes it so that at least one year would have to pass before tearing the historic site down.

Sites placed on the National Register of Historic Places are not prevented from being demolished.

Nebraska’s Jobbers Canyon Historic District was listed in 1986 and largely demolished by 1989.