The ruins of the Vallejo Mill
In 1853, Jose de Jesus Vallejo built a flour mill on the west end of what is now known as Niles Canyon. The spot was part of his large property, the Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda, which Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado had granted him in 1842. Today, only the stone foundation of the mill remains and is protected as California State Historical Landmark No. 46.
Jose Vallejo was the older brother of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, a prominent leader in the days of Mexican control over California who helped usher it to statehood following the Mexican-American War by attending the state Constitutional Convention and serving in the State Senate.
Maps from the later 1800s mark the area as "Vallejo's Mill." The stone aqueduct Vallejo used to siphon water from the nearby Alameda Creek once ran parallel to Niles Canyon Road, today also known as California State Highway 84.
An undated photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey shows the stone portion of the mill that remains today (left) and a since-destroyed wooden portion with a sign reading "Rancho Grande"
An undated photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey shows the remnants of the aqueduct and likely the location of a waterwheel powering the mill
Official State Landmark Plaque
Vallejo Flour Mill
Site of the flour mill, Niles, built 1853 by Don Jose de Vallejo, brother of General Vallejo, on his Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda. Niles was once called "Vallejo Mills". Stone aqueduct carrying water for mill parallels Niles Canyon Road.
Historical Landmark No. 46
Department of Public Works-Division of Highways
The town of "Vallejo Mills" was later renamed "Niles," which, along with a collection of neighboring towns, was incorporated into the city of Fremont, California, in 1956. The Bay Area bedroom community has since exploded with growth, today boasting a population of over 200,000.
A local elementary school in Fremont is named after the mill. The remains of the foundation are protected in Vallejo Mill Historic Park.
