The original sawmill was located approximately 140 miles straight east of the Sawmill Inn, on Highway 51 in Coweta, OK. Gilbert Sawmill was established around 1905, by the great grandfather of the now current owner of the Sawmill Inn. The business at that time consisted of cutting wood and timber for use as barrel staves and horse buggies. The wood was cut using a crosscut handsaw for many years. It was in the mid 1930’s, when a gasoline powered engine used a belt to crank a five-foot circular saw. This saw was the vintage mill that was used through 3 generations of Gilbert’s. The crosscut saw was replaced by the first power chainsaw that the senior Gilbert laid his eyes on in 1942. A new five-foot circular saw was installed in 1949; this saw propelled the Gilbert Sawmill business for 50 years, while requiring a sharpening daily. This saw blade sits proudly on display at the Sawmill Inn in Hennessey. In 2000, the sawmill upgraded to a bandsaw-styled mill to keep up with the demand of business. The saws were laid down at the end of 2002; and the doors of the Sawmill Inn were opened. The motel in Hennessey is now operated by the fifth generation miller.