Small's Camp, located near the San Benito Mill site, was established in the 1860's by a fellow named Small who contracted with New Idria mines to cut wood for their furnaces. At that time the New Idria Mine held thousands of acres in timber rights and they needed help harvesting timber. The community consisted of about thirty families, a school house and blacksmith shop. Most of the people worked the sawmill which was located at the head of Sawmill Creek. The community remained there until the early 1900's until New Idria went to oil. Some workers for the Florence Mack Mine also lived there. Children from the area and from the upper Hernandez Valley attended school there.