 Much of Grafton was primeval beech-maple forest, which settlers were clearing for agriculture, and Gifford saw an opportunity for Ulao to prosper as a refueling station for steamships.He built a sawmill, a warehouse, and a 1000-foot-long pier on the lake where ships docked to buy wood.The steep clay bluffs along the lake can be as high as 140 feet, so Gifford used a chute to transport logs down to the pier.