Millville was started in 1853 when two brothers, S.C. and N.T. Stroud located on the present site of Millville and started to farm. Later, in 1855, a flour mill was built by D.D. Harrill, which supplied all of Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou Counties for years. A general store was built in 1857 by Mr. Smith, and the farmers and settlers came to shop and to pick up their mail, which was forwarded from the Shasta Post Office in care of Smith.

During a sunny day in September, 1857, a crowd of people decided it was time for the town to have a name. After some discussion, an inspired individual yelled out "Millville." The crowd liked the name, and it was adopted.

The Millville Post Office was started in 1860. During this decade, Millville was the second largest town in Shasta County, and was a strong contender for county seat. Most of the land was farmed, and the hills around Clover Creek Valley to the Millville plains were put into grain to be processed in the flour mill. The town of Shasta was voted county seat in 1882, but the railroad's move to Redding caused it to be made county seat in 1886. Millville never recovered from the defeat of losing the county seat vote, and business slowly moved into Redding.

Unlike other California towns that have bloomed and faded during the past 100 years, Millville isn't a ghost town. There are several new and restored homes, a post office, veterinary clinic, a bakery, an elementary school, volunteer fire department, historical museum, and a new church.