sturgeon's mill
sturgeon's, which dates to the 1870s, was among scores of steam-powered saw mills that once operated in sonoma County, ca. in its heyday in the early- to mid-1900s sturgeon's processed as much as 15,000 board feet of lumber per day. the timber, almost entirely redwood, was harvested in northern california. At one time there were employed a total of 25 men, 12 of whom worked as mill operators. over the years the mill passed through several owners, including wade sturgeon, who bought it in 1914 and operated it until world war II. After being shut down in 1962 it stood idle for three decades, when a handful of former workers bought it on the cheap and, to preserve the property, formed a 501 (c)(3) charitable trust. this is the lone surviving saw mill in california. Today it is open four weekends a year, staffed by dedicated volunteers. experienced men operate the mill for public demonstration purposes only. Our visit was in may of 2022.
