Part of the planning for this trip is because of the timing of the Sturgeon’s Mill Working Museum Days.
Sturgeon’s Mill is a 108 year old steam powered sawmill. It is a working museum that is open, to the general public, four weekends a year. On these weekends historians, gear heads, steam heads and students of California history come to Step back into History. And what an amazing step it is."Working Museums have all of the components of static museums with the added pluses that the processes and operations of the antiquities being displayed have been restored to working order. If there are parts that are missing or break on the equipment they have to be repaired or replaced as our ancestors did; by making a new part by hand allowing the antique machines to safely perform their original tasks and duties of milling logs into lumber."
Sturgeon’s Mill began its life in 1913 when Wade Sturgeon set up the sawmill in Coleman Valley several miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The mill operated there until 1923 when it was dismantled, loaded on wagons and pulled by horses seven miles further inland and reassembled here. It closed in 1964 when it was shuttered. It then slumbered for 30 years until its rebirth as The Sturgeon’s Mill Restoration Project. What a true treasure this place is. Wow.
In the early 1990s, a core group of seven former mill-workers and historians began the process of restoring the mill piece by piece; repairing, rebuilding and getting this rare steam powered sawmill running. Today, three decades later, the sawmill runs on steam with 60 enthusiastic volunteer crew members that operate the mill, conduct tours, and do saw milling demonstration runs, which we were delighted to be able to witness firsthand.Steve was mesmerized by this Willamette Yarder. Long before the present day tractors were developed, logs were moved from the woods to the mills, first with teams of horses or oxen, and then with the steam-powered donkeys and yarders such as this late 1800's Iron Works machine. This abandoned sawmill was an almost 100 year old accumulation of rusting machines, steam engines, hand tools, old trucks and wagons plus receipts of transactions and canceled pay checks that miraculously had never been discarded, dismantled or sold. All of the original structures and equipment remain. All of the original hand tools are here and regularly used. The original office building and equipment remain with the original paychecks and invoices. These records identify the businesses, farms and ranches of West Sonoma County in the 1940s to the 1960s.Everything the mill needed was here.The guys are standing in front of the sawdust burner (which is now a cinema showing the history of the mill). ALL of that sawdust had to go somewhere.In addition to seeing the saw milling processes in action, visitors to have the opportunity to step inside the sawmill, at designated times throughout the day, and talk to the crew members as they stand at their work positions and answer questions about their jobs, the milling process, and the machines they operate. How very, very cool.The original boiler is from San Francisco.And what makes the main saw go? This 1890s Atlas Steam Engine powers the incredible machinery we witnessed transforming logs into lumber. Drawing steam from the boiler, this 30 H.P. engine, together with the system of pulleys, shafts and belts, is the power source for the main saw head rig and log carriage. It powers the 60 and 42 inch circular saw blades, moves the log carriage back and forth, runs the sawdust conveyor chains and powers the winch called the "bull wheel".A highlight was a demonstration by Jim who sharing with us the Lost Art of Logging with Draft Horses. I loved the environmentally friendly thoughts of these gentle giants moving timber through the forest.It has been said that "Sawdust is man glitter". After experiencing this absolutely INCREDIBLE place, sawdust is now my glitter, too. Sturgeon's Mill is a treasure and I highly recommend everyone get to one of the Mill Run Days. The final one, for this year, is the weekend of October 15th. If I was around, I'd go back. It's free. It's informative. It's camaraderie. It's addictive. What's not to love?!
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In the early 1990s, a core group of seven former mill-workers and historians began the process of restoring the mill piece by piece; repairing, rebuilding and getting this rare steam powered sawmill running. Today, three decades later, the sawmill runs on steam with 60 enthusiastic volunteer crew members that operate the mill, conduct tours, and do saw milling demonstration runs, which we were delighted to be able to witness firsthand.
Steve was mesmerized by this Willamette Yarder. Long before the present day tractors were developed, logs were moved from the woods to the mills, first with teams of horses or oxen, and then with the steam-powered donkeys and yarders such as this late 1800's Iron Works machine.%20(Medium).jpg)
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2 comments:
Man glitter--I like that!
I have a new mindset when thinking about my garage. It is in a constant state of man glitter. Have you been to the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista? Very interesting. They have a few weekends a year where they have a parade of the steam engines. Very cool. It's where Jim took his blacksmithing classes.
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