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Description
Photo--black and white: Jim Henningsen (L) and Ralph Sturgeon 1974, in front of their 1924 Dorris truck at Sturgeon's Sawmill. Following caption by Lesa Tanner from her book "Graton": James Henningsen (left) and Ralph Sturgeon were partners in Sturgeon's Mill from 1943 to 1964. The steam-powered sawmill was originally built in the 1880's at Korbel. In 1913, Wade Sturgeon, Ralph's father, purchased it from Melvin "Boss" Meeker and moved it to the Coleman Valley site where Wade began his lumber business in 1914. In 1924, he moved the mill to Green Hill Road that runs between Graton and Occidental Roads. Ralph and James bought it from him in 1943. The mill closed in 1964, and James passed his half on to his son Harvey Henningsen, who took this photograph of the old friends in 1974. In 1993, a 30 year reunion of former mill workers was held, and afterward Ralph, his sons Bob and Dan, Richard Trevicheck, John Barber, Virgil Shaw and Harvey Henningsen each laid a $100 bill on the hood of Ralph's 1949 GMC pickup and made a commitment to restore the mill. The mill now has demonstration runs open to the public four weekends a year, with the goal of becoming a working museum.
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