Sonoma County CA Archives History - Books .....Duncan's Mill 1877
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 25, 2006, 4:05 am

Book Title: Historical And Descriptive Sketch Of Sonoma County, California

DUNCAN'S MILL.

   This village is situated on the south bank of Russian river, one and one-half
miles from the sea. The mill was built in 1860 by S. M. & A. Duncan; it has been
in successful operation for the past sixteen years; during that time a thriving
village has grown up around it. In the town there is a hotel, a post and express
office, store, and telegraph office, and a population of about one hundred. S.
M. Duncan and his former partner, Hendy, were members of the first company
organized to cut timber in Sonoma county. The company was formed of mechanics at
work on the Benicia barracks, in 1849. Charles Mc-Dermott was president, and
John Bailiff, secretary. The price of timber was then three hundred dollars a
thousand. The company organized under the name of the Blumedale Lumber Company,
in honor of F. G. Blume, on whose land, near the present town of Freestone, they
built a mill. The price of lumber tumbled by the time the company got at work,
and it soon after went into liquidation. Its effects were purchased, and it was
revised under the firm name of Hendy & Duncan. General George Stoneman was a
partner in the firm. They did not make it go, and the machinery was taken to the
mines, where it was run awhile, and was brought back to the county in 1852 by
Hendy & Duncan, who built at Salt Point the first steam saw-mill on the coast.
From Salt Point the mill was removed to Russian river by S. M. & A. Duncan, and
took the name of Duncan's mill. The boiler purchased by the Blumedale Company in
1849 is still used by A. Duncan, the successor of Hendy & Duncan, and S. M. & A.
Duncan.

   At this time, 1877, a joint stock company, known as the Duncan's Mill Land
and Lumber Company, has been inaugurated, and the mill was moved to its present
location, on the north side of Russian river, at a point where the North Pacific
Railroad crosses the river, the present terminus of the road. It will retain its
original name of Duncan's mill.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORICAL
AND
DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH
OF
SONOMA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
BY
ROBERT A. THOMPSON,
EDITOR OF "THE SONOMA DEMOCRAT."
PHILADELPHIA:
L. H. EVERTS & CO. 
1877.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sonoma/history/1877/historic/duncansm382nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 2.8 Kb