McKern place

Homestead on the bank of the Nacimiento River, 12 miles west of Jolon, where the road up the river meets the water. Lawson McKern homesteaded 160 acres and built a cabin here in the early 1890s. After his death the ranch passed to Reil Dani, who raised a large family on it and sold to Ed Sans (Mabel Plaskett’s father), who moved his family here from Mill Creek in 1910; his son Charles was born on the place. Eventually sold to Hearst and now inside Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation. The Sans sawmill on Mill Creek kept its lumber yard here, and it was an overnight stop on the Jolon-to-coast mail run. [2026-08-03: coordinate REMOVED — Nominatim had geocoded this to Oregon (45.29, -122.95), about 700 miles off. No verified position; described location only. See research question.] [Field note, Bill Alderson 2026-08-03: a sign reading “McKerns Road / Locked Gate 2” stands atop South Coast Ridge Road, at the summit where Nacimiento-Fergusson Road crosses. Almost certainly the ridge-top end of the route bearing his name, running inland toward this homestead; the gate is locked because the ground below is now Fort Hunter Liggett.]