Mabel Sans Childhood at Mill Creek Sawmill
Mabel's childhood ran on sawdust and creek water at her father's mill among the redwoods.
Mabel Sans grew up at her fathers sawmill on Mill Creek, where Ed Sans and his brother Charles bought the upper portion from Polk Fancher around 1900. Beautiful tall redwoods grew all around. The children wore shoes only to school and when going “outside” (anywhere over the mountain). They loved to climb trees and slide down the hillside on a sled - sometimes hitting a root and overturning, often landing in the creek. Old Cap (Orval Olmstead), the engineer who kept the great boiler going, swore like a trooper but quoted Shakespeare and the Bible eloquently. He had his own cabin filled with flowers and often watched the children when their parents went on trips.