Downtown in Campbell in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Campbell Farmer's Union

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 15, 2020

1. Campbell Farmer's Union Marker

Inscription. Built in 1912 as a fruit storage and packing plant for the Campbell Farmer's Union Packing Company, purchased by Sunsweet in 1919, this complex formed the core of Santa Clara Valley's agricultural trade. A neighboring building, demolished to make way for Orchard City Drive, housed the largest fruit dehydrator in the world, capable of processing 480 tons of fruit per day. In 1970 the plant became the Bodega nightclub, playing host to music artists as varied as Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt and The Doobie Brothers. During the 1980s technology replaced fruit as the valley's primary export and the complex took on a new role as a hub for business and innovation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.

Location. 37° 17.192′ N, 121° 56.612′ W. Marker is in Campbell, California, in Santa Clara County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Central Avenue and Orchard City Drive, on the right when traveling north on Central Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 307 Orchard City Drive, Campbell CA 95008, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area,

in Silicon Valley,

and on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bank of Campbell (within shouting distance of this marker); Bank of Campbell (Farley Building)

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Farley Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Growers National Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Hyde Cannery Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Downing Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Courtyard (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); B.O. Curry Building (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Campbell.

Also see . . . Musicians reminisce about playing at Campbell Bodega nightclub (Mercury News, August 27, 2007). "There was a time when Campbell rocked nearly every night with big name bands such as Boz Scaggs, the Doobie Brothers, the Greg Kihn Band and Johnny Winter. The club was the Bodega, located in what is now the Water Tower II Plaza." (Submitted on August 15, 2020.)

Former Campbell Farmer's Union and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 15, 2020

2. Former Campbell Farmer's Union and Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 601 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 15, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.