Spreckels in Monterey County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 18, 2013

1. Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory Marker

Caption: Built 1898, Main Building razed 1993

Inscription. Claus Spreckels, a German immigrant, at the age of 70 constructed the worlds largest sugar beet factory. The building consisted of 3500 tons of steel framing, 4.5 million brick, a 74,500 sq. ft. slate roof, 6.5 inside stories. The brick walls were 116 ft tall by 102 ft. wide and 582 ft. long. The two brick smokestacks at 227 ft. tall and 14 ft. round, were externally plated with ¼ in. steel. Total cost was 5 million dollars. Seven million bricks and the machinery were shipped around the Horn to Moss Landing, where Spreckels owned the P.V.C. Railroad, linking the Watsonville-Salinas area to Spreckels California. Dedicated this 23rd day, October 1994 Monterey Viejo Chapter 1846 Lee ‘Snake Eyes’ Brooks Noble Grand Humbug E Clampus Vitus

Erected 1994 by E Clampus Vitus, Monterey Viejo Chapter No. 1846.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1994.

Location. 36° 37.407′ N, 121° 39.023′ W. Marker is in Spreckels, California, in Monterey County. Marker is at the intersection of Spreckels Avenue and 5th Street, on the left when traveling west on Spreckels Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is

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at or near this postal address: 107 Sprekels Avenue, Spreckels CA 93962, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Spreckels Historic District (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hill Town Ferry (approx. 1.2 miles away); a different marker also named Hill Town Ferry (approx. 1.2 miles away); Site of the First Salinas Library (approx. 3.4 miles away); Glikbarg Building (approx. 3.6 miles away); The Sargent House (approx. 3.7 miles away); The Steinbeck House (approx. 3.7 miles away); Bataan Park (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spreckels.

Also see . . . Spreckels Sugar Histroy - spreckelssugar.com. In 1896, Spreckels began contracting with growers for beets for the Salinas Factory. Local area growers signed up for only 5,000 out of a needed 30,000 acres to support construction of a factory. (Submitted on March 4, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 18, 2013

2. Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory Marker

Remains of the Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 18, 2013

3. Remains of the Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, February 18, 2013

4. Remains of the Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory

<i>Spreckels Sugar Factory and Sugar Beet Field...Monterey...</i> image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dorothea Lange, 1939

5. Spreckels Sugar Factory and Sugar Beet Field...Monterey...

Credits. This page was last revised on August 12, 2018. It was originally submitted on March 4, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 753 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 4, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 5. submitted on March 13, 2013. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.