Local oldtimers have cited that the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory would kick off its annual campaign — the opening of the factory to take in the just-harvested sugar beet crop — with a big barbecue picnic and celebration. This would usually occur in mid July to early August, depending on that year’s crop. But the … Read more
The Beet Sugar Gazette was a monthly publication covering the entire sugar beet industry around the world. With offices in Chicago, it was published on the 5th day of each month. Each month its pages featured articles on sugar beet cultivation and the sugar manufacturing process, and reports from correspondents in sugar producing areas or … Read more
Clark J. Bonner was a nephew of William A. Clark and J. Ross Clark, the builders of the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory. When J. Ross Clark died in 1927, Bonner who had been a successful businessman in his own right, assumed control of J. Ross Clark’s financial interests. He already controlled the financial interests of … Read more
Los Alamitos—A Crackerjack Sugar Mill. An infinity of noises smiting upon the ear. ceaseless, never-ending, repetitive; the hum of myriads of wheels, whirling with spokes indistinguishable; the sung of belts gliding endlessly aloft, swinging from wheel to wheel; ibe noise of the beets, as churning and splashing through the water, they are inevitably drawn into … Read more
The December 1897 issue of the Sugar Beet Planter’s correspondent had a couple references to s activities at the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory. In the first he wrote: The [Chino] Champion says that the sugar company …has arranged to get molasses from the Alamitos factory to treat in the plant here.” Later he made a … Read more
Los Alamitos, California. July 31, 1897. Editor Louisiana Planter: A recent visit to the factory disclosed the fact that the beets delivered from this neglected corner of the country are of exceptional sweetness, averaging 18% Per cent, sugar, the highest being 20.0 per cent. This has never been exceeded in any part of the country, … Read more
The Anaheim Gazette was the major newspaper covering Orange County from the county’s formation through the first two decades of the 20th Century. Copies of it are available on microfilm at the Anaheim Historical Library. Much of the paper’s coverage of sugar beet news was reprinted in beet industry publications such as the Louisiana Planter. … Read more
The article below was first published in the October 1897 issue of the Land of Sunshine, edited by Charles F. Lummis. Land of Sunshine was one of the most influential publications of boosteristic propaganda on the virtues of Southern Calfiornia life. It later changed its name to Out West. 16 SEP 1897 — Land of … Read more
The following article was originally published in the June 1956 issue of Westways Magazine. At the time Los Alamitos was still an unincorporated area of 600 residents, mainly residing in the Old Town areas just north of Katella Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard, the Garden Park Acres (now Apartment Row) between Katella and Farquhar and … Read more
The following article was originally published in the June 1956 issue of Westways Magazine. At the time Los Alamitos was still an unincorporated area of 600 residents, mainly residing in the Old Town areas just north of Katella Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard, the Garden Park Acres (now Apartment Row) between Katella and Farquhar and … Read more