Spreckels Sugar Company
Encyclopedia
The Spreckels Sugar Company is an American
sugar beet
refiner that for many years controlled much of the U.S. West Coast
refined sugar market. Spreckels Sugar was founded by entrepreneur, industrialist, newspaper publisher, and railroad executive Claus Spreckels
in 1881. It is currently based in Brawley, California
.
Spreckels founded the company town
of Spreckels, California
, just south of the city of Salinas
, in the late 19th century, but his descendants began to relinquish control when they started selling homes in the community to the public c. 1925.
In 1891, Henry O. Havemeyer
, who controlled The American Sugar Refining Company (The Sugar Trust), bought half of the stock of the Spreckels Sugar Company, thus giving his company control of the Hawaiian sugar and of the markets west of the Mississippi River.
When it was completed in 1899, Spreckels' "Factory 1" was the largest sugar refinery in the world. Shipping to and from the plant was mostly by a private Spreckels-owned narrow-gauge railroad system connecting to the docks at Moss Landing, California
. The factory was just north of the Salinas River
at 36°37′7"N 121°39′5"W.
On Claus Spreckels' death, second son Adolph B. Spreckels
assumed the management of Spreckels Sugar Company. Adolph's wife's nephew, Charles Edouard de Bretteville, eventually took over as head of the company and in 1949 led a group that purchased control. In 1963, the family sold their interests to Amstar. In 1987, a management team bought out the Spreckels Sugar Division; in 1996, it was sold to Imperial Holly Corp.
of Sugar Land, Texas
who owned it until 2005 when it was sold to Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative of Renville, Minnesota
.
Spreckels Blvd. outside Salinas, as well as Spreckels Road outside King City, California
and Spreckels Blvd in Manteca, California
, still bear witness to the mark Spreckels Sugar made in the area.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
refiner that for many years controlled much of the U.S. West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
refined sugar market. Spreckels Sugar was founded by entrepreneur, industrialist, newspaper publisher, and railroad executive Claus Spreckels
Claus Spreckels
Claus Spreckels, formally Adolph Claus J. Spreckels , , was a major industrialist in Hawai'i during the kingdom, republican and territorial periods of the islands' history...
in 1881. It is currently based in Brawley, California
Brawley, California
Brawley is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. Brawley is located north of El Centro. The population was 24,953 at the 2010 census, up from 22,052 at the 2000 census. The town has a significant cattle and feed industry, and hosts the annual Cattle Call Rodeo. Year-round...
.
Spreckels founded the company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
of Spreckels, California
Spreckels, California
Spreckels is a census-designated place located in the Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California, United States. Spreckels is located south of Salinas, at an elevation of 62 feet . The population was 673 at the 2010 census, up from 485 at the 2000 census.Spreckels is one of the best-preserved...
, just south of the city of Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
, in the late 19th century, but his descendants began to relinquish control when they started selling homes in the community to the public c. 1925.
In 1891, Henry O. Havemeyer
Henry O. Havemeyer
Henry Osborne Havemeyer was an American entrepreneur who founded the American Sugar Refining Company in 1891. He was chosen vice president and afterward its president.- Background :...
, who controlled The American Sugar Refining Company (The Sugar Trust), bought half of the stock of the Spreckels Sugar Company, thus giving his company control of the Hawaiian sugar and of the markets west of the Mississippi River.
When it was completed in 1899, Spreckels' "Factory 1" was the largest sugar refinery in the world. Shipping to and from the plant was mostly by a private Spreckels-owned narrow-gauge railroad system connecting to the docks at Moss Landing, California
Moss Landing, California
Moss Landing is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Moss Landing is located on the Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad north-northeast of Monterey, at an elevation of 10 feet . As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 204, down from 300 at the 2000...
. The factory was just north of the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
at 36°37′7"N 121°39′5"W.
On Claus Spreckels' death, second son Adolph B. Spreckels
Adolph B. Spreckels
Adolph Bernard Spreckels was a California businessman who ran Spreckels Sugar Company and who donated the California Palace of the Legion of Honor art museum to the city of San Francisco in 1924. His wife Alma was called the "great grandmother of San Francisco".-Biography:His father was Claus...
assumed the management of Spreckels Sugar Company. Adolph's wife's nephew, Charles Edouard de Bretteville, eventually took over as head of the company and in 1949 led a group that purchased control. In 1963, the family sold their interests to Amstar. In 1987, a management team bought out the Spreckels Sugar Division; in 1996, it was sold to Imperial Holly Corp.
Imperial Sugar
Imperial Sugar is a major U.S. sugar producer and marketer based in Sugar Land, Texas, with sugar refinery operations in California, Georgia, and Louisiana....
of Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
who owned it until 2005 when it was sold to Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative of Renville, Minnesota
Renville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,323 people, 508 households, and 329 families residing in the city. The population density was 948.9 people per square mile . There were 544 housing units at an average density of 390.2 per square mile...
.
Spreckels Blvd. outside Salinas, as well as Spreckels Road outside King City, California
King City, California
King City is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. King City is located on the Salinas River southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 335 feet . It lies along U.S. Route 101 in the Salinas Valley of the Central Coast of California. King City is a member of the Association of...
and Spreckels Blvd in Manteca, California
Manteca, California
Manteca is a city in , USA. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 67,096.- History :Manteca is a city in the Central Valley of California, 76 miles east of San Francisco. It was founded in 1861 by Joshua Cowell. Cowell claimed around and built houses on what is now the corner of Main...
, still bear witness to the mark Spreckels Sugar made in the area.
External links
- Official Company Website
- Guide to the Western Sugar Refinery Records, 1871-1949 at The Bancroft Library - earlier version of company