Research Forum Exploration of Local History
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| Frank Perry |
 Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:23 pm |
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Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 28
Location: Santa Cruz
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The California Journal of Mines and Geology, January, 1951, page 9, provides some interesting history of the sugar beet industry, quoted below:
"Napoleon was the father of the beet sugar industry. During the Napoleonic Wars, France was cut off from the West Indian cane sugar by the English blockade. France utilized sugar beets, and beet sugar made its first general appearance in the 'corner grocery store.' Prior to this time (1812) beet sugar had been little more than a laboratory curiosity since its discovery in 1747 by the German chemist, Andreas Margarf.
Some evidence has recenlty been uncovered by H. W. Dahlberg indicating that the Spanish Padres knew that California Indians made sugar and syrup from wild sugar beets in the Santa Clara valley before 1775.
Although the first United States beet sugar factory was not built in California, one of the first was erected by a coppersmith named Belper in 1856 at Ocean View, now part of the city of San Francisco. These early factories were not successful, however, and the second Callifornia factory became the first successful beet sugar factory in the United States. It was built by E. H. Dyer at Alvarado, Alameda County, and operated from 1870 through 1873. It was then moved to Soquel, Santa Cruz County, but ceased operations in 1880." |
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