Monterey County Points of Interest
Spreckels Sugar Beet Factory
Built 1893, Main Building Razed 1993
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 ΒΌ in. steel. The 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