Site of Nation's First Successful Beet Sugar Factory

The first successful factory lasted three seasons. Ebenezer Dyer had planted German beet seed on his farm, and in May 1870 he broke ground here with three German partners. After the 1873 campaign the company failed over money and investors' quarrels, and the Germans took the machinery south to a new site near Santa Cruz. Dyer bought back the buildings, and a run of companies, his own first, kept a factory on this ground for another century. Holly Sugar, which helped place this bronze in 1962, closed the plant in 1975, and it was demolished in 1977.

What the plaque says

Site of Nation's First Successful Beet Sugar Factory The factory was built in 1870 by E.H. Dyer, "Father of the American beet sugar industry." Located on a corner of Dyer's farm, the small factory began processing sugarbeets on November 15, 1870, and produced 293 tons of sugar during its first operating season. The plant has since been completely rebuilt on the original site. California Registered Historical Landmark No. 768 Plaque placed by the California State Park Commission in cooperation with the Holly Sugar Corporation, May 17, 1962.

Where it stands

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