Beet Sugar Factory - Glendale AZ
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Where's George
N 33° 32.245 W 112° 10.252
12S E 391287 N 3711481
In 1903, Glendale founder, W.J. Murphy, helped to organize the Arizona Sugar Company to raise sugar beets for processing in a Glendale factory. The factory was built between 1903 and 1906.
Waymark Code: WMH5A9
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 05/25/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member silverquill
Views: 8

"The Arizona Republican, on January 5, 1906, wrote an extensive article on all phases of construction and the description given of the buildings sizes shows what an extensive undertaking the factory was:

The steel structure of the main building is now fully completed. It is five stories high in one part and three stories in another. Built on solid concrete foundations it gives every appearance of standing for ages. This building is 293 by 67 feet and is the largest of the group. The foundations for the other buildings are well under way. There is a boiler house 160 by 52 feet; a lime kiln house 80 by 52 feet; a repair shop 60 by 52 feet, and a smoke stack with a base measuring 30 by 30 feet. When complete this stack will be 165 feet in height and the material a patent brick.
In addition to these buildings named there will be a sugar warehouse of the dimensions 120 by 67 feet and the immense beet sheds 400 by 100. The office building built apart from the other structures will be of modern construction, and although small will be a handsome structure.

These buildings were seen by most people as the building of Glendale and to be architecturally an attraction for the town.11 By the end of July 1906, construction was finished, processing machinery was in place, beets had been shipped from all parts of the valley and stored in storage sheds; operations were ready to begin. The factory was ready, but the water needed was not available."

- above text from (visit link)
Street address:
5243 W. Glendale Ave.
Glendale, AZ USA


County / Borough / Parish: Maricopa County

Year listed: 1978

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Agriculture, Industry

Periods of significance: 1900-1924

Historic function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Industry/Processing/Extraction

Current function: Industry/Processing/Extraction

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 1: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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