Local Mythbusting: Was the Rossmoor Wall built from the bricks of the demolished Los Alamitos Sugar Factory?

One of the most persistent local myths is that the original wall surrounding Rossmoor was built from the bricks of the demolished Los Alamitos Sugar Factory.

While a nice story with some pleasant symmetry, this, unfortunately, seems to be untrue.  The wall was built by Ross Cortese’s Frematic Development Company in 1956 and 1957 during the original construction of Rossmoor, but newspaper articles in late 1959 (Enterprise, Dec. 3, 1959, p.2) and the June 5, 1960, LA Times state the main sugar factory building, now idle and empty was still intact as of this time, although condemnation was being considered.   The Los Al Chamber of Commerce website indicates that all but two buildings would be torn down by late 1960. The machine shop survived until 1977 when it was demolished to make way for s self-storage company. The sugar warehouse is the sole remaining building from the original complex still standing, but its brick exterior was replaced with a concrete exterior after a fire totally destroyed the building and half of that year’s bags of refined sugar.  Theoretically, this would have been a nice reusage of the bricks (originally over 750,000 were used to construct the factory, according to LA Times articles of the time) and it would have been nice symbolism for out with the old and in with the new, but

County Studies Possibility of Condemning Old Sugar Factory (News-Enterprise, Dec. 3, 1959)

At one time one of the leading industrial plants in Southern California and the largest employer in the area, the once grandiose sugar beet factory at the corner of Cerritos and Los Alamitos Blvd. may be condemned in the near future.

After touring the huge plant, now idle and condemned for use or storage purposes, several representatives of Orange County’s various departments were shocked at the hazards that now exist on the property.

Youngsters Break In

Ed Johnson, an investigator for the Sheriff’s department juvenile division, said that so many children, mostly young boys are breaking into the buildings and cl;climbing into the rafters, tearing out the bricks, crawling into the sump hole and tampering with electrical installations, it almost requires a full-time car to guard it.

Very recently, some boys shorted an electrical switch with a steel bar.  The electrical installation furnished electricity to a nearby firm.  Before that, two teenagers had crawled into the rafters to hunt for pigeons, and sheriff’s deputies had to get them down when they got stuck.

Last year, Johnson said, a boy fell from the second floor to the first but luckily was not hurt badly.

It was the consensus of opinion of the investigators that proceedings would be instituted to get the buildings condemned and demolished.  It would be in the hands of the Board of Supervisors.

At the time it was condemned for use, the owner was presented with a list of things he would have to do to bring it up to code so it could be occupied, and he felt it would be too expensive, it was reported.

Colorful History

In the late 1800’s the sugar beet refinery employed around 400 men, according to old-timers in the area.  It was such a prosperous venture that a huge subdivision of half-acre parcels was sold and the streets were even mapped and some put in.

Later Dr. Ross brought his dog food factory and established it here.  He sold out to other interests, who later moved to another location.  Before the war, it was used for many and various business purposes, and during the war Douglas Aircraft leased it for storage purposes.

Most recent use of it before condemnation was by the U.S. Government, who stored cotton there.  The excess cotton that now covers most of the floor constitutes the major fire hazard in the buildings, it was noted.

Besides the fire hazard, and the dangerous situations for playing children.  Johnson described it as an ideal situation for narcotics addicts and sex deviates.

Listed as owners of the controversial property was the West Continental Development Co. in Los Angeles.

PROGRESS DOOMS LANDMARKS LEFT FROM FOUNDING OF LOS ALAMITOS (LA Times, June 5, 1960)

Two landmarks that date back to the founding of this community in 1896 will soon be gone forever.

The old sugar beet processing plant on Cerritos Avenue at Los Alamitos Boulevard and the Congregational Community Church at Pine and Katella Avenues will probably be razed within the next year.

Both were built in 1896 when the townsite was subdivided into 500 lots that sold for $25 to $200 an acre by the Bixby Land Company.

An advertising brochure published by the land company painted a glowing description of the investment opportunity involving the 6,000 acres offered for sale.

The beet processing plant had been built and the promoters needed people to settle and work the land so that the plant would be provided with an adequate supply of beets.

“How could you lose?” the brochure points out.

Church Built

The beet crops were to be purchased before they were planted at a price that was alr4eady determined.  The processing plant was adjacent to the land and the crop could be used to pay off the mortgage!

As part of the incentive to buy that land, the brochure noted that a fine, union church building has just been built in the middle of the tract.  This is believed to be the Congregational Church on Katella that is soon to be abandoned by the congregation in favor of a new site.

The old church is one of the few left in Southern California that has the traditional white wood frame construction and the tall steeple housing the bell.  However, the bell will be retained and is to be moved to the new church.

The land company’s brochure contains a map that shows such streets as Alvarado (now Katella), Myrtle St. (now Los Alamitos Blvd.)  and Main St. (now Reagan St.)

The 6,000 acres were sold, the sugar beets were produced and the value of the land increased throughout the years.  The $600,000 beet-processing plant ultimately employed over 400 persons.