December 1897 – Sugar Beet report on Los Alamitos

The December 1897 issue of the Sugar Beet Planter’s correspondent had a couple references to s activities at the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory. In the first he wrote: The [Chino] Champion says that the sugar company …has arranged to get molasses from the Alamitos factory to treat in the plant here.” Later he made a … Read more

July 31, 1897 – Louisiana Planter correspondent tours new Los Alamitos Sugar Factory

Los Alamitos, California. July 31, 1897. Editor Louisiana Planter: A recent visit to the factory disclosed the fact that the beets delivered from this neglected corner of the country are of exceptional sweetness, averaging 18% Per cent, sugar, the highest being 20.0 per cent. This has never been exceeded in any part of the country, … Read more

July 1897 – Anaheim Gazette coverage of the new Los Alamitos Sugar Factory

The Anaheim Gazette was the major newspaper covering Orange County from the county’s formation through the first two decades of the 20th Century.  Copies of it are available on microfilm at the Anaheim Historical Library.  Much of the paper’s coverage of sugar beet news was reprinted in beet industry publications such as the Louisiana Planter. … Read more

August 1897 – A German Immigrant farmer writes to Chicago of Los Alamitos

The Louisiana planter and sugar manufacturer was one of three major publications which regularly covered the sugar industry in America.  Much of their writings were reprints of articles and letters in local newspapers.  In 1897, Gus Hansen a German immigrant living in Orange County wrote back to his old friends in Chicago, and his letter … Read more

An Excursion to the new Los Alamitos Sugar Factory

The article below was first published in the October 1897 issue of the Land of Sunshine, edited by Charles F. Lummis.  Land of Sunshine was one of the most influential publications of boosteristic propaganda on the virtues of Southern Calfiornia life.  It later changed its name to Out West. 16 SEP 1897 — Land of … Read more

Sweet Old Days in Los Alamitos

The following article was originally published in the June 1956 issue of Westways Magazine.  At the time Los Alamitos was still an unincorporated area of 600 residents, mainly residing in the Old Town areas just north of Katella Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard, the Garden Park Acres (now Apartment Row) between Katella and Farquhar and … Read more

Sweet Old Days in Los Alamitos

The following article was originally published in the June 1956 issue of Westways Magazine.  At the time Los Alamitos was still an unincorporated area of 600 residents, mainly residing in the Old Town areas just north of Katella Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard, the Garden Park Acres (now Apartment Row) between Katella and Farquhar and … Read more

LATV – Dissolution might actually lead to a good thing

It might be a local tragedy. Then again it might actually be a golden opportunity. The decision last Monday to dissolve the LATV-3 non-profit corporation followed a five-month controversy that began …. Blah blah bla yada yada yada…Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (yawn!)…. C’mon, Larry, cut to the chase. Will LATV even continue to be on the air? And more … Read more

BUSINESS: Katella Deli

Katella Deli was opened by Sam Ratman and his sons in 1964.  It was originally located in what was then called The Rossmoor Medical Park  but is now the Rossmoor Village Shopping Center (where Polly’s Pies is now located) but around 1985 it moved just over a mile east to its present location at the … Read more