I love the juxtaposition of Old West technology and the industrial age in this photo. This factory was built in 1906 or 1907. The Garden City (Kansas) Telegram of July 24, 1959, reports that beet processing at the Swink plant stopped at the end of the 1955 season. The building may still be standing, for as recently as five years ago it was a recycling center for electronics, cardboard and plastic.
The Holly Sugar Company was created in Holly, Colorado, in 1905. Its founder, Kenneth Schley, gave the company its name because holly berries traditionally symbolized friendship and good cheer.
REFERENCES:
- Garden City Telegram, July 24, 1959, at https://www.newspapers.com/browse/us/colorado/
- La Junta Tribune-Democrat at http://www.lajuntatribunedemocrat.com/article/20130228/NEWS/130229908
