Lathrop Hay Company
| Business |
Hay and Feed |
|---|---|
| Main Location |
Hollister |
| Active |
1873- |
The Lathrop Hay Company was a Hollister-based hay producer. Founded by L. B. Lathrop in 1873. Lathrop had been an orchardist in San Jose, but had moved to Hollister in 1873. He produced a huge crop of hay the next year, but because the Southern Pacific Railroad had not been completed to Hollister, he had no way to get it to market. He built a large storage warehouse near the railroad depot site and stored the hay until needed. He billed his new company as "Lathrop Hay Co., known everywhere as the largest hay company in the world." In 1893, the company expected to produce 27,000 tons of hay for shipping out. Between June 1 and August 18, the company shipped 492 freight cars at 11 tons each[1].
His son, R. P. Lathrop, later took over the company. By 1920, the warehouse site in Hollister had grown from 10 acres to 37, with four corrugated iron warehouses and 19,600 tons of hay capacity[2]. The plant had a mile of railroad spur tracks, six draft horses, stables, a track scale, and office building. The warehouses were spaced out over the property for fire prevention. The company was charging $1.50/ton to store hay for a year, and was also buying and selling hay as well[3]. R.P. Lathrop claimed Lathrop was supplying a fifth of California's hay demand[4].
In 1921, the company bought the Etcheverry company's eight hay warehouses in Tres Pinos[5].
Levi B. Lathrop had been born in New York, but came to California in 1849 to mine in Trinity County. His quartz mine failed, so he turned to truck gardening and made a significant profit. He then moved to Santa Clara County and ran orchards, then moved to Hollister in 1874 and bought 1600 acres. He died in 1905 in Capitola[6]
Locations
| Location | Years | Address | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollister | 1873 | ||
| Tres Pinos | 1923 |
References
- ↑ Henry D. Barrows and Luther A. Ingersoll, [Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California], Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1893.
- ↑ San Jose's Self-Made Men: R. P. Lathrop: February 4, 1922 San Jose Evening News.
- ↑ In the matter of the application of the Lathrop Hay company for authority to increase rates for the storage of hay at Hollister: California Railroad Commission decision #6284, April 24, 1919
- ↑ San Benito Hay Quality: August 18, 1917 Pacific Rural Press.
- ↑ Happenings Among Our Members: May 16, 1923 National Hay Press.
- ↑ May 1905 Free Lance, Hollister San Benito County.