Los Gatos Cured Fruit Company

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Summary
Business

Dried Fruit Packer
Main Location

Los Gatos
Active

1904-1931

The Los Gatos Cured Fruit Company was a Los Gatos-based fruit dryer, incorporated in 1904 and surviving until 1931. The dryer was operated by Noah J. Rogers, who was exceptional in his insistence upon cleanliness. He had workers sweep his entire dry yard." [1] The dryer was at the northeast corner of Los Gatos-Almaden Road and Los Gatos Boulevard[2]. Shore and the interviewer both remember the packing house as cut off at an angle (to match the street) and also remember that Rodgers was crippled by the time they remembered him. Rogers also had orchards in the surrounding area; the "Corinthian Grocers" (employees of the San Francisco Grocery Company?) had a picnic at the orchard in 1922[3]. Rodger's house still exists on Los Gatos-Almaden Road as the current Basiuni home, well known for the agricultural machines in the front yard[4].

There are some other guesses for the location of the business.. A photo caption at the Los Gatos Public Library suggests the yard was on National Ave. [5]. Bruntz's History of San Jose shows a picture of the plant (pg 160), and declares it was on the corner of Almaden Road and Bascom, now replaced by a gas station. Bruntz also declares that "during World War II, soldiers were stationed here."


Locations

Location Years Address Details
Los Gatos 1907, 1912, 1922, 1931 Los Gatos Blvd. at Los Gatos-Almaden Road.

Photos

Details

Near Los Gatos. Held patent #84016.

Incorporated December 28, 1904 with $25,000 in capital according to 1905 list of new coroporations [6]

Appears in 1907 list of agricultural producers Also dealer for J.B. Patterson's security ladder in 1919.

1890 San Jose City Directory lists Noah Rodgers as "farmer".

Mentioned in 1922 County History.

November 1922 Western Canner and Packer mentions" significant improvements" in time for 1923 season.

Disincorporated March 1931 according to legal notice in March 20, 1931 San Jose Evening News.


References

  1. Robert Couchman, "The Sunsweet Story", p. 42
  2. Richard Mors, [http://www.historylosgatos.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15449coll3/id/29 Interview of Nolton Shore. Interview from May 25, 1990. In collection of Los Gatos Library.
  3. "The Corinthian Grocer's Outing: Members of the San Francisco Grocery Company and Their Families Held Most Enjoyable Basket Picnic Among the Prunes Last Sunday". In September 1, 1922 Retail Grocer's Advocate.
  4. Photo, 16351 Los Gatos-Almaden Road. In collection of Los Gatos Library.
  5. "Hooked on Los Gatos" photo caption
  6. 1905 list of new corporations