Beet Sugar Industry

The first successful beet sugar factory in Michigan was built in 1898 by the Michigan Sugar Company on Woodside Avenue in Essexville. A year later the Bay City Sugar Company built a competing factory across the street. The two plants merged in 1903 with the original plant closing down shortly thereafter. The name of the merged company was Bay City-Michigan Sugar Company which was then shortened to Michigan Sugar Company. It operated continuously until 1929 and closed permanently in 1933. The company´s early success sparked the construction of many other beet sugar plants. All were part of the drive which has made beet sugar vital to Michigan´s economy. The present Monitor Sugar factory is the only beet sugar plant still in operation in Bay County.