Another Use for the Caladero Processing Plant

Another Use for the Caladero Processing Plant

Hospitality was alive and well in the young colony of Atascadero according to the article published in the July/August 1920 edition of The Illustrated Review.  E. G. Lewis put the members of the Editorial Association up in tents the first time their conference was in Atascadero but found a new approach to housing them during their 1920 conference.  After writing last weeks article about the Caladero Processing Plant you may find the following article as interesting as I did.

Newspaper Editors at Atascadero

 Recently the Illustrated Review entertained for a week nearly two hundred editors of newspapers of California, at Atascadero.  The great conserving plant of the Caladero Products Company was converted into a hotel.  Twenty thousand fruit boxes were used to build little houses with, each house being completely furnished and all facing on streets leading out from a civic center, in which had also been built from fruit boxes, a city hall, jail, hotel and pawnshop, where needy editors could get small loans on their watches.  Following the convention of newspaper editors, the following resolution was presented by them to Atascadero:

Resolutions

  Whereas, The members of the Southern California Editorial Association four years ago, in 1916, as guests of Mr. E. G. Lewis, while enjoying his handsome hospitality had the privilege of a pre-view of his vision of an ideal illustration of community life at Atascadero, California: and,

  Whereas, Four years later, in the year 1920, we are again the glad guests of the good people of Atascadero and have seen the amazing consummation of Mr. Lewis' dream – a fact accomplished by the cordial cooperation of Mr. Lewis and the wonderful folk he has attracted to Atascadero from all parts of the world; therefore be it

  Resolved, That we congratulate Mr. Lewis and his able assistant Mrs. Lewis on the result of seeing their dreams come true, and the people of Atascadero on their good fortune in their association with such a leader as Mr. Lewis, and the remarkable result of such association; further, be it 

  Resolved, That in returning thanks for Atascadero hospitality, twice enjoyed by ourselves, we give hearty and practical expression thereto by telling the world through our various newspapers that Mr. Lewis and the good people of Atascadero have here actually accomplished what has so often been attempted – a choice community life that people everywhere hope for, but not many besides the fortunate folk casting their lot with Mr. Lewis in Atascadero, have ever actually attained.

Committee on Resolutions

Crombie Allen, Chairman, Ontario Daily Record.

W. O. Hart, Orange Daily News.

W. S. Spencer, Oceanside Blade.

Geo. F. Orgibet, Redondo Breeze.

M. D. Witter, Brawley Daily News.

Harvey Johnson, Banning Record.

R. M. Adam, Lompoc Record

James Wilkins is the president of the Atascadero Historical Society.  The Colony Museum is located at 6600 Lewis Avenue, mailing address: P.O. Box 1047, Atascadero CA 93423.  For more information, visit the website, www.atascaderohistoricalsociety.org or call 805-466-8341.