Crystal Sugar - Mason City, IA

from flickr user ECLeatherberry
Growing up in southern Minnesota, I remember seeing what I remember to be the rather imposing Crystal Sugar plant in nearby Mason City, Iowa. Long abandoned, I recall my dad rattling off a list of our neighbors who had raised sugar beets to be processed at that very same Crystal Sugar plant and became rich doing so. As for what happened to the sugar beet business in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, I have no idea. Apparently, though, it did last into the 1970s before vanishing.

If this photo caught your eye, check out the MinnPics Store to purchase equally amazing and beautiful photo prints in varying sizes - they make great gifts for any occasion.