Colorado History: The Story Behind Grand Junction’s Sugar Beet Factory

You've driven past the large brick building on the Riverside Parkway many times, and we're sure you asked yourself, "What exactly did that building used to be?" It has a fascinating history.

While the area along the Riverside corridor continues to build up, one building has remained the same. Hopefully, with its history engrained in Grand Junction, it will remain a sight for generations.

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So, What Exactly is the History of This Grand Junction, Colorado Building?

The factory was initially constructed in 1899 to process sugar beets by the Colorado Sugar Factory.

During the Great Depression, the factory closed operations, consolidating operations with a factory in Delta, Colo.

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Grand Junction, Colorado's Sugar Beet Factory's 'Radiant' History

During World War II, when the United States pushed the need for nuclear energy, the once-sugar beet factory became a uranium processing plant. It was the only domestic uranium procurement location in the U.S. from 1943 to 1946.

Sadly, the tailings from the processing plant polluted the surrounding areas and waterways that flow through Grand Junction. During the 1980s, the Department of Energy worked to clean up the pollution.

Nowadays, you can still see the building across the parkway from the Las Colonias Amphitheater.