Puritan Ice operated in Atascadero from 1926 through 1953. They took over a failing ice plant at Via and Traffic Way, the building still standing. Then they contracted Ralph Barrows Easson, California’s recognized chicken expert, and built up the largest chicken ranch on earth. At one point there were more than 100,000 white leghorn chickens on the ranch.
Don’t forget to buy the book, The Puritan Ice Companies: The Ice Empire of California’s Central Coast.
And check out images from other regions where Puritan flourished.
Circa 1940, Puritan Ice Atascadero.
1926 Sanborn insurance map showing Gay Engineering ownership of the plant.
By 1930, Puritan has taken over.
The Puritan Poultry Company grew to be the largest on earth.
The Puritan Poultry egg label.
The ice plant sold in the 1950s but still stands today.
The chicken ranch sold to Kimber Farms in 1941 and remains a productive chicken farm today.
The Puritan chicken ranch site today.
Return to the Puritan Ice home page.