Who was the 1st Sugar Daddy? (Inside the Spreckels' San Francisco & Hawaii Mansions)

Discover the real story behind the term 'Sugar Daddy' and the rise and fall of Claus Spreckels, the man who built an empire on sugar and left behind a legacy of grand mansions. From his early days in San Francisco to his luxurious estates in Hawaii and California, we'll explore the history of the first 'Sugar Daddy' and uncover what happened to his once-magnificent homes.

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Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress
CC BY-SA 3.0Photos from: Wikipedia User: joanna orpia, Smart Destinations, TRAJAN 117
CC BY-SA 4.0 Photos from: Wikipedia User: Frank Schulenburg
Assets from: Envato Elements
Music from Epidemic Sound

[DaynadeCoppet]

I swam in the Spreckles Mansion indoor pool on Washington St in the mid 80's. I will never forget the grandeur of the mansion. Dorothy Spreckles Munn was friends with my grandmother Muriel Fitch. My grandfather George Fitch was a Trustee of the de Young museum. We also visited Dorothy in her Paris apartment which had panoramic views and a butler wearing white gloves. As a young women in my early 20s, I will never forget these experiences. A bygone era for sure. Also it was a snooty one too.

[LJB]

In this video, I was just as interested in the family history as I was in their mansions. Thank you.

[LaurenceDay-dp]

Danille Steel bought this beautiful house and restored it. Good for her! I hope the classic mansion is preserved.

[johnvonundzu]

Amazing how much info you can pack into seven minutes. Very appreciated. Small footnote: the Claus Spreckels Mansion on Van Ness @6:37, wasn't exactly lost in 1906 (despite appearances). It was restored after the fire (as apartments maybe?) and survived until around 1927.

[ron]

The Pacific Heights mansion is now owned by writer Danielle Steele.

[drummersagainstitk]

I'm always enjoying these posts. The editing and commenting is short and concise. What is most interesting from this series is the IRONY of these homes usually being destroyed in the end. Especially in NYC. Thanks for your work.

[owendorn]

My grandmothers cousin was the granddaughter of Alma and Claus Spreckels and remembers spending time in their Washington street house when she was a little girl. She remembers the house fondly and how enormous of a lot it was. We still go to family reunions with them and they hosted one at they're Napa vineyard in the early 2000s.

[JonesJones-npkq]

Oh, it seems like he was on the right side of history! Wanting to reinstate the queen of Hawaii

[therealhellkitty]

In 1984, My husband and I stayed at the Spreckels Mansion in Coronado. It is now a private residence but it was a beautiful place.

[kimdaniel]

The research you do for each episode is wonderful. I love the extra family information along with the houses. Thank you

[debbied]

There was a town just south of Salinas, California called Spreckles. I don't think he ever lived there, but there was a big sugar processing plant, back when the area was a major producer of sugar beets.

[jonblock]

I live 2 blocks from the Spreckels' Pac Heights mansion across from Lafayette park. It's a magnificent structure and extends the entire width of the block down to Jackson Street. It sits adjacent to another iconic building, 2006 Washington, which is arguably the most luxurious condo tower west of the Mississippi.

[creativoever]

By and large, I thought all these houses were rather tasteful and lovely. I really love the surviving one. So classic

[garryferrington]

You packed interesting biographies into this along with the mansions. It was a fun-filled seven minutes.

[genevawaters]

Another fantastic video ..have a happy da💛💚💙🩵💜🧡🩶🤎❤️

[BananaHammock]

Adolph also had many mistresses that he placed in apartments around town that he paid for. Another meaning behind “sugar daddy”

[sharonduffey]

I enjoy learning the history behind the homes. Thank you!

[jons.]

When I was a kid in San Jose in the 70s we also had Spreckels Milk a few times! Always thought it was a funny name and didn't realize it was a family one.

[randyboglisch]

All Beautiful homes. Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear with whom she spent her time with

[shafts]

Vocal Fry is in overdrive on this video