History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California Volume 2 Title Page

Biography of George Paulsen of Santa Cruz California

George Paulsen, proprietor of the Sunshine Creamery at 17 Walnut avenue, Santa Cruz, was born on a farm in Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark, January 19, 1892. In young manhood he served for a year in the Danish army and then worked in a creamery, the two experiences affording him a practical knowledge of life that has been of value to him ever since.

In 1913, or a short time before the outbreak of the World war, Mr. Paulsen crossed the Atlantic to America and soon made his way westward to California. For a short time he was in Watsonville and later was employed at milking cows at a dairy in Santa Cruz. He next worked on a farm for the Spreckels Sugar Company at Salinas, and then went to Modesto, where he worked as a butter-maker in the Stanislaus Creamery for two years, and next he was employed in the Manteca Creamery.

In October, 1919, he came to Santa Cruz and bought the Sunshine Creamery, with which he has made a wonderful success. His business in the first year amounted to only twenty-five thousand dollars, after which his patronage and output so increased that in 1923 he did a business of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. In 1924 all the old machinery was taken out, and an entirely new equipment installed. Now he has a fine modern plant, manufacturing the widely popular Sunshine Creamery butter, thoroughly pasteurized, turning out over four hundred pounds daily, while he sells over five hundred gallons of milk a day, sixty gallons of sweet cream, and one hundred and twenty-five gallons of ice cream, employing five auto-trucks to handle the volume, in making prompt deliveries. A self-made man, risen from an emigrant boy who could not speak a word of English when he began his career in America, Mr. Paulsen’s record as a successful man of affairs is highly creditable to him and to all concerned with his development and progress.

Mrs. Paulsen was Miss Anne Christiansen, a native of Frnen, Denmark, before her marriage, and she is the proud mother of two children, Paul and Anna. Mr. Paulsen belongs to the Danish Lodge of San Francisco, Santa Cruz Lodge, No. 96, I. O. O. F., the Loyal Order of Moose and to the Red Men.


Source: History of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, California : cradle of California’s history and romance : dating from the planting of the cross of Christendom upon the shores of Monterey Bay by Fr. Junipero Serra, and those intrepid adventurers who accompanied him, down to the present day. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1925.


1 thought on “Biography of George Paulsen of Santa Cruz California”

  1. Hi, my name is Matt O’Brien. My grandfather was named George O’Brien and he owned the Walnut Avenue Bakery next to your Dad’s creamery.. I have a photograph with both of the store fronts in it. I am looking to find more information on my grand father’s bakery. Did you research this information or was known through your family.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    In the photograph, it shows the Sunshine Creamery to have an address of 15 Walnut Ave and next to it was E’berts Grocery at 17 Walnut Ave, The bakery was 11 Walnut Ave and they must have skipped 13, because the bakery took up 2 store fronts.

    I could make a copy of the photo for you.

    thank you, Matt

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