F I R S T
P R E V947NEXTLAST
The Cannery, Fisherman's Wharf
In 1907 this cannery was built on top of property that had been gutted by the Great Earthquake and Fire the year before. The cannery was owned by the California Fruit Cannery Association, or Calpak, a company that eventually changed its name to Del Monte. Perfectly situated on a rail line and the waterfront, by 1909 it was the largest fruit and vegetable cannery in the world. The canning operations here continued for 30 years until Depression-era economics forced its shutdown.
For three decades the old canning plant sat empty and was slated to be torn down when was purchased by Leonard Martin in 1963. Martin's vision was to turn it into "a place for people to detach themselves from everyday hustle and bustle, in an environment reminiscent of the romantic marketplaces of Europe." The three-story building was remodeled to house shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums, while still preserving the old architecture. Opened in 1966, the Cannery along with Ghirardelli Square, spurred a national movement to recycle older buildings and influenced tax legislation to preserve them.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What was the primary produce item canned here?
TRIVIA ANSWER
MORE CANNERY PHOTOS
[
MAP D-13 ]