North Pacific Cannery

The North Pacific Cannery is the oldest intact salmon cannery on the west coast.  It was built in 1889 and ran continuously for almost 100 years.  It employed hundreds of Chinese, Japanese, First Nation and Europeons as fishers, cannery workers and support staff during the salmon runs up the Skeena River.  These people each had a specific job to do and area within the cannery to live.  The buildings are all well preserved and in great shape.  We learned anbout the beginnings of the cannery when the salmon was all hand cleaned, cut and packed into tins.  The fishermen went to sea and brought their catch back to off load into tug boats that took the salmon up the Skeena to the cannery.  The salmon were then off loaded onto the docks and then directly onto the cannery floor.  The salmon were then prepared by removing the head, tail, fins and innerds, some say with just 8 knife cuts, cleaned, cut into pieces, placed in tins, sealed with lids, presure cooked, labeled and then ready to be shipped off to mostly WWII soldiers.  Then we saw the automated line that replaced hand packing in the 1920's.  The plant was in operation until 1969 when the salmon numbers declined and also fresh salmon was prefered to canned salmon.  I sure am glad that I was not eating canned salmon at that time!!  After the cannery we went to the artsy district of Prince Rupert called Cow Bay.  This bay got it's name from when cows arrived on ships and the ships could not dock, so they opened the gates and let the cows swim for shore in the bay.  There were very different boutiques along the bay. 

Thanks Meg for your answer on the cows lying in the dirt.  What a great answer.  Hope all are well and you chillins are enjoying your summer vacation.  Love ya'll,,,,,,,,,,,,,