History of Sacramento Cannery Industry facts for kids
Sacramento, California, has a cool history with canning! It became a super important place for canning food because it was located where big transportation routes met, and it was close to huge farms. Sacramento's canning factories prepared all sorts of farm products, but they were most famous for canned tomatoes. This even earned Sacramento the nickname, "The Big Tomato!"
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How Salmon Canning Started
During the time of the California Gold Rush, there weren't many farms in California yet. Most food had to be brought in from far away. Canning in Sacramento first began with salmon. There were tons of salmon in the Sacramento River and American River.
The very first big salmon canning factory in North America was built in 1864. It was on a barge in the Sacramento River and was started by the Hapgood-Hume Company. They packed salmon in salty water, and then boiled the cans for about an hour. Over the next 20 years, companies built 20 salmon canneries. The most salmon was packed in 1882, with 200,000 cases!
After this busy time, the number of salmon around Sacramento dropped a lot. This happened because too many fish were caught, and their homes (habitats) were destroyed. Things like mining, logging, and building dams hurt the rivers. By 1886, all the salmon canneries along the Sacramento River had closed. The companies moved their factories north to places like Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.
Canning Fruits and Vegetables
In 1869, the First transcontinental railroad was finished. This meant Sacramento growers could now send their products all across the country! They used the area's good water supply and nice weather to grow more fruits and vegetables.
Even though a train could reach Chicago in just seven days by 1870, it was still hard to keep fresh produce from spoiling. This led to a new industry for canning fruits and vegetables. However, this new canning business had to compete with a new invention: the refrigerated train car, which could keep food cold.
The Capitol Packing Company built Sacramento's first successful fruit and vegetable cannery in 1882. It was located on Front and K Streets. By 1886, this company had 450 workers and produced 100,000 cases of canned goods each year.
When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, it made it much easier to ship California canned goods. This caused the canning industry in Sacramento to grow even more! Many new canning factories were built around that time.
The success of canning also led to other businesses, like making tin cans. The American Can Company started in 1901. It brought together 123 smaller can companies. In 1926, this company built one of its biggest factories in Sacramento.
In 1947, the Campbell Soup Company opened the last major cannery in Sacramento. It was located on Franklin Boulevard. This factory was Campbell's oldest one when it finally closed in 2013.
Important Sacramento Canneries
Libby, McNeill and Libby Cannery
In 1912, Libby, McNeill and Libby built one of California's largest canneries. It was a huge nine-acre facility. It was built in a smart spot, close to a main road and two railroads. Fresh produce usually arrived at the cannery by wagon or truck. The canned goods then left in railroad boxcars. The cannery stopped working in the 1980s. However, the buildings have been saved and are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
California Packing Company
The California Packing Company was a group of five canning companies from the West Coast. They are best known for their Del Monte brand. This company opened four canneries in Sacramento. One of their factories, known as Plant 11, was located at 17th and C Streets. At its busiest, Plant 11 had 2,500 workers! It is still working today, now run by the Blue Diamond Growers. Plant 11 is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bercut-Richards Cannery
Starting in 1931, Peter and Henri Bercut and Thomas H. Richards, Sr. built what became California's largest independent cannery. It was located just south of the American River. Bercut-Richards became one of the biggest makers of tomato products, even producing their own “Sacramento” brand.
During World War II, people in Sacramento grew victory gardens to help with the war effort. Bercut-Richards canned this produce with a special “V for Victory” label. In 1942, the U.S. Army Signal Corps took over the Bercut-Richards cannery. They used it to supply food for the war. The Bercut-Richards cannery continued to operate until 1993. In 2009, the old building was taken down to build new apartments.
Cannery Workers and Their Rights
In the 1800s, some workers in the canning industry tried to keep out non-white workers.
After World War I, groups like the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor started organizing farm and food production workers in California. Between 1918 and 1920, there were several strikes at canneries in Northern California. In 1920, workers at the Libby, McNeill & Libby cannery in Sacramento went on strike.
The Great Depression hit the seasonal canning industry in Sacramento very hard. In September 1930, a company that later became Bercut-Richards laid off 153 cannery workers. This happened because people weren't buying as many canned goods. The company ended up owing a lot of money to 600 workers, but the workers couldn't get their money back. After a cold winter in 1932, cannery officials started hiring desperate workers for very low pay. By 1930, a group called the Cannery and Agricultural Workers' Industrial Union (CAWIU) was helping Sacramento cannery workers organize.
In 1934, police raided the CAWIU office in Sacramento. Several leaders, including Pat Chambers and Caroline Decker, were sent to prison in 1935. After 1935, Sacramento cannery workers joined the AFL as Cannery Workers Local No. 20324.
In 1945, the AFL leader, William Green, gave control of all California cannery groups to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The cannery workers in Sacramento, Stockton, and Modesto were not asked about this change. They didn't trust the Teamsters, so they went on strike. About 1,200 workers at the Sacramento Libby, McNeill and Libby plant refused to pay dues to the Teamsters. They held signs that said, “We Will Work—But Not One Cent of Tribute to the Teamsters." The Sacramento Police Department got involved.
World War II greatly increased the need for canned goods. However, it also meant there were fewer workers available in the country. Sacramento canneries used the Bracero Program, which brought in workers from Mexico. This program meant that cannery work became more and more done by people of color.
After World War II, canning factories started using more machines. This meant they needed fewer workers. Since then, the demand for canned goods has slowly gone down, leading to even more job losses.
