How Canned Salmon Became Big Business in San Francisco

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 10 April 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Starting in the mid-1800s, salmon canneries were big business along the West Coast, stretching all the way up to Alaska. San Francisco played an outsized role in the industry — especially in providing the workers who did the tough, dirty, low-paid work in the canneries. We trace the salmon connections between San Francisco and Alaska and learn about the early workers who made the industry possible. Additional Resources: How Canned Salmon Became Big Business in Gold Rush San Francisco Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Katrina Schwartz. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and everyone on Team KQED.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Glenn Washington, the host of the Snap Judgment podcast.
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0:31.1	From KQED. I'm Olivia Allen Price, and you're listening to Bay Curious.
0:37.7	Nowadays, if you're eating fish out of a can, it's likely tuna.
0:42.3	But in the early 20th century, canned salmon was far more popular.
0:47.2	Whitney's the quality canned salmon from Alaska's world-famous waters.
0:51.0	Serve Whitney's salmon in baked seafood salad, salmon loaf, or molded salmon ring.
0:58.2	This advertisement for Alaskan canned salmon is from the 1950s, but the salmon canning industry
1:04.5	has roots in California starting in the mid-1800s.
1:08.5	Whitney's, Whitney, Whitneys.
1:15.8	We're four fine salmon for your dining table, all packed under the Whitney label,
1:17.7	your family will be well fed.
1:20.8	Jump pink, suckie, or medium red.
1:23.8	For a tasty dish with Zing, a can of Whitney's is a thing.
1:32.8	The biggest canning companies were headquartered in San Francisco, and seasonal workers boarded ships in San Francisco to get to those Alaskan waters.
1:38.1	There's even a piece of this history still floating out in the San Francisco Bay.
1:45.2	It's not quite a pirate ship, but there are some pretty nefarious things going on.
1:51.0	Today on Bay Curious, we trace the salmon connections between San Francisco and Alaska and learn about the early workers who made the industry possible.
1:55.8	Batten down the hatches, there are rough seas ahead.
	...

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