1. Topics

Fishing and canneries

Japanese Americans found work at salmon canneries along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, and their labor was welcomed in Alaskan towns such as Ketchikan and Petersburg as early as the 1890s. They traveled by ship to the cannery towns, where they slowly developed small communities whose population swelled with the yearly arrival of workers. Issei (Japanese immigrant) entrepreneurs started the oyster industry from scratch in Puget Sound. Japanese American oyster farms became thriving businesses before World War II.

Industry and employment (481)
Fishing and canneries (256)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Takahashi v. Fish and Game Commission

Filters

Facilities
Format
Genre
Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

256 items
Fishing boats hauling in the day's catch (ddr-densho-299-11)
img Fishing boats hauling in the day's catch (ddr-densho-299-11)
Caption on reverse: "FEC-49-1021. 8 Feb 49 / NRS Project: / Japanese fishermen haul in nets / off the coast of Odawara, Japan, / as the small boats are drawn to the / master ship, which is powered by / a deisel [sic] engine. When all boats / are together, the nets are emptied / and …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-11/
Power of attorney (ddr-densho-308-7)
doc Power of attorney (ddr-densho-308-7)
International Oyster Co., Ltd grants Kanamatsu Kanazawa power of attorney in connection to its dealings with Padilla Oyster Beds and Padilla Point Oyster Company. Kanazawa helped to start the oyster business in the Pacific Northwest when he learned that the cooler waters accelerated the growth of oysters. Oysters grown in the Pacific Northwest could reach commercial …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-308-7/
Man next to oyster delivery truck (ddr-densho-39-47)
img Man next to oyster delivery truck (ddr-densho-39-47)
Japanese Americans were active in oyster farming in the Puget Sound area before World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-47/
Three oyster farmers (ddr-densho-39-49)
img Three oyster farmers (ddr-densho-39-49)
Japanese Americans were active in oyster farming in the Puget Sound area before World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-49/
Oyster processing building (ddr-densho-39-21)
img Oyster processing building (ddr-densho-39-21)
Original museum description: Photograph, black and white glossy of a building on pilings in the water. It was used in the oyster business. This could be at Willapa Bay in southwestern Washington. Some fingerprint and gray mark on photo. (Info from original museum description)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-21/
Oyster farm living quarters (?) (ddr-densho-39-50)
img Oyster farm living quarters (?) (ddr-densho-39-50)
Japanese Americans were active in oyster farming in and around the Puget Sound area before World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-50/
New Washington company truck (ddr-densho-39-24)
img New Washington company truck (ddr-densho-39-24)
Before World War II, Japanese Americans worked in the oyster farming business in the Puget Sound area.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-24/
New Washington Oyster company truck (ddr-densho-39-23)
img New Washington Oyster company truck (ddr-densho-39-23)
Original museum description: Photograph, black and white glossy of a building of an oyster farm complex and a truck backed into the doorway of the building. The truck's sign says "New Washington Brand Oysters." The photo has a smudge mark on the building's roof and is turning brown. This might be at Willapa Bay in southwestern …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-23/
New Washington Oyster Company (ddr-densho-39-48)
img New Washington Oyster Company (ddr-densho-39-48)
Japanese Americans were active in oyster farming in the Puget Sound area before World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-48/
Tugboat used in oyster farming (ddr-densho-39-22)
img Tugboat used in oyster farming (ddr-densho-39-22)
Original museum description: Photograph, black and white glossy of a tugboat with a tow line slowing pulling something (a barge?). There is someone standing in the boat. There is a forest in the background. Photo has turned brown. There are spots on the photo. This might possibly be Willapa Bay in southwest Washington at an oyster …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-22/
Cannery workers (ddr-densho-391-19)
img Cannery workers (ddr-densho-391-19)
Photograph of four cannery workers dressed for work. Second from the left is Kiyoko (Maeda) Yoshioka.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-391-19/
Tugboats at Lummi Island (ddr-densho-353-144)
img Tugboats at Lummi Island (ddr-densho-353-144)
For several years, Kiichi Setsuda was president of the Japanese American Fertilizing and Fisheries Company at Lummi Island, near Bellingham.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-144/
M. Nakata Food Products workers (ddr-densho-353-163)
img M. Nakata Food Products workers (ddr-densho-353-163)
Includes a note on the back in Japanese.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-163/
A group of cannery workers (ddr-densho-353-56)
img A group of cannery workers (ddr-densho-353-56)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-56/
Pea cannery at the M. Nakata Food Products Inc. plant (ddr-densho-353-162)
img Pea cannery at the M. Nakata Food Products Inc. plant (ddr-densho-353-162)
A note on the back identifies the workers in the photo.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-162/
Workers harvesting peas at M. Nakata's Food Products Inc. (ddr-densho-353-158)
img Workers harvesting peas at M. Nakata's Food Products Inc. (ddr-densho-353-158)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-158/
Workers on a salmon barge (ddr-densho-353-57)
img Workers on a salmon barge (ddr-densho-353-57)
Captioned: "Salmon barge before unloading."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-57/
A parade float (ddr-densho-353-326)
img A parade float (ddr-densho-353-326)
Captioned: "A float for a parade, sponsored by the Japanese fishing tackle dealers association."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-326/
Workers on a salmon barge (ddr-densho-353-58)
img Workers on a salmon barge (ddr-densho-353-58)
Captioned: "Loading salmon on a barge."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-58/
Perry Smithers ship docked at pier (ddr-densho-383-168)
img Perry Smithers ship docked at pier (ddr-densho-383-168)
Written on album page below photograph: "'Perry Smithers' at Orca".
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-168/
Cannery in Alaska (ddr-densho-383-160)
img Cannery in Alaska (ddr-densho-383-160)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-160/
Orca Cannery (ddr-densho-383-290)
img Orca Cannery (ddr-densho-383-290)
Written on album page below photograph: "Orca Cannery '31".
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-290/
Building on shore in Alaska (ddr-densho-383-250)
img Building on shore in Alaska (ddr-densho-383-250)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-250/
Three men moving cans of salmon (ddr-densho-383-247)
img Three men moving cans of salmon (ddr-densho-383-247)
Toshimi Nishimura pictured in center.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-247/
Buildings on shoreline of Alaskan town (ddr-densho-383-127)
img Buildings on shoreline of Alaskan town (ddr-densho-383-127)
Likely the cannery and buildings at Orca, Alaska.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-127/
API