Cannery Row
“Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, nostalgia, a dream.” Cannery Row excerpt by John Steinbeck
Cannery Row is the waterfront street in the New Monterey, section of Monterey, California. Originally this was a dirt road that led from Monterey to a settlement of Chinese families near Pacific Grove who helped build the fishing industry for which Monterey would become famous. The fishermen in Monterey fished for primarily salmon selling much of their catch to the San Francisco Markets. Many of them were Italians and Portuguese who settled in the city of Monterey and Pacific Grove. In 1895 the first cannery on Cannery Row was built. It first canned Salmon, a plentiful fish in those days.
Cannery Row Monterey California History
Cannery Row is the waterfront street in the New Monterey, section of Monterey, California. Originally this was a dirt road that led from Monterey to a settlement of Chinese families near Pacific Grove who helped build the fishing industry for which Monterey would become famous. The fishermen in Monterey fished for primarily salmon selling much of their catch to the San Francisco Markets. Many of them were Italians and Portuguese who settled in the city of Monterey and Pacific Grove. In 1895 the first cannery on Cannery Row was built. It first canned Salmon, a plentiful fish in those days. During World War I when the government recognized the value of the canned sardine as cheap nutritious food for the troops. In 1918 a record output of 1,400,000 cases of sardines were shipped and new canneries began opening to keep up with the demand. The sardines inexplicably disappeared in the late 1940’s, marking the end of Cannery Row’s industrial days.
John Steinbeck Cannery Row
Cannery Row is now a famous tourist destination in California’s Monterey Bay, and is home to some of the most prominent and successful retail locations on the Monterey Peninsula. Forever immortalized by John Steinbeck’s classic novel of the same name, Cannery Row is one of the Central Coast’s most popular destinations. Today, this century-old sardine-canning district boasts more than 150 specialty stores, 25 restaurants, a resort hotel and spa, a collection of luxury inns and moderately priced family accommodations. It is also the location of the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Visitors shop, stroll and relax as they traverse this charming oceanfront street and its outdoor plazas. From kayaking, surrey bike rentals, walking historical tours and Monterey County Wine tasting, there is something for everyone on Cannery Row.
Cannery Row is now an official marine sanctuary and one of the best places for viewing marine wildlife in all of California. Monterey, and neighboring Pacific Grove are home to a large resurgent population of California sea lions. From most viewing points along the Pacific Ocean, you are sure to catch a show of playful sea otters. Whale watching tours are available year-round and offer spectacular close-ups.
At the Cannery Row Outlets you can find the Reebok Factory Store, which sells the shoes you need for hiking through California’s coastal trails. The superb Monterey Bay Aquarium has to be on your list. The aquarium was opened in 1984 and occupies the site of the old Hovden Cannery, one of the largest of the eighteen in Cannery Row. It is a spectacular facility with rotating exhibits of the wealthy sea life. One of the best ways to see the coastline is driving the nearby 17-Mile Drive in one rent reproduction Model A Ford Roadster with four seats plus a rumble seat, Mercedes SSK two-seater or Ford Phaeton which seats 5 people. Most of the cars can be rented at Cannery Row’s Rent-a-Roadster.
Each year 4-5 million visitors from all over the world come to Cannery Row, to learn about its maritime heritage and the heady Steinbeck days, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, shop at its unique stores, have a cocktail with a view of the bay, take photos or to simply relax. The calming ocean breeze amist the tourist hustle may cause you to imagine how this former sardine cannery must have been when operating years ago.
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