If you’ve ever driven along Astoria’s waterfront and wondered about the old pilings in the river or the long weathered buildings standing over the water, you’re not alone. One of the most frequent questions I get during my tours is:
“How many canneries were in Astoria?”
At the height of its fishing industry in the late 1800s, Astoria was home to over 30 salmon canneries, earning it the title of “Salmon Canning Capital of the World.” These canneries once lined the Columbia River, filling the air with the smell of fresh catch and the clang of tin can lids, as thousands of workers—many of them immigrants—packed salmon destined for markets across the globe.
🏭 Cannery Giants & Community Stories
Some of the most notable canneries included:
-
Hanthorn Cannery (1875) – Still standing at Pier 39, now home to the Cannery Museum.
-
Samuel Elmore Cannery (1881) – The birthplace of Bumble Bee brand tuna and salmon.
-
Marshall J. Kinney Cannery – Once the largest on the West Coast.
-
Union Fishermen’s Cooperative Packing Co. – Founded by local fishermen themselves in 1903.
Names like J.W. Hume, Seaborg, Scandinavian Packing, and White Star lined wooden crates and tin labels, each representing a piece of a diverse, hardworking community that built Astoria from the sea up.
Immigrant labor powered this booming industry. The Chinese, Finns, Swedes, and many others contributed to the fishing, cleaning, and canning process. Their stories still echo in the buildings and museums scattered across town.
⏳ What Happened?
As fish populations declined due to overfishing, dams, and industrial change, so did the industry. By the 1980s, most canneries had closed. Today, only a handful of buildings remain—but they still have stories to tell.
🧭 Want to Step Into the Past?
If you take my Tour of Astoria, I’ll point out where many of these canneries once stood—and even show you the remains of the pilings. We’ll visit Pier 39, where the Hanthorn Cannery still stands proudly over the Columbia, now a museum honoring the past.
These aren’t just buildings—they’re reminders of the grit, ingenuity, and resilience that shaped the Oregon North Coast.
📍 See for Yourself
Book a Tour of Astoria with Onward Adventures at onward-adventures.com and let the stories come to life as we explore the history hidden behind Astoria’s foggy beauty.