2020—Salmon for All

Astoria, Oregon was once known as the salmon-canning capital of the world. By the late 1870’s, the Astoria area, located at the mouth of the Columbia River, was home to 17 salmon canneries. The Columbia River system was the largest producer of chinook, coho and sockeye salmon and steelhead trout in the world. A century later, most canneries, including Bumble Bee, the largest salmon canning company in the world, had closed. The Hanthorn Cannery Museum at Pier 39 in Astoria preserves the history of the canneries and its workers. On the back dock, the aging cannery building proudly exclaims “Salmon for All.” The salmon hued glow of the sunset reflects in the windows and on the sign.