John Steinbeck and Cannery Row Info

John Steinbeck and Cannery Row

Cannery Row's legacy was guaranteed after John Steinbeck wrote a novel by the same name. In spite of the literary fame bestowed upon the area, there is a chance that had Steinbeck never written the book, Cannery Row would nevertheless draw throngs of visitors based on its history, location, natural features, and attractions. In the 1850s, a group of Chinese pioneer families settled at the appropriately referenced "China Point," where for over 50 years they lived in relative isolation in a thriving community supported by the area's abundant marine resources. In 1896, Otosaburo Noda, a Japanese entrepreneur who had been working in local farms, contacted the Japanese government, reporting on the huge population of abalone in the area's waters. This began a historical export opportunity. In 1902, Noda established a rudimentary canning operation on the coastline that would soon come be to known as "The Sardine Capital of the World." Portuguese and Italian fisherman followed to cash in on the ocean's silver mines, drawing an almost unprecedented bounty of sardines from the prosperous seas.
Following the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the formerly peaceful little China Point village was flooded with refugees from the city's devastation. It wasn't long before a fire of "suspicious origins" leveled the community, forcing the Chinese from the commerce of fishing. Most retreated to other areas of the county or San Francisco.
The old, familiar sight of Chinese pitch-wood fires dotting the bay as the fishermen pulled in squid were soon replaced by the picture of Sicilian lampara nets hauling in a billion sardines per season (August-February) in preparation for either French frying or to be ground into meal. The thriving business soon lured workers from the Philippines, Mexico, and Spain, while fortunes were made at their hands.
This mix of international cultures and seafaring men created quite a colorful community in Monterey. Soon enough, all sorts of intriguing, curious people were attracted to the place, including Ed "Doc" Ricketts, a larger-than-life character who was John Steinbeck's best friend and constant inspiration.
Hailing from Chicago, Ricketts came to Pacific Grove to set up a biological supply business, fueled by an inspirational association with the brilliant ecologist, W.C. Allee, of the University of Chicago. "Doc" didn't have a formal biology degree, yet worked incessantly at his laboratory in Monterey. He and Steinbeck took a notorious trip to the Baja to study marine biology. Steinbeck's description of Doc reveals his affection toward the unique fellow, which is easy to understand after the reading.
Just as Doc had warned, the sardines eventually died out, aided by over-fishing and, ironically, the flourishing of the voracious sea otters after a float of 60 thought-to-be-extinct creatures were found in 1930. In 1972, the last cannery was closed forever.
A touristy stroll through Cannery Row is highly entertaining, but realizing the history revealed in buildings that currently house enticing restaurants, unique shops, and the fabulous Monterey Aquarium makes it that much more significant.

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