07/03/2025
Throwback thrusday: Industry, Memory, and Fire
Long before it was just weathered pilings and a rusting boiler, the White Star Cannery was part of Astoria’s beating industrial heart.
Founded in the early 1900s along the Columbia River, the White Star Cannery was one of dozens of canneries that processed millions of pounds of Pacific salmon—turning Astoria into a global powerhouse of the fishing industry. These canneries employed a wide range of workers, including immigrant laborers from China, Finland, and Scandinavia, and supported generations of local fishing families.
White Star specialized in salmon packing but, like many canneries, adapted with the times—handling everything from tuna to clams, depending on seasonal hauls and market demands. At its peak, the cannery buzzed with activity: boats unloading their catch, steam rising from processing lines, and tin-packed cans bound for rail and ship.
But the mid-century brought decline. Overfishing, mechanization, and economic shifts began to close the doors of these once-mighty facilities. White Star held on until the 1970s—when disaster struck.
A Fire Remembered
The cannery met its end in 1973, during a fire vividly recalled by Vern Tol, a former Coast Guardsman who witnessed it firsthand.
“I was off-duty from Cape Disappointment and working with Max and his fire equipment,” Vern shared. “We were checking fire extinguishers at the Pig ‘n Pancake when we heard the sirens.”
What followed was a rapid community response. Vern and Max, a city fireman, raced to the fire. “We loaded up Max’s service truck with gear and I helped carry a floating pump under the railroad tracks to stop the fire from spreading. Two commercial fishermen jumped in to help us.”
A Coast Guard boat that had just escorted an ammunition ship into port joined the response as well. “It was teamwork—from fishermen to firemen,” Vern said. “I heard the fire might’ve been started by kids with matches in the abandoned building.”
Though the flames consumed the cannery, the community's unity left a lasting impression.
Remnants That Speak
Today, visitors walking along the Astoria Riverwalk near 37th Street can still see remnants of White Star’s legacy: rotting pilings, a rusted boiler in the water, and ghostly outlines of the foundation. They are more than ruins—they are relics of Astoria’s golden age of canning, and a tribute to those who worked, fought fires, and lived their lives around them.
We’re working to preserve stories like Vern’s. If you or your family have memories, photos, or artifacts connected to the White Star Cannery or Astoria’s cannery era, please reach out. Every piece adds to the larger story of this remarkable river town.
