New Gallery – Snug Harbor Cannery
I came home with so many photographs from my recent trip to Alaska that I decided I’m going to have to break them up and post multiple galleries with each covering a separate topic. Otherwise I’ll never get them all on line much less expect anyone to sit through all of them.
The steam gauge used to measure pressure inside the steaming retorts. (Photograph by Steve Weileman)
So, I decide to start with the cannery itself which, as a history student, just fascinated me. The Snug Harbor Cannery was built in 1920 by partners Elmer Hemrich and George Palmer, both incredibly interesting men. Their involvement with the cannery didn’t last for long and ownership soon past to Eric Fribrock.
The Fribock family would be associated with the cannery until it’s closure in the 1980′s when ownership of the property would be acquire by the Porter family who now operate an adventure guide service, Porter’s Wild Alaska.
The cannery itself is in a varied state of repair; some of the buildings and docks are showing signs of decay, but other areas appear as if they were still in operation.
The cannery warehouse with Tuxend Channel and Slope Mountain in the background. (Photograph by Steve Weileman)
I spent hours, and hours going through all the nocks and crannies exploring the various buildings; bunk houses, boiler rooms, ice house, cannery, warehouses, just to name a few. Mornings would find me with a cup of coffee pouring over the book Snug Harbor Cannery: A Beacon on the Forgotten Shore 1919-1980, then when I found the time I’d be off into the cannery searching for the areas and had read about.
I have no doubt that if this cannery weren’t so far off the beaten path it would be on the historic registrar. You can find the photographs on the Gallery Page. Hope you enjoy the photos.
