Pacific American Fisheries, Inc.: History of a Washington State Salmon Packing Company, 1890-1966 - Paperback

by August C. Radke (Editor), Barbara S. Radke (Editor)

This work documents the rise and fall of Pacific American Fisheries, a salmon packing company based in Bellingham, Washington, which also had a substantial presence in Alaska. It covers the company's history from its beginnings when Roland Onffroy arrived in early 1898 and saw an opportunity to start a business and make a mint using the abundant supply of salmon in nearby Puget Sound, up until its closing in 1966. The company's story is presented chronologically as unfolding local, regional, national, and international events impacted the fortunes of the company, its employees, and the town that housed it. It also takes a close look at the entrepreneurs, developers, businessmen, and Asian labor force that were associated with the company. PAF's history can also be read as the story of how the United States was developed as people moved from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts and how the Pacific coast was targeted for development due to its natural resources that could easily be exploited for profit.

Author Biography

August C. Radke was a professor of history at Western Washington University and lived in Bellingham, Washington. He died on December 31, 2000, just after the manuscript for this work was all but completed. Barbara S. Radke is a former librarian with the University of California Division of Library Automation. She lives in San Francisco.