Newsletter of The Cannery Row Foundation since 1983


Celebrating our 25th Anniversary in 2008


   Most recent update: April 30, 2008



* * *

The bronze casting of the helmet for the Cannery Divers memorial is finished.
Click here for first photos of the burnished casting at the Montertey Sculptyure Center.

* * *

The Cannery Row Foundation again celebrated John Steinbeck's Birthday week,
Saturday, with public tours of Pacific Biological Laboratories ("Doc's Lab").
Long-time CRF volunteers Herb and Robbie Behrens—both Steinbeck and Ricketts
scholars and definitive authorities on Ed's Ricketts' Lab history, provided
accounts of its origins, Ed Ricketts and John Steinbeck's period in it. Historian
Michael Hemp assisted in providing canning era and contemporary
history as the mid-fifites home of teacher Monterey High School teacher
Harlan Watkins. Watkin's friends friends became the "Lab Group"
—a private men's club that stewarded the use and preservation of "Doc's Lab."
Their clubhouse is where the Monterey Jazz Festival was born;
the Lab Group was the Monterey Jazz Festivals' first board of governors.

It was another day-long stream of Steinbeck, Ricketts, and Cannery Row
history fans that, as always, reveled and reveared their time inside and out behind
Ed Ricketts historic home and marine biological laboratory.


NEXT UP IS THE STEINBECK BIRTHDAY PARTY
Wednesday, February 27th

Kalisa's Annual Cannery Row John Steinbeck Birthday Party (since 1970)
American Legion Hall, 1120 Veteran's Drive, Monterey, in "Tortilla Flats"
(intersection of Jefferson and Johnson Streets above City Hall)
From 6:00 PM...

Multi-media musical entertainment by Cannery Row’s historic troubadour, David
Baumgarten; Literary and nostalgic tales of Cannery Row; Belly Dancing and Flamenco;
Beverages and birthday cake; and the John Steinbeck Soup Kettle.

$15.00 per person admission, (benefits the Cannery Row Foundation).  See you there!

Click here for a Google Map

* * *

CRF 2008 Board announcement in the Monterey County Herald


* * *


Project News Updates:

The Bill Johnk historic Cannery Row model (1943-1946) exhibit will open at
the Maritime Museum of Monterey before John Steinbeck's Birthday
on February 27th, 2008. Date and time will be announced here in The Western Flyer.

The historic Cannery Divers Memorial has received all the necessary approvals from
the City of Monterey. The mold for the historic diver's helmet is at the Monterey Foundry
and will be cast, finished and the Memorial dedicated in mid-April. Check back for
specific date and times of the public dedication and unveiling ceremonies.


* * *

CANNERY ROW FOUNDATION  BOARD MEETING 2008
January 18, 2008 at the Monterey Bay Inn, Cannery Row

Highlights of the First CRF Board Meeting in our 25th Anniversary Year:
    The Officers of the CRF Board elected are,
2008 Projects

Cannery Divers Memorial, Scrap Lundy and Sylvia Fraley, Co-Chairs

The Bill Johnk Historic Cannery Row Model (1943-1946) on  loan
to the CRF for exhibit at the Maritime Museum of Monterey
and other possible Monterey venues for up to two years.
Its creator, Board Member, Bill Johnk, presented the project in detail.
The CRF has selected the Monterey Maritime Museum as the site
for this incredible exhibit and welcomes their association with the
Cannery Row Foundation in this spectacular public exhibition.

Stay tuned for more details...
We're going to be MAKING history.


CRF Board Director of Education, Art Ring; (then) Vice-President, Michael Hemp;
and Ed. Ricketts, Jr.—at the Oakland Museum of California on
January 10th, to view and arrange the exhibit loan to the CRF.



***



CANNERY ROW FOUNDATION  BOARD MEETING 2007

The Cannery Row Foundation Board of Directors met on Friday, June 22nd,
at the Monterey Bay Inn, 32 Cannery Row (site of the Enterprise Packing Company).
The Foundation wishes to thank the management of the Monterey Bay Inn
for another outstanding meeting location to conduct the Foundation's business.
(The next quarterly Board Meeting will convene in August, 2007)

The meeting dealt with normal operating business but spent it focus on
the Cannery Row Foundation's newest historic project for Cannery Row:
a tribute to the bravery of the hard-hat Cannery Divers upon which the very
operation of the canning industry depended. Click here for a brief summary of
the crucial role of the Cannery Divers in Monterey canning industry.

* * *

KALISA MOORE, "THE QUEEN OF CANNERY ROW"
CLOSES HER FAMOUS "LA IDA CAFE" OF JOHN STIENBECK'S
CANNERY ROW FAME, CELEBRATING NEARLY FIFTY YEARS
OF SERVICE TO THE LITERARY AND HISTORIC COMMUNITIES
OF "AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS STREET."

As reported in The Monterey County Herald
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 (John Steinbeck's birthday)


* * *

PHOTOS SOON OF BILL JOHNK'S
"STEINBECK CORE OF CANNER ROW"
HISTORIC SCALE MODEL FOR THE
MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA IN OAKLAND.

THE HOVDEN CANNERY TO THE LONE STAR CAFE
COMING SOON.
 
SCROLL DOWN THE WESTERN FLYER FOR PICTURES OF
THE HOVDEN PORTION IN PROGRESS, EXHIBITED AT THE
GREAT CANERY ROW REUNION 2005. SPONSORED BY
CANNERY ROW BUSINESSMAN, MR. ROD RIGGS.
(His Wax Museum Book—a history of Monterey and Cannery Row)

* * *


"CHRISTMAS IN THE ADOBES"

On December the evenings of  December 8th and 9th, from 6-9 PM, the
Cannery Row Foundation will again hold open the historic Lara-Soto Adobe,
the late 1944 home of John Seinbeck, in which he completed Cannery Row
and began writing The Pearl.

Holiday traditions and Monterey history merge in “Christmas in the Adobes”
to be presented by California State Parks in association with the
Old Monterey Preservation Society on Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday Dec. 9 from 5 - 9 p.m.
 Hosts and Hostesses dressed in period costume will welcome visitors to nearly twenty participating
adobes clustered in a five-block area. All are within walking distance for the self-guided tour
Monterey’s historic buildings lit by luminaria, candle-light and enhanced with period Christmas
decorations, musical entertainment and refreshments.

   Free parking is available at selected locations with your ticket purchase.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at Cooper Museum Store
on the corner of Polk and Munras Streets 831.649.7111.
   For more information about “Christmas in the Adobes,”
please call California State Parks at 831.647.6226 or 831.649.7118.
 

Information and tickets can be obltained from the Monterey History and Art Association
at: http://www.monterey.org/events/holidayevents.html#adobesxmas




HOVDEN CANNING FILM ON THE
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM SITE
Click here to see canning lines on Old Cannery Row.


Steinbeck's Birthday Lab Tours were held on Saturday, February 25th.
Hourly Lab tours started at 10:00 am with the last tour at 4:00 pm.
There was a tremendous public response to the tours, with all but one at
full capacity. The next tours of the Lab will be held on Saturday, May 13th,
to celebrate Ed Ricketts' Birthday on May 14th. CHECK BACK for
more details on The Western Flyer.

***


PHOTO SUMMARY OF THE CANNERY ROW REUNION 2005. CLICK HERE.


An international affair with some astounding revelations. That's how the
events and exhibits at the Great Cannery Row reunion can be described.

The all-day program began with the return of Prof. Richard Astro, Drexel University,
Philadelphia. It was Dr. Astro's keynote speech in 1983 that opened the very first
Great Cannery Row Reunion where the Cannery Row Foundation began its life
as the research, education and preservation organization for Monterey's historic
Cannery Row.

***

Legendary Monterey musician, businessman and community leader,
Mike Marotta—who played at the first Great Cannery Row Reunion in
May 1983—returns for a special appearance with his trio to make the
Reunion complete with the "Music of Monterey and Cannery Row."
His group played the early Cannery Row Reunions from 1983 though 1987
at the Monterey Conference Center, the Outrigger on Cannery Row
and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Join us in a tribute to Mike Marotta!

***

montereybay.com has become an event co-sponsor of
The Great Cannery Row Reunion 2005.

***

The Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum, 700 Cannery Row, has become a
Co-sponsor of the Bill Johnk historic Hovden cannery exhibit at the
Reunion. Their sponsorship donation has made it possible to confirm
the presentation of this unbelievable re-creation of the mid-1940s cannery
of the "King of Cannery Row"—Norwegian, Knut Hovden. The entire
board and volunteer staff of the Cannery Row Foundation wishes to
express our sincerest thanks to Mr. Rod Riggs for making it possible
for this crucial centerpiece of this Reunion to make its only Monterey
appearance before its delivery and permanent exposition at
the Museum of California in Oakland later this year.

The Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum presents the saga of Monterey
from its Rumsien and Eselen Native Americans to Monterey's (brief)
claim as "Sardine Capital of the World" and the real-life fictional characters
of John Seinbeck's 1945 novel, "Cannery Row."

The Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum
700 Cannery Row,  Monterey, CA 93940 • (831) 375-3770


***

King Oscar brand Norwegian Sardines will be at the Reunion!
President of King Oscar USA, Mr. Robert Montano, will lead his company's
participatonin the celebration by provding a Norwgian sardine tasting for
those attending the event. King Oscar brand Norwegian Sardines will also
be providing free tea-towels (also suitable as golf towels, we're told) as well.
The Sons (and Daughters) of Norway will be assisting in serving the tasting
of Norway's Atlantic cousins of our own Monterey sardines.


***

The "Sons of Norway" met at the May residence in Carmel-By-The-Sea
last Saturday—with CRF board members Michael Hemp and Thor Rasmussen
invited to make a presentation on the Reunion. The group has decided to
become one of the volunteer organizations who will be assisting the
production of the Great Cannery Row Reunion 2005.
Our warmest thanks to all of the members of this regional Norwegian
club for their interest and support. Many will wear traditional Norwegian
attire while assisting the Foundation with registration and hospitality.

***

Special Hotel rates can be found at our "Reunion Hotel Rates" page.

***

A list of activities and presentations at the
Great Cannery Row Reunion 2005
will be posted very soon on a separate section of this site,
with links from our Home Page and "The Western Flyer."

Events
Presenters
Special Hotel and Inn rates
Press Releases
Featured Topics
Directions and Information

***


The Maritime Museum of Monterey joings the
Cannery Row Foundation in celebration of the
"GREAT CANNERY ROW REUNION" 2005
with free admission to all attendees of the Reunion
on October 8th and 9th.

Maritime Museum historian, Tim Thomas, will join the
Reunion agenda with a presentation  of
"I Wanted to be a Baseball Player: Frank Manaka
and the Japanese Fishermen of Monterey Bay"

***


 
More confirmations are coming in from international
fishing and canning museums planning attendance.

***

THE GREAT CANNERY ROW REUNION OF 2005
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2005
AT THE MONTEREY CONFERENCE CENTER
STEINBECK FORUM AND CONCOURSE (3RD FLOOR)

The Reunion Agenda includes:

Steinbeck Scholar (and CRF Board Member) Art Ring
on "Steinbeck at Stanford with Duke Scheffield"

Historian Robert Enea (Sparky Enea's Nephew and grandson of
Monterey fishing pioneer, Orozio Enea)
on "The Moon Is Down on the Sea of Cortez"

A delegaton from Stavanger, Norway—the actual
"Sardine Capital of the World" and their National Fisheries Museums

Bill Johnk's historic scale model trilogy: the Lab, the Wing Chong
and the nearly completed Hovden of the mid-1940s. [see below]
(confirmation pending)

John Steinbeck bronze bust by sculptor Jesse Corsaut
 on exhibit in the Monterey Conference Center

Cannery Row 1957-1958 Photo Exhibit
from the Robert Lewis Collection

The Cannery Row Wall of Fame Registry
with names of old Cannery Row's workers and residents
(make sure your relatives are on it!)

Cannery Worker Round-table discussions of life and work
on the Old Row—with public question and answer periods

"Cannery Row Bookstore"
Books • Memorabilia • Labels • Photos

And Much More To Be Announced!





View 2    View 3

JUST IN! Photos of Bill Johnk's Cannery Row model project
 for the Museum of California.
    Cannery Row had a chance to acquire this magnificant project but couldn't muster the
 backing to accomplish it. Instead, it's on it way to Oakland's "Museum of California"— an
 excellent but distant home for this fabulous, incredibly accurate scale model of the mid-1940s
 Hovden Cannery. More information to follow, but here's a look at Bill's progress.
      IT'S FIRST PUBLIC EXHIBIT (STILL IN CONSTRUCTION) AT THE CANNERY ROW FOUNDATION
 "GREAT CANNERY ROW REUNION OF 2005."

Please Note:
The exhibit has been made possible by a co-sponsorship donation
by the Sprit of Monterey Wax Museum! (09/22/05)

If you or your company would like to co-sponsor this exhibit at the Reunion, please contact:
Michael K. Hemp • (831) 659-2112 • mkhemp@thehistorycompany.com


For real true-believer types, here's a website Bill sent along that accesses the Monterey Bay Aquarium
historical documentation requirement for its development. A lot of great new and deatiled info on the
sardine industry, its mechanization, and its archival record. A truly fabulous resource for historical
research and documentation of the Old Row's flagship cannery, the Hovden.

 Bill has provided this amazing Internet photo resource for the old Hovden:  



You can thank Bill Johnk, Cannery Row Foundation board member, and project creator, for this
 priceless look at the Old Row, now in it's second decade of development.
wajohnk@aol.com



 ••••••••••

PAST TENSE:


City of Monterey seeking to preserve the Wing Chong Market and
 (Kalisa's) La Ida Cafe.
     Historic preservation bond money is becoming available from the State of
 California, specifically directed for historic acquistions such as the venerable Wing Chong and La Ida Cafe
 of Steinbeck's 1945 "Cannery Row" fame.   The process is highly comptetive against other state-wide projects
 but it is hoped that the muliti-culutral industrial history of Cannery Row, with its world-famous Steinbeck
 literary legacy, will secure the several million dollars necessary to acquire these icons of Monterey history and
 Steinbeck literature.  The CRF has been instrumental in the progress of this project.


CRF hosts California Writers at Ed Rickletts' PBL
     On Sunday, August 29th, CRF Historian, Michael Hemp, will host writers from the East of Eden Writers
 Conference (held in Salinas by the California Writers Club) at Ed Ricketts’ Pacific Biological Laboratories,
 800 Cannery Row. Tours of the Lab and the “Steinbeck Neighborhood” of Cannery Row gives writers the
 real material and factual basis for writing about Cannery Row, where bad journalism passed for history for
 decades after Steinbeck’s classic (but barely fictional) account of life in the neighborhood surrounding Ed
 Ricketts lab.


John Steinbeck Birthday Celebrated on Cannery Row

    The Cannery Row Foundation's 2004 celebration of John Seinbeck's Birthday featured hourly tours of Edward
F. Ricketts Pacific Biological Laboratories—or "Doc's Lab" as it is widely referred to. These popular CRF docent
hosted tours are virtually the only public opportunities all year to get inside the famous Cannery Row landmark
made famous by Ed Ricketts and John Steinbeck. Herb Behrens, stalwart of the CRF staff, and historian Michael
Hemp conducted the tours which ran on the hour from 10:00 a.m. until the last tour at 4:00 p.m. The tours, as
usual, were very well attended by the Ricketts and Steinbeck fans from all over the Monterey Peninsula and far
beyond.

    The evening fare was, as usual, hosted by the "Queen of Cannery Row"—Kalsia Moore—at her La Ida Cafe
(the same location in "Cannery Row" but now truly a cafe, not the bordello John Seinbeck made famous. Cannery
Row historian Michael Hemp presented a slide-lecture of old Ocean View Avenue using photos from the renowned
Pat Hathaway Collection of California Views and began the conversational phase of Kalisa's annual tribute to
John. The La Ida soon roared to the conversations of the crowded upstairs party room, the soundof flute and
guitar from the entertainment, and yes, bellydancing. Another great time was had by the astute Ricketts and
Steinbeck and Kalisa fans who make this annual party a "must."

Passing of a great friend of Cannery Row
   Sadly, the highly honored Cannery Row photographer, Robert Lewis—one of the CRF's most treasured
personalities—passed away in Annapolis, Maryland, on February 23rd. The young Robert Lewis, living upstairs
in the former madam's quarters of the bordello in the Marina Apartments (across from the Ocean View Hotel
—now the Spindrift Inn—and known for decades for it's false claim as "The Bear Flag Building") took over 600
black and white photographs of Ocean View Avenue in 1957 and 1958. The result is a legacy of images of Cannery
Row at its nadir—at "rock bottom."
    The History Company and Robert Lewis created the annual gallery exhibit at the Monterey Maritime Museum,
which was on exhibit from December 2000 through March 2001. Photos chosen by an exclusive jury totaled 109
large-format 11 X 14 or 16 X 20 mounted black and white photos: the largest juried one-man exhibit in Monterey
art history. The University of California Monterey Bay created a website to present student oral histories derived
from people identified in Lewis' photos. The mounted exhibit photos were donated to the Cannery Row Foundation
to exhibit Lewis' crucial mid-fifies view of  "America's Most Famous Street." No other collection rivals this one,
composed of Ocean View Avenue's people and places at a time when no one expected Cannery Row to rise from its
ashes to become the major destination on California's Central Coast. The poignant black and whites have been
compared to those of Dorothea Lang's of the Oakie migration made famous by John Seinbeck.
The Cannery Row Company generously proivided vacant lease space for exhibit of the portion of the
Lewis Collecton donated to the Cannery Row Foundation by Robert Lewis and Michael Hemp.
    Robert genuinely loved Cannery Row and was proud to have had a part in its history. His record of the Row
in his day has enriched us all. A "small collection" of two dozen of Robert Lewis photos from The History Company
Collection can be viewed on the walls inside the Starbucks Coffee located at 711 Cannery Row—in the warehouse
of the Monterey Canning Company at Cannery Row and Prescott Avenue.
Samples of this exhibit are on this website.
    Robert will be missed around the La Ida Cafe and by his Cannery Row friends. His photos will one day be
published by The History Company—a project pending for some time before his untimely death from his chemo
treatment for an improving struggle with cancer. Be sure to see his photos when you're on Cannery Row.


The Queen's Plea

    Kalsia Moore, the "Queen of Cannery Row"—and President of the Cannery Row Foundation Board of
Directors—has made a public  plea for help in saving the La Ida Cafe (where she has done business for 47 years!)
and the famous Wing Chong Market (also of John Seinbeck's "Cannery Row"). Their acquistion and preservation
by the City of Monterey is now being explored, much like the City's ownership of "Doc's Lab"—the Pacific
Biological laboratories of Ed Ricketts.
    The Queen is not concerned about her own survival but that of the last two remaining icons of the real
character of John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Meetings are now underway to hopefully result in the acquisition
of these treasured landmarks in Cannery Row history and John Seinbeck's world-famous fiction and their
preservation into the future as "living museums" of the Old Row, accessable to the public.
    Contact the Cannery Row Foundation at info@canneryrow.org or the City of Monterey at
suggest@ci.monterey.ca.us to help us in this crucial cause.


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