Alameda Warehouse 48
A little over 90 years ago Calpak, later known as Del Monte, built Warehouse 48 on Buena Vista Avenue in Alameda through their subsidiary Alaskan Packer Association (APA). The warehouse and nearby Encinal Terminal served as a worldwide shipping hub for the company’s canned salmon product line. At first, this vast shipping operation was achieved by sail through APA’s “Star Fleet”, one of the last operating fleet of sail ships. These large iron-hulled tall ships were two hundred feet or more in length; each ship had Star in the name, such as “Star of Russia” and “Star of Alaska”.
The ships were capable of being manned by a crew of twenty to forty, but they were outfitted to carry two hundred or so men to serve as workers in the canneries or as fishermen. On the return trip, the ships would bring more than two million tons of canned salmon for distribution. By 1930, the remaining ships in the fleet were sold off and Calpak committed to diesel-powered vessels for their overseas shipping.
The waterfront locations of Warehouse 48 and Encinal Terminal made them ideal for such ocean-based shipping, as well as shipping by truck and train for distribution by land. During World War II this centralized hub proved to be invaluable. Both the Warehouse and Encinal Terminal would become the General Navy Depot during its wartime service. Tanks, trucks, ammo, and relief supplies would pass through the Depot on their way to the South Pacific.
While in the early part of the century salmon fishing in Alaska proved profitable for the state, providing up to 80% of their tax revenue, overfishing and poor management of the finite resource started to affect the industry as a whole. Along with old canneries in need of updates/repair and people’s tastes shifting over to the cheaper tuna, a decline in the profitability of the salmon industry occurred. By 1982 the salmon population started to see a resurgence, but by this time Del Monte had sold most of its APA assets, leaving Warehouse 48 to be used as a general warehouse for Del Monte or their lessees.
In recent years the warehouse has been made a Historic Monument, with plans to convert the building into apartments and a shopping center. Most of the interior supporting lumber has been removed, while apartment and shopping center plans call for utilizing the brick exterior.
Wood reclaimed from this historic site includes Rough Sawn Old Patina 8×12, 6×8, 4×6, 3×6 all of which can serve as rafters, posts, and beams. The Rough Sawn Old Patina 2×14 can be used as-is for rafters or wide shelves. We can also split it, which will yield a 3/4×13″ wide plank siding or paneling. The Rough Sawn Old Patina 2×10 can also be used as-is for rafters or shelves. We can also split it, which will yield a 3/4×9″ wide plank siding or paneling.
