Del Monte
For over 100 years, the Del Monte corporation & its predecessors – The California Packing Corporation (Calpak) & the San José Fruit Packing Company – processed fruits & vegetables at this site. In 1893 the San José Fruit Packing Company constructed a state-of-the-art cannery featuring three major buildings & a number of auxiliary structures.
Calpak assumed operation of the cannery in 1916, renaming it Plant 3. Near a large pool of labor, the railroad, and thousands of acres of fruit orchards and vegetable farms - the site was ideal. The fertile soil of the Santa Clara Valley produced tons of fruit. At its peak in the 1940's, Plant 3 operated around the clock during the summer to process fruit while it was fresh.
In 1967, Calpak adopted the name of its most popular brand, Del Monte. As orchards were replaced by housing and office complexes in the 1980's, less local produce was being produced, and the future of Plant 3 came into question. One of the last canneries to operate in San José, Del Monte's Plant 3 closed in December 1999.
For more information about Delmonte Plant No. 3
visit www.historysanjose.org/cannerylife
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1999.
Location. 37° 19.288′ N, 121°
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Del Monte Packing Plant History (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Roberto – Suñol Adobe (approx. 0.4 miles away); San José Diridon Station (approx. 0.6 miles away); Remembering Agriculture (approx. 0.8 miles away); Henry's Hi-Life (approx. one mile away); Hotel De Anza (approx. one mile away); College of Notre Dame (approx. one mile away); The Palomar Ballroom (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Jose.
More about this marker. The marker is located on the north side of Auzerais Avenue where it is crossed by the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 593 times since then and 154 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 20, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.