Book Description

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.