Lusk Cannery

Where the Claremont DMV now stands was once the largest cannery in the world, built by Josiah Lusk in 1868. Lusk had his own 350 acre farm from which he canned many products, including pickles and fruit. Before refrigeration, canning was a way to store and eat foods throughout the year whether they are local or in season or not. Amazingly, Lusk employed up to 1,000 white and Chinese workers, including children, for what were reported to be grueling 12+ hour shifts. In the early 20th Century, the East Bay was known as the "canning capital of the Pacific."