Browse the Collection
View a database that includes artifacts, photographs, and documents in the History San José collection which relate to Del Monte Plant #3 in San José, California.
In Their Own Words
Learn about Del Monte Plant #3 from the people who worked there. See videos of former Del Monte employees sharing their memories.
1917-1966
The first half of the twentieth century marked the boom years of the canning industry in San José. The production boost during World War I put the Santa Clara Valley firmly in the lead of the fruit packing industry. In the 1920’s the valley produced 90% of the California pack of fruits and vegetables, a percentage it would retain well into the 1950’s. Increased mechanization and more efficient processes gradually replaced most hand-work in the cannery. Labor and management tackled issues of seniority, gender, language, safety, wages and unionization. Through these years, Del Monte Plant #3 hummed along, producing millions of cans of fruits and vegetables.