Del Monte Cannery Plant #3 Oral History Project in San Jose
Client: History San José, CA., 2006-2007
Guerra & McBane provided the oral history and archival research for both a digital and analog exhibit developed by a local museum, History San José. This was a mitigation project for KB Homes, who demolished the Del Monte cannery, which was the last cannery in Santa Clara Valley and the largest cannery in the United States. We conducted a digital video walking tour of the Del Monte Plant #3 that included 6 cannery workers of Mexican, Italian and Anglo American ancestry. The project also included 9 individual oral history digital video interviews and photos from personal collections that documented the work and family life of cannery workers. Members of the Del Monte Plant #3 Cannery Women's Lunch Club, a group of retired employees, shared their memories and personal archives and artifacts, which were all donated to the museum. All digital videos, transcripts and photos were transferred onto DVD and are available through the History San José. Research for this project was used to develop History San José's online exhibit "Cannery Life": http://onlineexhibits.historysanjose.org/cannerylife/
