Touch a living underwater forest inside this transformed California fish factory

Hovden’s Sardine Empire Becomes Monterey Bay Aquarium

Knut Hovden, a Norwegian fish expert, came to Monterey in 1905 with big plans. Soon after, he built a system that could can sardines faster than anyone else.

Then in 1916, he opened his own place at Ocean View Avenue. His most clever idea?

A vacuum system that sucked fish straight from boats into his factory. The Hovden Cannery grew into the biggest on the strip, which folks later called Cannery Row.

After the fish ran out and the plant closed in 1973, the old building sat empty until four marine scientists had a wild idea.

Now, that same spot holds the Monterey Bay Aquarium, home to the world’s first living kelp forest where visitors can see what Hovden once harvested.

Norwegian Fish Expert Brought His Skills to California

Knut Hovden got off a train in Monterey in 1905, ready to change how sardines were canned. This Norwegian fish expert came to work for Frank Booth, who had started a small cannery near Fisherman’s Wharf.

Hovden knew special methods from Norway’s fishing industry that would soon change California’s sardine business.

Booth had business smarts while Hovden knew the technical side, and together they turned a quiet waterfront into a busy industrial center.

Machines Replaced Hand Labor in the Canning Process

Hovden quickly updated old-fashioned canning methods.

By 1910, he brought in machines that sealed can lids automatically, getting rid of slow hand-soldering. In 1913, he created an assembly-line system that sped up production.

Working with his brother Ole, Hovden created sardine cutting machines between 1913 and 1918.

He also built the West Coast’s first mechanical dryer and a chain-driven cooker that moved fish through hot oil without workers touching them.

The King of Sardines Started His Own Company

Hovden split from Booth in 1916 to start his own Hovden Canning Company at the north end of Ocean View Avenue. He bought the property from Booth, which once housed the very first cannery on what later became Cannery Row.

His timing was perfect as World War I created huge demand for canned sardines to feed troops.

Many new canneries opened along Ocean View Avenue during the war, making the street the center of California’s sardine business.

Fires Couldn’t Stop Hovden’s Growing Empire

Bad luck hit in 1921 when fire destroyed Hovden’s original cannery building. Just three years later, another fire burned down his plant that processed fish waste.

Instead of quitting, Hovden rebuilt bigger each time. His new three-story factory became the largest canning facility in Monterey.

The big operation hired over 400 workers and became known for making "America’s finest sea foods" under brands like Portola, Prefet, and Hovden.

Fish Traveled Through Underwater Pipes to the Factory

In 1927, Hovden created his biggest game-changer: the fish hopper system. Wooden hoppers sat anchored to the seabed about 500 feet offshore.

Steel pipes ran underwater from these hoppers straight to the canneries, where strong pumps sucked sardines from fishing boats directly into the processing plants.

This clever setup replaced the old bucket-and-cable method and let fishing boats unload their huge catches without needing to dock at the crowded pier.

Workers from Around the World Filled Hovden’s Factory

People called Hovden the "King of Cannery Row" because his ideas made his factory the most successful on the street. His company created stylized canned sardines that looked different from competitors’.

By 1926, the cannery had its own railroad track for shipping products, connecting directly to the Southern Pacific’s Monterey Branch.

The workers came from many backgrounds, with Sicilian and Japanese fishermen, Portuguese and Chinese cannery workers, and many women who packed sardine cans very quickly.

The Last Cannery Closed After Sardines Disappeared

Trouble hit in the early 1950s when too much fishing wiped out sardine populations. Canneries along the Row started closing one by one as fish became hard to find.

The Hovden Cannery lasted longer than all its neighbors, somehow staying open through the industry’s collapse. The factory finally closed in 1973, marking the end of an era as the last cannery on Cannery Row.

Between 1916 and 1973, the property changed owners at least 15 times after Hovden sold it.

Stanford Bought the Empty Cannery to Protect Its Research

Stanford University paid just under $1 million for the 3-acre Hovden cannery property in 1967. The university wanted to create a buffer against new buildings that might harm their Hopkins Marine Station next door.

Scientists at the station worried about keeping their source of clean seawater from the bay. Stanford let the buildings slowly fall apart while using some structures as storage for the marine station.

A fire in 1977 destroyed large parts of the remaining buildings.

Four Scientists Dreamed Up an Aquarium for the Old Cannery

That same year, four marine biologists tied to Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station came up with a bold idea: turn the ruined cannery into an aquarium.

Nancy Burnett, daughter of Hewlett-Packard co-founder David Packard, led the group with her husband Robin Burnett, Chuck Baxter, and Steve Webster.

Nancy’s sister Julie Packard, another marine biologist, joined the planning and drew early designs. A 1977 study predicted 300,000 yearly visitors and a $7 million cost, numbers that turned out to be far too low.

A Tech Billionaire’s Invention Helped Kelp Grow Indoors

The aquarium project took off when David and Lucile Packard gave $57 million to make it happen. Stanford sold the property to the new Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation in 1978 for nearly $1 million.

Building started in 1980, with architects keeping parts of the historic cannery including boilers, pump house, and warehouse walls.

The amazing 28-foot-tall kelp forest became the first exhibit ever to grow living giant kelp indoors.

David Packard himself created a 5-foot surge machine that moves water every 6 seconds, helping kelp grow 4 inches daily.

Visitors Flocked to See the Ocean’s Wonders in a Former Factory

The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened its doors on October 20, 1984, with Julie Packard serving as executive director, a role she held for 40 years.

More than 2 million people visited in the first year alone, crushing all expectations. Over 72 million visitors have walked through since opening day.

The aquarium’s focus on local marine life helped build support for creating the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 1992.

Today, Hovden’s old boilers and architectural elements still stand inside the aquarium, connecting the building’s industrial past to its conservation-focused present.

Visiting Cannery Row, Monteray

You can visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium at 886 Cannery Row daily from 10am to 6pm, where Knut Hovden’s old sardine cannery became the world’s first aquarium with a living kelp forest. Buy your tickets online only before you go.

Watch daily feeding shows at the kelp forest, sea otter, and penguin areas. Behind-the-scenes tours cost extra.

You can’t bring food or drinks except refillable water bottles and medical items.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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