Gresham Historical Society · Northwest Digital Heritage

Provenance

Found in collections. A stamp on the back says Farm Credit Administration - Cooperative Research and Service Division - Washington 25, D.C. - Photo by Hensley. A Harry Carlyle Hensley, Senior Agricultural Economist in the Cooperative Research and Service Division until his death in 1951, published extensive tracts on merchandising, mechanics, labor organizing, and other aspects of farmers cooperatives and cooperative canneries across the United States during the 1940s. It's likely that this picture was taken for one of these publications.

The Gresham Berry Growers was a cooperative association of berry farmers in eastern Multnomah County and northern Clackamas County. The association began in 1919, and became the largest employer in Gresham through its cannery and packing plant, shipping millions of pounds of frozen produce across the country during its peak production years. In 1965, facing supply issues caused by Gresham's increasing urbanization, the association's board voted to merge with the United Growers of Salem under the Flav-R-Pac label, moving the cannery business to Salem.

Woman Washing Corn at the Gresham Cannery

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