First opened in 1917, the San Xaiver was one of the oldest canneries on Monterey's Cannery Row. The 1952 Marilyn Monroe film "Clash By Night" was partially set here. In 1960 the cannery closed with the collapse of the sardine population, and in 1967 a fire gutted most of the cannery. Still, the ruins stood until 1997 when in a controversial incident, the Monterey City Council voted to demolish the structure to build condos, citing collapse dangers while opponents claimed developer favoritism. In response, the National Historic Trust placed it as one of the most endangered historic places in 1998, and two city planners were defeated in elections. The condo plan was then abandoned in place of a marketplace. The legal and political wrangling over the property has continued since then. As the ruins sit, seabirds nest on one of the fish landing ruins, a favorite of night photographers.
Cannery Row, Monterey, California
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