Fodor's Expert Review North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site

In the late-19th century, hundreds of cannery villages, built on pilings on the edge of the wilderness, lined the coast between California and Alaska. Most are gone now, but BC's oldest (it dates to 1889) and most complete surviving example is 22 km (14 miles) south of Prince Rupert, via Highway 16 and Port Edward, at the mouth of the Skeena River. Once home to more than 700 people during canning season, the town of 28 buildings, including managers' houses, the company store, and cannery works, is now a national historic site. Staff members lead tours, give demonstrations of the canning process, and represent the unique culture of cannery villages. The site also has a seafood restaurant and overnight accommodations in its European Bunkhouse.