"The first owners of the McKinley Canning Company were William "Bill" Herbert Thurston (1886-1957), Henry Bucknam Wass (1906-1986), his brother, Lester Leighton Wass (1905-1987) and their father, Jones Everett Wass (1881-1956).
The company later became the Machiasport Canning Company owned by Henry Bucknam Wass and Charles Henry Rich (1892-1967)." - Interview with Elsie (Reed) Lunt, bookkeeper there for many years - 2008.
"The building on the south side of the C.H. Rich & Co. property was the McKinley Canning Co. sardine packing factory, a branch of the Machiasport Canning Co., which was owned by Lester Leighton Wass (1905-1987), brother to Henry Bucknam Wass (1906-1986) who was probably involved in the business too.
C.H. Rich & Co. bought the building for their lobster dealership and crab picking operation. They later expanded by building on the north side of the property." - Information from Elsie V. (Reed) Lunt, Mrs. Clarence L. Lunt, who was a bookkeeper for C.H. Rich until the business closed in 1963 - Interview 09/22/10
It was a sardine factory and during WWII hake and mackerel were canned there.
C.H. Rich bought lobsters and fish.
Wass canned sardines, mackerel and hake.
