Moving History Forward: Fruit and vegetable cannery

Did you know that a very large fruit and vegetable cannery was once a part of the Post Falls landscape? From 1931 to 1969, one of the most successful businesses in Kootenai County was Seiter's Cannery, operated by Edgar A. Seiter and his wife, Gladys. At its peak, Seiter's Cannery employed about 70 workers.

Started in 1931 at the former Coeur d’Alene Cannery by making and bottling vinegar, Edgar Seiter moved the 50 vinegar vats to Post Falls in 1935 and expanded the operations to canning tomatoes and cherries. Business expansion that created jobs during the Great Depression was welcomed.

By the 1940s, approximately 1,000 tons of tomatoes per year were packed into cans or processed as puree, tomato juice, soup or ketchup. Tomatoes were abundant in the Post Falls irrigation district as they were well-suited to the rocky soil that remained warm at night. At one time, cherries and apples were major products in Kootenai County. Apples were prepared at Seiter’s for bottled apple juice, canned pie filling, applesauce and apple butter. Seiter’s Coeur d’Alene Apple Butter was sold as far away as Massachusetts.

In 1955, Seiter’s handled 3,000 tons of apples, but the following year, a spring frost hit the buds and significantly limited the crop. Many farmers replaced their apple trees with green beans and pumpkins. The Spokane Chronicle reported that in 1956, Seiter’s canned 22,000 cases of bush beans, employing 175 field pickers and 30 additional people in the cannery. Today, the Mullan Avenue Walmart sits on the location of one of the more productive bean fields.

Seiter sold the cannery in 1969, but it soon closed under the new ownership. Without a local cannery, the green bean growers had to ship their beans to Walla Walla, but due to the long distance and extra handling, the beans were not in prime condition for canning. Farmers had to find new markets, new crops or sell their land.

The cannery, located off Highway 10 (now Seltice) near Treaty Rock and the railroad, was composed of several buildings utilizing some 34,000 square feet. The office building was the old passenger depot for the Spokane Electric railroad. E. A. Seiter not only operated a successful cannery, he also served as a mayor of Post Falls and as chairman of the board of trustees for North Idaho College. Seiter Hall, science building, on the NIC campus is named for him.

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The mission of the Museum of North Idaho is to preserve the rich history of North Idaho. Our growing community has talented and proud newcomers who would like to be part of this history. One way to do this is to be connected to the museum by becoming a member. For more information on how you can help Move History Forward, visit the museum at 115 Northwest Blvd. in Coeur d’Alene or go to the website at www.museumni.org.