By Thomas Valdriz
One of the most important drivers of the spatial and psychological distantiation of the Bay Area’s meatpacking industry continues to be use of transportation technology. “Butchertowns” in Oakland, San Francisco, and South San Francisco maintained strong connections to both markets and hinterlands with the support of railroads networks such as the Southern Pacific, Central Pacific, Western Pacific, and Union Pacific railroads. San Francisco’s “Butchertown” established along the Southern Pacific Railroad in the late 1860’s. In the 1870’s Abattoirs in Oakland (latter part of Emeryville after the city incorporated in 1896) moved their operations northward and established a butchering reservation along the Central Pacific Railroad.[1] In 1894 South San Francisco’s Western Meat Corporation established its butchering reservation along the Southern Pacific Railroad (see Figure 1).[2] The use of extensive railroad networks enabled abattoirs spatially distance themselves from their markets, while the usage of railroads in fact compressed the time necessary to transport goods back to their consumers. In short, railroads suited the needs of industry as well as the desires of consumers.
Figure 1: Union Pacific Railroad Network 1940
Source: Poole Bros Inc.
The next major driver in the spatial and psychological distantiation of Bay Area abattoirs came with the invention and utilization of automobiles. Beginning in the 1910’s automobiles played a vital role in delivering of goods between cities and their hinterlands.[3] In addition, automobiles played a major role in the outward spreading of cities and the creation of suburbs in 1940’s. After World War II, dependency on automobiles became a universal aspect of urban development across the Bay Area as cheap mass-produced housing developments were built within a short distance from major areas of employment.[4] Since 1940, population growth in San Francisco has grown much slower than any other Bay Area county (see Figure 2). The desires to escape crowded living conditions, crime, pollution, poor education, as well as the inability to afford living in urban areas all led to the movement into bedroom communities and suburbs during the post-war era. Automotive-induced suburban sprawl in the post-war period of the late 1940’s not only affected the spatial arrangement of residents, but of abattoirs as well. Meatpacking in both San Francisco and South San Francisco’s began to decline in the 1940’s with the passage of stricter sanitary regulations[5] and an inability to compete with rural slaughterhouses.
Automotive-induced suburban sprawl in the post-war period of the late 1940’s not only affected the spatial arrangement of residents, but of abattoirs as well. Meatpacking in both San Francisco and South San Francisco’s began to decline in the 1940’s with the passage of stricter sanitary regulations[6] and an inability to compete with rural slaughterhouses. World War II may have increased the demand of beef for a brief amount of time; however, the Bay Area’s urban abattoirs were unable to achieve the same economies of scale that rural abattoirs gained by locating their operations in rural areas. Rural abattoirs maintained a competitive advantage over urban abattoirs because their facilities were strategically located nearby feedlots, thus reducing the weight loss that cattle experience during transportation before being slaughtered and increasing the corporation’s profit margin.[7]Once rural abattoirs were able to pull ahead from their urban counterparts, their increasing profits were then invested into the expansion of operations, leading to increased market share. With the inability to compete with rural abattoirs, urban slaughterhouses in South San Francisco, San Francisco, and Emeryville closed in 1968,[8] 1971,[9] and 1980’s[10] respectively.
Sources:
[1] Ambro, Richard. “The North End: “Butchertown”.” The Secret News. N.p., 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.
[2] The City of South San Francisco. South San Francisco: 100 Years of History. South San Francisco: City of South San Francisco, 2008. Print.
[3] The Emeryville Historical Society. “Constructing the Crossroads: Transportation.” Emeryville. San Francisco, CA: Acadia, 2005. 34. Print.
[4] Self, Robert O. American Babylon: Race and the Struggle for Postwar Oakland. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2003.25-26. Print.
[5] Dean, Ben. “Islais Landing.” Ben Dean Account Project, 2008. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.
[6] Dean, Ben. “Islais Landing.” Ben Dean Account Project, 2008. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.
[7] Pollan, Michael. “Power Steer.” New York Times 31 Mar. 2002: 8. Print.
[8] Spangler, Ray. “Scheduled to Close: Swift & Co. Was a Boon to SSF.” The Industrial City Echoes [South San Francisco] 1968: 1. Print.
[9] Fredricks, Darold. “Butcher Town (in San Francisco’s Bayview).” Butcher Town (in San Francisco’s Bayview). The Daily Journal, 10 Dec. 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.
[10] Ambro, Richard. “The North End: “Butchertown”.” The Secret News. N.p., 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.
The working class city 