Irene Martin puts finishing touch on Bumble Bee

Flight of the Bumble Bee: the Columbia River Packers Association & a Century in the Pursuit of Fish, by Irene Martin and Roger Tetlow, is a tribute to the fishing communities of the Columbia and the company that employed thousands of workers and fishers in California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.

Tetlow, born in Astoria, was a journalist and author of Barbey, The Story of a Pioneer Columbia River Salmon Packer. Tetlow had begun the research and drafted some chapters on the history of the CRPA when he died in 1999.

Matt Winter, publisher of the Chinook Observer, approached local historian Irene Martin to complete the project.

“It was an unusual collaboration,” Martin said dryly.

Martin specializes in the fishing and the Columbia River. Among her publications are Legacy and Testament, the Story of Columbia River Gillnetters, The Beach of Heaven, a history of Wahkiakum County, and Sea Fire, Tales of Jesus and Fishing. She is also a priest at St. James Episcopal Church, living in Skamokawa with her husband, Kent, a commercial fisherman.

After reviewing Tetlow’s research, Martin added her own, wading through dozens of file cabinets at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Oregon Historical Society and the Astor Library, completing the manuscript by 2006.

The Columbia River Packer’s Association, which began in 1899 and became known as Bumble Bee Brand SeaFoods, ultimately left Astoria in 1980.

Martin said, “What surprised me was unanimity of the affection for the corporation. One doesn’t expect to find that today, in these days of trashing corporations. It was refreshing to find one that generated a lot of good memories for a lot of people all down the line.”

Winters and Martin selected from among 5,000 images in several collections, finding images that dovetailed to amplify the narrative.

“It was a difficult editing job and Matt Winters was very skilled,” Martin said, pointing to a political cartoon she particularly enjoys, in which the competition is not happy with the formation of CRPA from the seven packing companies that were called “The Combine.”

“What I absolutely love, when a book comes out, is to meet people who you didn’t know,” Martin said. “I’ve been delighted with people’s responses. It’s interesting to find what people are drawn to, what brings forth an emotional response.”

Kenny Thompson approached her at a reading to say he’d looked for his father in the book. Just as she prepared to explain that there wasn’t room for everyone, he pointed to a picture of himself as a contestant in the CRPA Soapbox Derby.

The book has gotten a good reception in early readings; Martin sold 81 copies at an appearance at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

Jeff Baker plugged it in The Oregonian in December along with other books about science and natural history.

Martin joked that she said she would never write another book like this one, with such an extensive amount of materials, but in fact, she’s almost finished with another on the canneries on the Columbia River. She may have the manuscript finished by the end of this year.

Martin, who has published Legacy and Testament, the story of Columbia River Gillnetters and The Beach of Heaven, a History of Wahkiakum County, has another book on the Columbia River estuary under submission to a publisher.

The Bumblee Bee book is available from the Chinook Observer, P.O. Box 427, Long Beach, WA. 98631, for $22.95, plus $5 each shipping/handling and $1.79 sales tax for Washington residents.

Martin will be reading at Word Fest January 3 at The Brits, 1427 Commerce Ave. in Longview. The event is free and open to the public. Following Martin’s presentation, there will be an open mic period. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the readings starting at 6 p.m.