IT'S 1914: Historic Wintersburg Task Force member Dennis Masuda gets fully into character in the Tashima Market display on the front lawn of the Newland House Museum for Holidays in Huntington Beach, 1914. Both Historic Wintersburg Task Force members and Huntington Beach Historical Society members provided "pioneers" for visitors to meet. (Photo by Mary Urashima, December 5, 2014) © All rights reserved.
OUR NEW ASSEMBLYMAN: Matthew Harper, now Assemblyman of the 74th District and immediate past mayor of Huntington Beach (center), inside the Tashima market with Historic Wintersburg Task Force members Dennis Masuda and Rebecca Nehez. Assemblyman Harper helped present The Order of the Newland Rose to Historic Wintersburg Task Force chair, Mary Urashima, "for her continued work in historic preservation in Huntington Beach, namely the Wintersburg Historic District. We honor her for her efforts to our treasured buildings as well as the diverse history of our community." (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
ORANGE COUNTY PIONEERS: The Tashima family with Historic Wintersburg Task Force members Kanji Sahara (third from left) and Rebecca Nehez (far right), with Task Force chair and Historic Wintersburg author Mary Urashima (third from left). The Tashima's traveled from outside Orange County to be at the event. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
NIGHT FALL: A crowd began to arrive as holiday candles glimmered in the windows of the Newland House. Approximately 200 to 250 people attended the open house Holidays in Huntington Beach, 1914 event. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
WHERE IS WINTERSBURG? A directional sign at the event provided the mileage from the Newland House to locations significant to the Japanese pioneer community, as well as for Huntington Beach's Sister City in Anjo, Japan. The sign was crafted by Historic Wintersburg Task Force member Barbara Haynes.
Mileage from the Newland House: Wintersburg Village, 2.7 miles (Wintersburg Mission, Furuta farm, Tashima market); Smeltzer, 3.9 miles (Southern Pacific Railroad siding, Chino camp); Garden Grove, 12.2 miles (Ida Tofu Factory, Japanese Language School); Talbert, 3.3 miles (Escalante Circus campsite, Ishii home, Kato farm, Japanese Language School); Santa Ana, 11.7 miles (Santa Ana early 1900s produce market); Costa Mesa, 6.8 miles (Japanese Language School); Laguna Beach, 14.3 miles (Japanese Language School); Little Tokyo, 36.2 miles (Fugetsu-do confectionery); Anjo, Japan, 5651 miles (Huntington Beach Sister City). (Photo by Mary Urashima, December 5, 2014) © All rights reserved.
TASHIMA MARKET DETAILS: A pair of handwoven tatami sandals and bamboo rake in the Tashima market were among the details providing a glimpse back to 1914.
These items can be found today in the Historic District of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, at Anzen Hardware on First Street, which is worth a field trip in itself. Early 1900s residents of Wintersburg and Smeltzer's Japanese community traveled back and forth to Little Tokyo regularly, on the Pacific Electric Railway "Red Car." Yukiko Furuta's 1982 oral history includes a reference to shopping in Little Tokyo and enjoying the sweets at a confectionery that undoubtedly was Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop, which opened in 1903.
Also in the market were major crops for Wintersburg and Smeltzer, celery and chili peppers, advertisements from the Orange County Directory for 1913, and a 1914 recipe book. (Photo by Mary Urashima, December 5, 2014) © All rights reserved.
LOCAL ROYALTY: Miss Huntington Beach, Claire Epting (center, in green), and her court, Alexis Rodriguez and Jena Jean Farris, in the Tashima market with Historic Wintersburg Task Force members Rebecca Nehez (far left), Kanji Sahara (second from left) and Mary Urashima (center). (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY: Local businessman Ed Laird (left) with his family, chats with Assemblyman Matthew Harper (center), Chris McDonald of the Local News (in straw hat) and Huntington Beach Historical Society president Darrell Rivers (in 1914 attire with top hat). (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
PASSING ON HISTORY: Inside the Tashima market, Kanji Sahara enthralls a visitor as he shares the history of Japanese pioneers and the significance of Historic Wintersburg. In addition to volunteering his time for Historic Wintersburg, Sahara is on the Japanese American Citizens League board and a member of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition Board. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
WINDOW INTO THE PAST: Near the Tashima market display, an exhibit constructed of vintage windows shares historical photographs and information about Historic Wintersburg. This display made of re-purposed materials---in keeping with the purpose of preservation to re-use and recycle---was used at the Smithsonian Museum's traveling exhibit, Journey Stories, at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in October 2014. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
FRIENDS OF HISTORIC WINTERSBURG: Leadership from the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Pacific Southwest joined Historic Wintersburg Task Force member Kanji Sahara in the Tashima market. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5, 2014) © All rights reserved.
The JACL recognized Task Force chair Mary Urashima with their Community Hero award this year at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles, and has actively supported the preservation of Historic Wintersburg.
The Japanese American Citizens League was formed in 1929 in California and Washington, and spread to become the
largest and most well-known Japanese American organization in the United
States. JACL was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1988, signed by President Ronald Reagan.
Today, it is the U.S.'s oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization, with 108 chapters nationwide. JACL continues to work on existing and emerging civil liberties issues.
MOCHI! Special thanks to one of our event sponsors, Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop, on First Street in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Guests at the event had the opportunity to taste mochi, a sweet rice confection, at the Tashima market, offered on a vintage tray by a pioneer. Information and directions to Fugetsu-do at http://www.fugetsu-do.com/ (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5 2014) © All rights reserved.
More event photographs and information about the preservation effort for Historic Wintersburg can be found on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historic-Wintersburg-Preservation-Task-Force/433990979985360
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Santa (the jolly fellow at right) greeted visitors from 1914 and 2014 inside the Newland House, checking his list. We wish all our readers a very happy holiday season and joyous New Year in 2015. (Photo courtesy of Gregory Robertson, Dec. 5, 2014)
© All rights reserved.
Thank you to our hosts at Holidays in Huntington Beach, 1914, the Huntington Beach Historical Society.
We are endlessly appreciative of our Historic Wintersburg Task Force members and volunteers. You made this happen!
Thank you to Assemblyman Matthew Harper, Huntington Beach Mayor Jill Hardy, and the other dignitaries, officials, and all our guests who stopped by to celebrate the Holidays in Huntington Beach, 1914. Sharing history is sharing community.
Historic Wintersburg will have much more news to share in 2015 about the effort to preserve one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. We appreciate the growing support, both locally and nationally, to save Historic Wintersburg for future generations.
Perhaps in 2114, there will be holiday events looking back 200 years, at both the Newland House and at Historic Wintersburg. The world will be a different place in the next century. Knowing where we come from and how far we all have traveled will be even more important.
© All rights reserved.
No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated
without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams
Urashima
The
Tashima Market in Wintersburg Village was a feed and seed store, as well as a
general market for groceries for the pioneer community. The Tashima
Market and the McIntosh Meat Co. market were the two main food markets for the
rural farming community. (Photograph courtesy of Eugene Tashima) © All rights reserved.
The Huntington
Beach Historical Society is hosting their annual holiday open house with a
new partner this year, Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach.
The event, Holidays in Huntington Beach, will be held at the Newland
House Museum, with historical displays of life a century ago.
The Newland
House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and
dates to 1898 when it was built for William and Mary Newland, pioneer
settlers of Huntington Beach. The Newland House was saved
and preserved through a community effort. It is now one of the oldest
homes remaining in Huntington Beach, a reminder of Orange County’s
pioneer community. The Newland House and gardens will be open,
free to the general public during the event.
Holidays in Huntington Beach also will feature a glimpse of Historic
Wintersburg in Huntington Beach, named in June 2014 one of America’s
11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Wintersburg Village began forming in the 1880s and was annexed into the
City of Huntington Beach in 1957. Charles Furuta, owner of the Furuta farm at Historic Wintersburg arrived in what would become Huntington Beach approximately five to six years after the Newland House was built.
Event guests will walk into Wintersburg Village’s
Tashima Market on the front lawn of the Newland House and view a
display of historical photographs relating to Huntington Beach’s
Japanese pioneers. There will be opportunity to chat with pioneers, as
part of the exhibit re-enactment. Also, guests can try a taste of mochi, a traditional rice
flour sweet, courtesy of the century-old Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop, a confectionery in Little
Tokyo.
Left: The Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, dates back to 1903. Wintersburg Village residents traveled to Little Tokyo for shopping via the Pacific Electric Railway, also known as the "Red Car," in the early 1900s. (Photograph, M. Urashima, November 22, 2014) © All rights reserved.
Some items will be available at the "Christmas market" as donation opportunities for the preservation work. Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach author, Mary Adams Urashima, will have copies of her books available for sale and signing.
The event features live holiday music and refreshments. As part of the holiday tradition, Santa will make an appearance at the Newland House, making this an event for all ages!
Right: The stately Newland House, circa 1910, with "Bob, the dog" out front. (Photograph courtesy of City of Huntington Beach archives)
Holidays in Huntington Beach is at the Newland House Museum, Friday, December 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., 19820 Beach Boulevard (in the Newland Shopping Center at Beach Boulevard and Adams Avenue).
Admission is free. Guests are encouraged to arrive in 1914 fashion and be of good cheer!
Left: The traditional holiday and special event sweet, mochi. Mochi is a rice cake made usually at the New Year holiday in a ceremony called mochitsuki. Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop is sending its famous "Rainbow Dango" mochi. (Photograph, WikiCommons)
© All rights reserved.
No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated
without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams
Urashima
TAIKO! Jodaiko, the taiko drum group from University of California-Irvine, provided an amazing performance at the Smithsonian Institution's traveling exhibit, Journey Stories, at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana, California. (Photo, October 25, 2014) © All rights reserved.
If you didn't go to Journey Stories, the traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibit, for the "Incoming Cultures" day on October 25, then you missed out on living history! A big thank you to the Heritage Museum of Orange County for including Historic Wintersburg in this exhibit! We look forward to future events together, as we tell the story of Orange County. Here are a few images of our day at the Heritage Museum of Orange County.
TELLING OUR STORY: Under the gazebo in the Rose Garden, part of Historic Wintersburg's traveling display, telling the "journey story" of California's Japanese pioneers. The display was constructed of vintage windows as part of the preservation message to save, re-purpose and re-use. It is painted the same colors as the historic 1912 Furuta bungalow at Historic Wintersburg, iron oxide red and sharp white trim. © All rights reserved.
CREATING OUR DISPLAY: We're already working on additions for the next exhibit! Join us for the holidays in Huntington Beach, 100 years ago in 1914, for some special exhibits and surprises. Mark your calendar for Friday, December 5, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Newland House Museum in Huntington Beach, 19820 Beach Boulevard. More details coming! (Photo, October 25, 2014) © All rights reserved.
AN ACJACHEMEN BLESSING: A member of California's Acjachemen Nation opened the day with a blessing, sung from the porch of the historic Maag House. Visitors were welcomed to the Acjachemen homeland with a message of humanity. The Acjachemen are descendants of native Californians who lived in Orange County 8,000 to 9,000 years ago. (Photo, October 25, 2014) © All rights reserved.
BULLFIGHT: The Yesteryears Dancers perform an historic californio dance from California's Rancho Era, mimicking the bullfight. The men hold the red cape of the toreador, while the ladies dance as a bull, capturing a cape when they can! (Photo, October 25, 2014) © All rights reserved.
Historic Wintersburg preservation task force member, Dennis Masuda, waves a peaceful hello to all the friends and supporters of Historic Wintersburg. Dennis reminds everyone to donate today to the Indiegogo campaign and help us save one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places! You make the difference saving American history for future generations. (Photo, October 25, 2014) © All rights reserved.
One hundred years from now, what will be remembered of the pioneers of California if no one saves this history? Who will tell their journey stories if no one steps forward to save history?
Historic Wintersburg is still in the midst of our crowdfunding campaign with Indiegogo (ends November 30, 2014). It's easy to donate and every donation---large and small---makes a difference!
Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-historic-wintersburg#home WATCH the VIDEOS, READ THE GOALS for our campaign, and HELP US with a critical milestone effort to provide a technical plan for PRESERVATION!
DONATIONS CAN STILL BE MADE VIA PAYPAL AND BY DIRECT MAIL.
Go to http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/i_want_to/give/donation-wintersburg.cfm
© All rights reserved.
No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated
without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams
Urashima
JOURNEY STORIES: The Shinyo Maru at the dock in 1912. This is a snip of a larger photograph taken by Charles Furuta, documenting his voyage back to Japan in 1912 to meet his bride, Yukiko Yajima. Charles Furuta had been in America for twelve years, had acquired the property in Wintersburg Village, and felt he could now support a wife. Charles and Yukiko returned to America on the same ship line. (Photograph snip, Courtesy of the Furuta family). © All rights reserved.
Join Historic Wintersburg at the Smithsonian Institution's traveling exhibit, Journey Stories, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, October 25, at the Heritage Museum of Orange County.
Right: Promotional ticket for the Shinyo Maru's Toyo Kisen-Kaisha ship line. Travelers underwent a vigorous screening in the early 1900s. When Charles Furuta first traveled to America in 1900, his ship, the SS Glenogle, like other steamships of the time, was disinfected
to kill rats, its passengers’ baggage steamed to avoid contagion. Upon arrival in Hawaii--Charles Furuta's original destination--passengers were not allowed to disembark due to the Black Plague. He continued on to the mainland of America. There was
risk and little luxury in ocean travel for those making their journey across the Pacific Ocean to America.
Walk the beautiful 12-acre grounds and explore the historic buildings at the Heritage Museum to see displays from the Smithsonian and local historical groups, representing the stories of Orange County's pre history---the first Californians---and of the diverse pioneer journeys. The exhibits and discussions on Saturday, October 25, are focused on the unique cultures that created Orange County.
Look for Historic Wintersburg's display in the Rose Garden Lawn, and for a discussion about Historic Wintersburg and Orange County's Japanese pioneers on the steps of the historic Maag House at 1:30 p.m. Just prior to this, at 1 p.m., is a performance of taiko drum by the group, Jodaiko, from the University of California - Irvine.
Historic Wintersburg thanks the Heritage Museum for including the history of Orange County's Japanese pioneers and one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Our display will highlight the Journey Stories of Historic Wintersburg and volunteers will be available to talk about how you can help save this rare, endangered historic place.
Don't forget! Historic Wintersburg's Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign continues through November 30. We need your help to save one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places! Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-historic-wintersburg#home
Our special thanks to all the sponsors who helped bring the Smithsonian Institution's Journey Stories to Orange County! These wonderful sponsors and organizations are helping keep Orange County heritage alive for future generations.
The Heritage Museum of Orange County is located at 3101 W Harvard Street in Santa Ana, California. Go to http://heritagemuseumoc.org for more information.
© All rights reserved.
No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated
without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams
Urashima.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY: Farm children in the Smeltzer and Wintersburg Village areas (now
both part of Huntington Beach) attended the Ocean View Grammar School, located at the southwest corner of Beach Boulevard and Warner Avenue. There is the full range of emotions in this photo of the third grade class, taken in 1929---a snip of the full image on display. Perhaps they are ready for the end of the school day
when they can run back through the rural countryside to home. (Photo courtesy of the Furuta family) © All rights reserved.
The
third in a series of exhibits on local history was just installed at the Main Street Library, featuring images from Historic Wintersburg. The photography exhibit is sponsored by the Huntington Beach Historic Resources Board.
The Wintersburg Village---which
began forming in the late 1800s---was a distinct population center from
the Huntington Beach Township on early U.S. Census records. It was
annexed into Huntington Beach in 1957, but was connected with Huntington Beach commerce, civic events and daily life from the beginning.
READY FOR VIEWING: Jose Hernandez and Jose Aranda with the Huntington Beach Library staff, after installation of the exhibit. Historic Wintersburg thanks the Huntington Beach Library for hosting the exhibit, organized by the Huntington Beach Historic Resources Board. (Photo, October 3, 2014)
The photography exhibit images reveal shared history with the pioneer settlement era of Huntington Beach. Stop by the historic Main Street Library (placed on the National Register of Historic Places in fall 2013), located on Triangle Park at 525 Main Street.
Photographs include enlargements of a 1913 aviation event, the farming community of Wintersburg Village, a "beet dump" at the Southern Pacific Railroad siding in Wintersburg, and a 1912 community meeting that led to the re-building of the Huntington Beach pier.
WHARF BONDS: Minutes from the Huntington Beach board of trustees (city council) for May 13, 1912, record the issuing of bonds in the amount of $70,000 to raise funds to rebuild the pier, blown down by a Pacific storm. Huntington Beach trustees and leaders then made an appeal for help--the 1912 version of "crowdfunding"--to get the community to invest in the bonds.
When the pier was rededicated in 1914, the Japanese community was
prominently featured in the celebrations right after a surfing demonstration by
George Freeth. Placed high on the agenda (indicating significant support), they performed a sword
dance just before the concert band finale and illumination of the pier. Thousands attended the ceremonies.
Glimpses into the shared history of Wintersburg Village and Huntington Beach illustrate how the pioneer community worked together to build Orange County.
CROWDFUNDING, VERSION 1912: This snip of the full image on display at the Main Street Library reveals Huntington Beach's first mayor, Ed Manning (light color suit). Photographed on the steps of the Huntington Inn in 1912, leaders from Wintersburg
Village’s Japanese American community and the Huntington Beach township
leadership were meeting about fundraising to rebuild the Huntington Beach pier. In the photograph are four of Huntington Beach's first mayors: Ed Manning, Matthew Helme, Thomas Talbert and Eugene French. Historic Wintersburg's Charles Furuta is standing at the front left row below the first step, and next to Mayor French is one of the Wintersburg Mission founders, Reverend Hisakichi Terasawa. (Photo courtesy of the Wintersburg Presbyterian Church) © All rights reserved.
Crowdfunding, Version 2014
The community of Huntington Beach once again reaches out in an appeal for support, this time to save the land of those who helped fund raise for the pier a century ago. The pioneer property of Historic Wintersburg holds six historic structures relating to the Furuta Gold Fish Farm and the Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Mission, part of California's Japanese Mission Trail. It was named one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in June 2014. It is threatened with demolition by May 2015.
Help save Historic Wintersburg from demolition, preserving this significant part of American history for future generations! Go to our Indiegogo page at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-historic-wintersburg
© All rights reserved.
No part of the Historic Wintersburg blog may be reproduced or duplicated
without prior written permission from the author and publisher, M. Adams
Urashima.
