Aaahhh! A little breathing room: the first step toward stabilization begins with the trees

ABOVE: The team from Tsuzuki Tree Services, based in Fountain Valley, in the process of trimming away branches next to the Depression-era 1934 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   The Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force wish to acknowledge and thank Mike Tsuzuki, Tsuzuki Tree Service---based in Fountain Valley, California---for the contribution of over $10,000 in tree trimming services to help with the first step toward the stabilization of the structures at Historic Wintersburg.  The expertise and generosity of this Orange County, California business is helping save a National Treasure historic place!

LEFT: Mike Tsuzuki (right), owner of Tsuzuki Tree Service and resident of Fountain Valley, and his team leader, Leonel Granado, a resident of Santa Ana. Leonel marked is 30-year anniversary working with Mike on the day they were at Historic Wintersburg.  The two recently traveled to Japan together with their families, and talked to us about the historic places and gardens they had visited.  We were fortunate to be introduced to a team that truly cares about the history and recognizes the potential of Historic Wintersburg. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   Early in the morning on June 8, 2016---with permission from the property owner Republic Services / Rainbow Environmental Services---the team from Tsuzuki Tree Service began removing branches that were next to or touching the historic structures. The tree branches can add weight to century-old roofs or hold moisture next to buildings, which puts historic structures at risk for deterioration.  
 

RIGHT: Tsuzuki Tree Service team leader, Leonel Granado (far left), and the hard working crew who trimmed and removed over two full truck loads of chipped tree material from Historic Wintersburg. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   Problematic tree branches and brush were removed from areas around the 1910 Wintersburg Japanese Mission, the 1910 Manse (parsonage), the 1934 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church, the 1912 Furuta bungalow, and the Furuta barn (1908-1912).  The work was conducted around five of the six historic structures at Historic Wintersburg (during this particular work, no tree trimming was conducted around the 1947 Furuta ranch house).

LEFT: The 1910 Manse, getting a "haircut"!  This image is midway through the stabilization work. At the end of the day, a foot or more of heavy plant material was removed from the roof---filling a truck-size bin---and the tree branches cleared. The little Manse is feeling the sunshine on her back once again. The first couple to live in the Manse in 1910 was Reverend Joseph Inazawa and his wife, Kate Goodman. At the time of World War II, the family of Reverend Sohei Kowta were living in the Manse until the 1942 forced removal and confinement of the clergy and congregation of the Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church.  The majority were American citizens and were incarcerated at the Colorado River Relocation Center in Arizona.  Reverend Kowta's son, Tadashi Kowta, visited the Manse at Historic Wintersburg in 2013 and the Kowta family are generous supporters of the preservation effort. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

RIGHT: An example of the equipment brought by Tsuzuki Tree Service. Two large chipper-bin trucks were used, the trimmings efficiently chipped as they worked, and the chippings taken across the street to the Rainbow Environmental waste transfer station (they waived the fee for this work on their property). Tsuzuki Tree Service filled multiple truck-size bins during the work. (Photo courtesy of M. Bixby, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   "Stabilization" is defined as the act or process of applying measures to sustain the existing form, integrity and material of a building or structure.  It can include initial stabilization work and ongoing maintenance of historic structures.  

LEFT: The view from the porch of the 1910 Manse, toward the 1910 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Mission (at right) and 1934 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church (center) during stabilization work. The dense tree growth next to and on the structures removed, the small courtyard area is once again filled with light. The 1934 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church was constructed during the Great Depression through the efforts of the local farming community, even while Church funds were frozen by the bank.  After its construction, the 1910 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Manse was used for Sunday school, meetings and events. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   The next steps in stabilization for the structures at Historic Wintersburg is fumigation and removal of some debris or materials within the structures (with careful observation for any materials or artifacts that can be used for historical interpretation or future exhibits).  

RIGHT:  Tsuzuki Tree Service team leader, Leonel Granado, on the roof of the 1910 Manse (parsonage) during the tree trimming work. Property owner Republic Services / Rainbow Environmental Services provided bins, in addition to the large chipper trucks brought to Historic Wintersburg by Tsuzuki Tree Service. Leonel is in a harness and prior to this image was up in the tree tops next to the Manse. He also removed branches overhanging Nichols Street as an additional public safety measure. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   The Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force is looking for fumigation services who would like to help save a National Treasure historic place, with experience working in and around historic structures.  Please contact us via the email contact listed on this blog, right side of the page, or via our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Historic-Wintersburg-Preservation-Task-Force-433990979985360/.

LEFT: The team from Tsuzuki Tree Service working to remove tree branches near the Furuta barn, just south of the 1912 Furuta bungalow. The barn is thought to have been constructed between the time of the property's purchase in 1908 and the construction of the Furuta bungalow in 1912. It was used for both the goldfish farming pre WWII and for flower farming post-WWII confinement. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   Additional thanks go to Orange County residents Marvin Masuda (a cousin of Task Force member, Dennis Masuda, and son of WWII veteran Mas Masuda) and Glenn Tanaka, Tanaka Farms. Their efforts led to our introduction to Mike Tsuzuki.  We're also grateful to our field representative from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Kevin Sanada, who helped brief Mike Tsuzuki in advance of stabilization work and joined us at Historic Wintersburg the day of the stabilization work.  We also thank Peyton Hall, with Historic Resources Group, who inspected Historic Wintersburg in 2014 and provided an expert report regarding necessary stabilization actions.

RIGHT: One of the Tsuzuki Tree Service team members hauling branches near the Furuta barn, just west of an adjacent residential building in the Oak View neighborhood off Emerald Lane and Fir Drive. The nopales, or prickly pear cactus that now cover the land were planted in recent years by employees of Rainbow Environmental. Beginning in the 1920s, this area of the Furuta farm was filled with goldfish ponds. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 8, 2016) © All rights reserved.

   Our deepest thanks! The work of historic preservation cannot happen without community support demonstrated by the generosity of people like Mike Tsuzuki, Tsuzuki Tree Service.  Thank you for being a preservation hero and helping us save a National Treasure!

ADDITIONAL FEATURE: Read more about the recent media briefing and this first-step stabilization effort via the Rafu Shimpo at http://www.rafu.com/2016/07/property-owner-of-historic-wintersburg-site-committed-to-preservation/

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.