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.
It began with a little curiosity: what exactly were "those old buildings" at the corner of Warner Avenue and Nichols Lane in Huntington Beach, California?
What came afterwards prompted local residents to come forward in an effort to save a remarkable historic property that had been hiding in plain sight for decades.
Now that Historic Wintersburg has been recognized as rare California history and designated as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, we issue this appeal to help with its preservation.
Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign
Read our story at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-historic-wintersburg Historic Wintersburg's Indiegogo page features two videos: the National Trust for Historic Preservation announcement of the America's 11 Most Endangered designation and the preview of the Our American Family public television series featuring the Furuta family of Historic Wintersburg.
You'll also find a gallery (link at top of page) with photographs taken at the Historic Wintersburg property. We'll be adding more to the gallery during the 60-day campaign; you'll want to keep checking back!
Most importantly, the goals for this 60-day campaign are explained.
Preservation experts Peyton Hall, FAIA, principal, and Laura Janssen, senior architectural historian, both with Historic Resources Group in Pasadena, California, and David Cocke, S.E., with Structural Focus in Gardena, California, conducted a building inspection to assist with clean out and stabilization. These respected experts donated their time to Historic Wintersburg. However, funding is needed to conduct the actual clean out and stabilization recommendations. (Photo, October 2, 2014)
Critical Path Funding Needed
The immediate, critical path need for the preservation of Historic Wintersburg is funding of a $35,000 Urban Land Institute (ULI) technical advisory and professional stabilization of the six buildings at Historic Wintersburg.
All donors who help us meet the mid-point goal of $35,000 before October 31, 2014, will have their name in the final ULI technical study as an underwriter. This report will be circulated nationally.
The Furuta family on the porch of their bungalow in Wintersburg Village, circa 1923. This 1912 California bungalow is one of the six National Register-eligible structures still standing at Historic Wintersburg, more than a century later. (Photo courtesy of the Furuta family). © All rights reserved.
Walk inside Wintersburg Village once again
If you have been reading the stories of Historic Wintersburg, chances are you'd like to see and touch the history. The goal of preservation is not only to save this rare place in American history, but also to restore a historic site so it once again is an asset to the community. How? Take a look at our Indiegogo page to find out how we can arrive at a vision that incorporates preservation with community needs.
America, this is one of your 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Your help is needed. Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-historic-wintersburg#home
© 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.
