We've come along way since the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force's first fund raiser in December 2012! On this date, the Rafu Shimpo, Los Angeles Japanese Daily News, published a beautiful feature on our historic preservation effort and the remarkable history represented by Historic Wintersburg.
Read the feature by J.K. Yamamoto at http://www.rafu.com/2012/12/remembering-wintersburg/
LEFT: Furuta family descendant, Norman Furuta, speaks at the press conference announcing the designation by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to the America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Place list. The list brings national attention to rare American historic sites, asking for public support. (Photo, M. Urashima, June 24, 2014) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Since that time, we achieved listing on America's 11 Most Endangered
Historic Places; a History Press book, Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach; a PBS program about
the Furuta family of Historic Wintersburg, Our American Family: The Furutas; a National Treasure
designation, conducted some initial stabilization work, and conducted cultural monitoring relating to street work next to the property. We'll be posting photographs of the some of the cultural finds on a future blog post.
RIGHT: Kevin Sanada (left) and Christina Morris (right) from the Los Angeles field office for the National Trust for Historic Preservation on one of their first inspections of Historic Wintersburg. This tour occurred after our second application to be considered for America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. (Photo, M. Urashima, May 14, 2014) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The National Park Service and National Trust for Historic Preservation have both inspected the
property and deemed it of "remarkable integrity", a property that can meet the National Register
of Historic Places under Criterion A: Japanese American
Settlement in the American West. Both organizations stated that the six historic
structures on the Furuta farm can be restored.
At the end of 2015, Historic Wintersburg was designated as Orange County, California's first and only National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, https://savingplaces.org/places/historic-wintersburg#.WExwIVx5LkZ There are approximately 60 National Treasures in the United States.
LEFT: Elaine Jackson Retondo and Hank Florence of the U.S. National Park Service during their inspection of Historic Wintersburg on May 24, 2013. The NPS followed up with a written report that stated: " It is likely that the property is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A in association with Japanese American Settlement in the American West or other patterns of events that have made important contributions to the history of the United States." (Photo, M. Urashima, May 24, 2013) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We have presented lectures about
Historic Wintersburg at the Japanese American National Museum, the
National Trust for Historic Preservation conference, Heritage Museum of Orange County, Little
Tokyo Historical Society at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple, and California
State University Long Beach, to name just a few.
RIGHT: Inside the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles, one of the beautiful settings for a presentation about Historic Wintersburg. (Photo, M. Urashima, October 4, 2014) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We have been honored to be invited to the Consulate General of Japan residence for the annual reception for the Emperor's birthday, as well as to the U.S.-Japan Council conference this year. We were honored to take a delegation from our Sister City of Anjo, Japan, on a tour of Historic Wintersburg. We hope for many more international friendships and cultural exchanges regarding our shared history.
LEFT: A delegation from Huntington Beach Sister City, Anjo, Japan, takes a tour of Historic Wintersburg with members of the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force. (Photo, September 11, 2015) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We have been part of important events and efforts relating to this
history: the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, the Day of Remembrance at the
Japanese American National Museum, the Tuna Canyon Detention Station
"Only the Oaks Remain" fundraiser for their traveling exhibit, the
traveling Smithsonian exhibit, "Journey Stories" at the Heritage Museum
of Orange County, assistance for the construction of a historical fire
station for Manzanar, and volunteering for public archaeology at
Manzanar.
Every one of our sister organizations and individual mentors has contributed to our
support and understanding of this work. We thank you.
RIGHT: Historic Wintersburg helps out at a public archaeology dig at Manzanar National Historic Site, with the National Park Service. Listen and read KQED's feature about the archaeological dig at http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/07/26/uncovering-the-buried-history-of-a-japanese-american-internment-camp/
(Photo courtesy of National Park Service, July 4 weekend, 2015) © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Major
community stakeholders now know more about the history and support---indeed, they fight for---the
preservation of Historic Wintersburg. We currently are in productive
and positive discussions with the City of Huntington Beach and Republic
Services (which bought prior property owner Rainbow Environmental). We appreciate their efforts to work for a good resolution for the National Treasure Historic Wintersburg.
We have come a long way these past four years toward saving this history! More good news ahead!
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.
An introduction to the history of Wintersburg Village, now part of Huntington Beach, Orange County, California. The 1934 Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church in the background, built during the Great Depression. Hiding behind it, the 1910 wooden Mission and manse (parsonage), and behind the book, the Furuta bungalow and barn. (Photo, February 28, 2014)
The effort to save Historic Wintersburg is making national news. And, with a new book that introduces the history of the Wintersburg Village, the continuing work to restore a long-neglected chapter in the pioneer settlement of Huntington Beach and Orange County.
Preservation Magazine
A publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Magazine featured Historic Wintersburg in late February and reported on the mobilization to preserve the pre California Alien Land Law of 1913 property.
Lauren Walser writes in, Racing to Save Japanese-American History at Historic Wintersburg Village, that the Furuta farm and Wintersburg Mission complex "stands as monument to the early immigrant community’s spiritual and social center." Read more at http://blog.preservationnation.org/2014/02/19/race-save-japanese-american-history-historic-wintersburg-village/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Preservationnation+%28PreservationNation%29#.UxT3r4V1Cf5
Huffington Post
The Huffington Post picked up the Preservation Magazine feature and published it in their blog, The Race to Save a Rare Slice of Japanese-American History, at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/national-trust-for-historic-preservation/the-race-to-save-a-rare-s_b_4826074.html
Rafu Shimpo
The Rafu Shimpo - Los Angeles Japanese Daily News--Southern California's century-old Japanese and English language daily newspaper--reported on the release of the new book on Orange County's Japanese American history.
Historic Wintersburg Chronicled in New Book can be read at http://www.rafu.com/2014/02/historic-wintersburg-chronicled-in-new-book/
A CENTURY AGO: Charles Furuta drives a sugar beet wagon up the steep railroad siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad, circa 1914. Hidden in plain site, this historical railroad line runs through the former Smeltzer and Wintersburg Village, now north Huntington Beach. (Photo courtesy of the Furuta family) © All rights reserved.
Huntington Beach Independent
Author Chris Epting introduced the book, Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach, through his weekly Huntington Beach Independent column, In the Pipeline. Epting's own books are tributes to American history, including Huntington Beach history and Orange County baseball.
Epting quotes from the interview, "There are places in this country known as sites of conscience, and this
spot in Huntington Beach is one of them...it has been right in front
of all of us all of this time. Historic Wintersburg is
iconic in American history, Japanese history and civil liberties
history."
Read Chris Epting's column, Saving Wintersburg, A page at a time, at http://www.hbindependent.com/opinion/tn-hbi-me-0227-pipeline-20140225,0,1826867.story
O.C. History Roundup
Local historian and archivist with the Orange County Archives, Chris Jepsen, added information about the recent news coverage and book release on his history blog, O.C. History Roundup.
Jepsen covers Southern California history--particularly Orange County--like no one else, and was one of the first to raise the alarm about potential loss of the Furuta farm and Wintersburg Mission after 2004. The Historic Wintersburg effort owes a debt to Jepsen for keeping a watchful eye on the County's precious heritage. Read his blog post at http://ochistorical.blogspot.com/2014/02/photography-scene-painting-wintersburg.html
KCET, LA Letters
Writer Mike Sonksen wrote about Historic Wintersburg in his column, Politics of Preservation: Olvera Street to Huntington Beach, for KCET, the nation's largest independent public television station in November.
Sonksen draws a correlation to historic Olvera Street in Los Angeles and remembers the places lost, "Angelenos can think of hundreds of demolished lost landmarks and
neighborhoods, like Bunker Hill, Chavez Ravine, Sugar Hill, the Brown
Derby, the Ambassador, Atlantic Richfield Building, the Pike in Long
Beach, Pacific Ocean Park; countless other sites and structures now only
remembered in photos and memories."
Explaining the history of Japanese immigrant exclusion and Alien Land Laws, Sonksen notes, "The Wintersburg site is a whole other side of Orange County history." Read Mike Sonksen's feature at http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/la-letters/politics-of-preservation-olvera-street-to-huntington-beach.html
Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach, the book, is officially released on March 4, 2014. More information at https://historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Historic-Wintersburg-in-Huntington-Beach/9781626193116
BOOK EVENT
The first book signing is only a short distance from Historic Wintersburg, in a part of north Huntington Beach once known as Smeltzer, at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Bella Terra, 7881 Edinger Avenue.
A book discussion and signing will be held 2 p.m., Sunday, March 9. Details at http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/4677942
What was once fields of celery, chili peppers and sugar beets, is now where we remember the remarkable history of the Japanese American pioneers who helped build Orange County.
GHOST TRAIN: A remaining stretch of track for the Southern Pacific Railroad and Pacific Electric Railway line--the celery train that stopped in Smeltzer and Wintersburg Village--disappears into the earth, a short distance from Historic Wintersburg. Read "Celery train: We walk the Southern Pacific Line" at http://historicwintersburg.blogspot.com/2013/07/celery-train-we-walk-southern-pacific.html (Photo, June 2013) © All rights reserved.
AUTHOR FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Adams-Urashima/122844011260256
Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force DONATE TO PRESERVATION:
http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/i_want_to/give/donation-wintersburg.cfm
Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Historic-Wintersburg-Preservation-Task-Force/433990979985360
© 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.
