A Japanese hamlet contributing significantly to California's fishing sector's development may transform into a container shipping facility.
A Fading Legacy: The Fight to Save Terminal Island's Historic Japanese American Yards
This island in San Pedro Bay once buzzed with life, boasting a flourishing Japanese American fishing community that played a crucial role in developing Southern California's seafood industry. Since the early 20th century, thousands of first- and second-generation Japanese immigrants, the issei and nisei, inhabited this island, refining innovative tactics such as 6-foot-tall bamboo poles and live bait to catch albacore tuna and sardines. The women in the community would then clean and package the catch in the canneries.
However, World War II tragically uprooted this vibrant enclave. Now, the only leftovers of the village are a pair of vacant buildings on Tuna Street, dwarfed by a sea of colorful shipping containers and towering green cranes covering the island. These buildings, vestiges of a largely forgotten legacy, are under threat of demolition to make room for more containers.
Surviving Terminal Islanders and their descendants, now well past retirement age, have come together to preserve the last tangible connection to this bygone era. Paul Boyea, a board member of the Terminal Islanders Association, explains, "These buildings are an integral part of American history that should never be forgotten."
In recent months, supporters have made substantial progress in saving these structures. In February, Councilmember Tim McOsker introduced a motion to designate the buildings as historic-cultural monuments, and in June, the L.A.'s Cultural Heritage Commission will review the motion for potential advancement before the City Council. This month, the National Trust for Historic Preservation also included the buildings on its annual list of the 11 most endangered historic sites in America.
Former Terminal Islanders vividly recount scenes of families gathering at the Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple, shopping at stores, and enjoying movies and dances at Fisherman's Hall. Children practiced judo, played baseball, and donned their white kimonos for Girls' Day festivals.
Boyea, a 69-year-old who wasn't born on the island, still feels a profound connection to the place his mother was born in 1919. His grandfather served as a fishing fleet captain and president of the Japanese fishermen's association.
The two buildings on Tuna Street, once the commercial hub of the Japanese village, were the homes of A. Nakamura Co., a grocery store established in 1923, and Nanka Shoten, a dry goods store established in 1918.
Preservation efforts for the buildings date back two decades but gained steam last May, when the Port of Los Angeles suggested demolishing them to create additional storage space. Despite ongoing negotiations, no decision has been made at present.
"Tuna Street was the 'Broadway' of the Japanese fishing community," explains Terry Hara, president of the Terminal Islanders Association, whose grandfather worked as a cannery superintendent, and whose father and uncles were commercial fishermen.
Traditions ran deep in this community, with residents holding annual New Year's mochi-pounding celebrations and dances in kimonos for Girls' Day festivals. "It was one big happy family," Hara reminisces. "Nobody locking doors, and neighbors looked out for one another."
In the early 20th century, Terminal Island attracted a diverse mix of individuals, including artists, writers, and lumber workers. At its peak in the 1930s, Japanese residents made up approximately two-thirds of the island's population.
Japanese planes bombing Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, dramatically changed everything. The government suspecting that Japanese fishermen in the area were spying for the military arrested hundreds of them, forcing them to live inside a federal prison for months.
The following February, remaining residents, primarily women and children, were given just 48 hours to evacuate the island. Over 800 Terminal Islanders were then incarcerated in the Manzanar concentration camp, and upon their return, the entire village had been razed. With no alternative, many relocated to Long Beach and the South Bay.
"The nisei refused to speak about their incarceration due to the trauma," Boyea shares.
The Terminal Islanders Association was established in the 1970s by survivors and descendants who sought to stay connected through social events like annual picnics and New Year's celebrations. They later became involved in preservation and education efforts, partnering with the L.A. Conservancy to establish a memorial in 2002 and now advocating for the restoration of the Tuna Street buildings.
Preservationists and descendants of Terminal Island residents propose converting the buildings into a museum, education center, or a general goods store for port workers on the island. Fine, the CEO of the LA Conservancy, comments, "These buildings could serve some kind of community function while still communicating their history in some way."
As the number of surviving Terminal Island residents diminishes, the urgency to preserve this piece of American history grows. "This is an American story, good or bad," Hara says, stressing the significance of passing down this legacy to the next generation.
The surviving Terminal Islanders and their descendants envision the restored A. Nakamura Co. and Nanka Shoten buildings as a museum, education center, or a general goods store for port workers, preserving the now endangered home-and-garden stores as part of their retirement lifestyle legacy. As these islanders grow older, the urgency to save these historic buildings and their vibrant memories intensifies, ensuring the continuity of a key chapter in American history.
