]The days I went with KD and the 2 C's, we also checked out this place...
The Chula Vista Heritage Museum is just a few steps from the sign in downtown Chula Vista, near Fred Rohr's drop anvil. We were interested in seeing their new exhibit about the history of Japanese Americans and their contributions in the Chula Vista farming community...
The exhibit, "This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land - Japanese Americans in Chula Vista" runs until May of next year. Admission to the museum is free but only open on certain days.
There are books on sale. I have the Arcadia Press volume you see there, "Japanese Americans in San Diego" written by Susan Hasegawa, a local historian and professor. The museum was also selling copies of the Asian American classic, "Farewell to Manzanar" (1973) by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. In fact, she was just at the Chula Vista Library last night to give a talk. Unfortunately, I missed the event; it would have been nice to have her sign my volume. For those who are unaware, I collect history books, notably Asian American history and specializing in Filipino American history, literature, and poetry.
This part of the exhibit had vintage produce labels. I like the sound of "Yamada Boys"!
More info here:
This was a farming tool that you strap on your back. It is filled with seeds and fertilizer and weighed 50 pounds EMPTY. The docent told us that an eighty year old Nisei visited the museum and reminiscing about having to wear this while working the fields.
Replica of a produce stand with weighing scale:
Map showing where Japanese American farms were located in Chula Vista in pre and post-WWII. The green dots represented pre-WWII. There were many farms near the coast but after FDR signed Executive Order 9066 and interned the Japanese Americans in camps, many of these hard working and honest families lost their farms and possessions, unless the farms were signed over to their American born children. Despite this, some farms were built over with housing.
Even the strawberry fields near the Mariscos el Prieto taco truck were once owned by Japanese American farmers...
There were also farms in the eastern part of San Diego (in what is now Otay Mesa and the Otay Ranch area)...The photo in the middle shows the "paper caps" that Japanese American farmers invented for the celery crops.
Did you know that Chula Vista was once known as the Celery Capital of the World? Celery back then was considered a delicacy and a prized vegetable.
It was really moving reading the placards detailing the Japanese American internment experience. There was such a vibrant community and that was totally destroyed when all 450 families were rounded up as "enemies of the U.S.". From there they were sent on the trains at the Santa Fe Depot,shuttled off to the Santa Anita race track in Arcadia to live in the horse stables, and then relocated off to camps in the deserts of Arizona and California (Manzanar, Tule Lake, Poston, Heart Mountain), and even in Utah and Arkansas (Topaz and Rohwer respectively).
A note about Rohwer, I have an "auntie", a Nisei, whose parents were interned there. They were farmers in Corona and were able to keep their farm after the war's end. She was born after the war and when I was growing up, she used to babysit me and my siblings. She was one of those bra-burning, hippie feminists in the late 60's and early 70's. I really looked up to her back then. Anyhow...her father recently passed away (he was in his 90's). He grew all kinds of crops and we would be the lucky recipients of his produce over the years (tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, etc).
This museum, by the way, is pretty small, but it was amazing to see this recreation of one of the barracks that the Japanese Americans had to live in. Six people were expected to live in this tiny space.
The docent informed us that the tin can tops we saw on the floor were placed over knotholes to keep out the scorpions! The wood in the barracks was young and green wood and when the planks shrank, there would be space between the planks and the knotholes would fall out, bringing in desert insects and lots of dust. Do you see the "Go" game?
The view of the fountain and part of downtown CV near the museum. The tall tower is the Congregational apartment tower for senior citizens. It was in the news fifteen or so years ago when a crazed gunman went in and shot several people. Crazy! My dentist at the time was the next street over.
Construction near the sign...Pain in the @$$!
As we drove home, we passed by what I call my "dream house". This is located in the quiet neighborhood on Hilltop drive (between H and F street). I love the look of this house. It looks like it belongs in New Orleans with its ornate iron railings.
By the way, I wasn't driving, okay? KD was the driver that day while I played tour guide...
Chula Vista Heritage Museum
360 Third Ave (east side of Memorial Park)
Chula Vista, CA 91910
T-Thu 12 - 4 pm
Sat 12 - 3 pm
If you're ever down in the downtown CV area, the museum may be worth a look inbetween exploring the various shops and restaurants.
2 comments:
Hi CC! I thought the exhibit was very cool. I never knew CV was the celery capitol. Nice to learn a bit of history.
Yes, we now have new wrinkles on our brain! Thanks for going!
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