"1923 November 24 San Pedro Grower's Association Community Hall Opening, Port of San Pedro [sic] California"

Abstract/Description: Image shows view of a group of mostly Japanese and Japanese American men, women and children standing in front of a women structure with several additional wooden structures and hills visible in the distance. The photo commemorates the completion of the San Pedro Grower's Association community buildings, a collection of at least three structures used by Japanese farming families who farmed the Peninsula starting in the early 1900s and continued until the breakout of WWII. The buildings were used for meetings, language classes, judo lessons, and social events. After the WWII, very few of the original farming families returned to the Peninsula. The buildings fell into disrepair over time and were eventually demolished by fire in the early 2000s. The photo is the basis for the Local History Center's "40 Families Project", a project to identify the approximately 187 people in the image. Utsushigawa Studios (name noted in lower left of image) noted in 1939-1940 Year Book and Directory published by Rafu Shimpo located at 244 1/2 East 1st Street, Los Angeles.
Subject(s): 1921-1930
Portraits, Group
Japanese Americans
Portuguese Bend (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.)
Palos Verdes Peninsula (Calif.)