2023 Aquarium of the Pacific Heritage Award
The Terminal Islanders
The Terminal Islanders
Heritage Award Ceremony: SATURDAY, 11/11/23 at 11:30 am, Pacific Vision Theater
(Photos above of some of the Original Terminal Islanders)
Terminal Island is located at the mouth of the Los Angeles Harbor, directly across the channel from the city of San Pedro.
In the mid 1890's a group of approximately 15 Japanese men who worked on the railroad started diving for abalone. In 1905, a bill was passed prohibiting Japanese from processing abalone so these men joined the two men who were already fishing on Terminal Island. In 1915 Fish Harbor was constructed and the canneries started recruiting the Japanese fisherman.
The canneries built barrack-like duplexes and single family homes for the families. The women were hired to work in the canneries. Each cannery had a distinct whistle so the women knew when it blew that one of their boats were returning and it was time to go to work.
The village grew, there were businesses and there were nearly 3,000 Terminal Islanders enjoying the good life. It was a totally safe place, where children could play and no one locked their homes. They even developed their own "pigin" language known as Taminaru-ben and have their own song called, Taminaru Yogore no Uta.
Then on December 7, 1941 when Japan bombed the United States, the leaders of the community were arrested along with all the Issei fishermen.
On February 25, 1942, a bulletin was posted and all Terminal Island residents had 48 hours to leave the island. All of the Japanese churches and community centers and the Baptist Church sent trucks to help the families move to their facilities. When Executive Order 9066 was put into full force, the Terminal Islanders rallied together and tried to get all Terminal Islanders to be together and about 1,000 Terminal Islanders voluntarily went to Manzanar. They were one of the largest groups there.
By mid 1942, the Navy bulldozed all of the homes and the Japanese fishing village was gone, they could never return to their home on Terminal Island. After the war, most of the families returned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor area. As they settled down and started to regain their life, they began to have the urge to be with their old friends again.
So in 1971, they held a reunion party at the Golden Palace in Los Angeles with 900 people in attendance. People came from all over the country to attend. A few months later, 23 Terminal Islanders got together and chartered an organization. It was a club that held annual luncheons, picnics, trips, and a golf tournament.
In 2002, the organization built the Terminal Island Memorial Monument at Fish Harbor. The memorial serves as a reminder of the Japanese-American community of the once thriving fishing village, our Furusato. If you haven't visited the monument, please go and visit it, it is a wonderful tribute.
As the original Terminal Islanders started aging, a new generation, the children, grandchildren and friends of Terminal Islanders came on board to keep their legacy alive.
We continue to hold the annual New Year's Luncheons and picnics and we proudly wear our Terminal Islanders happi coats at various Japanese festivals and community events.
Photos below of recent Terminal Islanders Picnic and Ondo Dancing
(Photos above of some of the Original Terminal Islanders)
Terminal Island is located at the mouth of the Los Angeles Harbor, directly across the channel from the city of San Pedro.
In the mid 1890's a group of approximately 15 Japanese men who worked on the railroad started diving for abalone. In 1905, a bill was passed prohibiting Japanese from processing abalone so these men joined the two men who were already fishing on Terminal Island. In 1915 Fish Harbor was constructed and the canneries started recruiting the Japanese fisherman.
The canneries built barrack-like duplexes and single family homes for the families. The women were hired to work in the canneries. Each cannery had a distinct whistle so the women knew when it blew that one of their boats were returning and it was time to go to work.
The village grew, there were businesses and there were nearly 3,000 Terminal Islanders enjoying the good life. It was a totally safe place, where children could play and no one locked their homes. They even developed their own "pigin" language known as Taminaru-ben and have their own song called, Taminaru Yogore no Uta.
Then on December 7, 1941 when Japan bombed the United States, the leaders of the community were arrested along with all the Issei fishermen.
On February 25, 1942, a bulletin was posted and all Terminal Island residents had 48 hours to leave the island. All of the Japanese churches and community centers and the Baptist Church sent trucks to help the families move to their facilities. When Executive Order 9066 was put into full force, the Terminal Islanders rallied together and tried to get all Terminal Islanders to be together and about 1,000 Terminal Islanders voluntarily went to Manzanar. They were one of the largest groups there.
By mid 1942, the Navy bulldozed all of the homes and the Japanese fishing village was gone, they could never return to their home on Terminal Island. After the war, most of the families returned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor area. As they settled down and started to regain their life, they began to have the urge to be with their old friends again.
So in 1971, they held a reunion party at the Golden Palace in Los Angeles with 900 people in attendance. People came from all over the country to attend. A few months later, 23 Terminal Islanders got together and chartered an organization. It was a club that held annual luncheons, picnics, trips, and a golf tournament.
In 2002, the organization built the Terminal Island Memorial Monument at Fish Harbor. The memorial serves as a reminder of the Japanese-American community of the once thriving fishing village, our Furusato. If you haven't visited the monument, please go and visit it, it is a wonderful tribute.
As the original Terminal Islanders started aging, a new generation, the children, grandchildren and friends of Terminal Islanders came on board to keep their legacy alive.
We continue to hold the annual New Year's Luncheons and picnics and we proudly wear our Terminal Islanders happi coats at various Japanese festivals and community events.
Photos below of recent Terminal Islanders Picnic and Ondo Dancing