San Pedro in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Terminal Island Japanese Memorial
Panel 1:
Terminal Island Memorial
From the early 1900s until World War II, the fishing village of "Fish Harbor" on Terminal Island was a
thriving community of 3,000 people – primarily Japanese immigrants and their U.S.-born children. The local canneries and fishing boats played a vital role in the American fishing industry. In the village’s neat rows of shops and homes people loved, laughed, worked, played and raised families. On February 25, 1942, all villagers of Japanese descent were given 48 hours to leave Terminal Island. By April the village was gone, homes and livelihoods taken away and villagers sent to internment camps.
- We remember these people, and the community of Terminal Island that was their home.
Panel 2:
The story of Terminal Island is the story of a fishing village, and the Japanese Americans, young and old, who made it their home.
A pre-WWII aerial photo of Terminal Island and close-up photos of two fishermen working on their nets and four young female cannery workers.
Panel 3:
The men fished with poles and nets. Tuna season kept everyone busy in the summer. On dark winter nights, sardines set the ocean aglow.
Panel 4:
Along Tuna Street, the hardware stores, cafes and markets were the commercial heart of the village. [Photos: The Hashimoto Co. - The Mio Cafe - The A. Nakamura Grocery store]
Panel 5:
For young girls, Girls' Day was a day to be celebrated, to dress in their kimonos, display their dolls and perform traditional folk dances.
On Boys' Day the symbolic carp flags were flown, and boys displayed their athletic prowess at the annual track meet.
Panel 6:
[Un-captioned photos of boys and their carp flags on Boys' Day, plus adult fishermen and a fish monger with huge tuna hanging on the pier in Fish Harbor.]
Panel 7:
Terminal Islanders both young and old found many ways to relax and have fun. The youth had bonfires on the beach, the men gathered at the harbor after returning from the sea, and families attended social gatherings at the church, temple, school, or Fishermen's Association Hall.
Panel 8:
Terminal Islanders' Reunion - June 1980
Erected 1982 by Terminal Islanders Club.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Settlements & Settlers • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is February 25, 1942.
Location. 33° 43.83′ N, 118° 16.099′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in San Pedro. Marker is on South Seaside Avenue south of Terminal Way, on the left when traveling south. Terminal Way is accessible from I-110 or I-710 via the Seaside Freeway (CA-47), east of the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1124 South Seaside Avenue, San Pedro CA 90731, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Timms' Point and Landing (approx. 0.4 miles away); Muller House (approx. 0.7 miles away); San Pedro Landmarks (approx. 0.8 miles away); History of San Pedro Plaza Park (approx. 0.8 miles away); Anna Lee Fisher - Astronaut (approx. 0.8 miles away); San Pedro Post Office (approx. 0.8 miles away); Municipal Ferry Building (approx. 0.8 miles away); World War II Memorial: Propeller from Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. Canberra CA-70/CAG-2 (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.
Also see . . . Terminlal Island Community Images. (Submitted on September 3, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2013, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,327 times since then and 46 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2014, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on July 25, 2013, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. submitted on July 26, 2013, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.