A house that was once was a home
BY: JON CHOWN
Santa Cruz artist Michael Leeds crafted his vehicle (at left) from a 1941 Seagrave hook and ladder fire truck. At right is Watsonville car collector and author Jack Passey’s 1933 Lincoln. The two vehicles were part of a small collection of classic cars on display at the Apple Annual Sunday at the Redman-Hirahara farmstead on Lee Road.
Many notable people were strolling the lawn of the Redman-Hirahara House on Sunday at the Apple Annual, a wine glass in one hand and the other used to articulate a point. Sitting on the sidestep of his 1933 Lincoln, author and car collector Jack Passey of Watsonville talked about his passion with Santa Cruz artist Michael Leeds, who is known for transforming old “junk” into futuristic designs.
Leeds drove his one-of-a-kind invention to the party, a 12-cylinder purple beast that used to be a 1941 Seagrave hook and ladder firetruck. Leeds had been working on the car for 37 years.
“It’s a vehicle that is from yesterday, here today and for tomorrow,” he said.
The same could be said of the vision for the Redman-Hirahara House. The people behind the restoration effort see the home and surrounding farmstead as a vehicle from the past, here today and for the future — a vehicle to promote the region and what is has to offer the millions of people driving by each day.
“That is what we are here for today,” said Geoff Scurfield, board president of the Redman Foundation. “This house has a lot to offer this community.”
The Apple Annual, Watsonville’s first in nearly a century, was a fundraiser to finish the foundation for the house, which was lifted more than a year ago. Perched above the crowd, two sisters looked up at it, remembering when they lived inside its walls.
“We were a family of 13, so the kids spent a lot of time playing outside,” said Eiko Nishihara, 82, who still lives in Watsonville. Eiko and her sister Yoshiko Nishihara, 81, were part of the Hirahara family that owned the home and were forced to leave it during World War II when all Americans of Japanese descent were ordered detained and forced into prison camps further east. The Hiraharas were moved to Arkansas.
The two girls spent their years in high school in one camp or another while in Arkansas before finally returning to Watsonville around 1948.
“My father and brother went home first to make sure it was safe,” said Yoshiko.
In 1950, the two women married brothers and moved out of the house. The years after the war were not easy for the Hiraharas. Local merchants would not sell them gas for their tractor and the sisters’ brother Fumio had to go to Monterey for it. Local outlets for their produce were also cut off, but distributors from Los Angeles welcomed the bounty of the Pajaro Valley.
“We had other Japanese families living here and working on the farm,” Eiko said. “And we sold a lot of vegetables in L.A.”
Aki Hane, 72, was a member of one of those families. He was 8 or 9 and lived with his family in one of the dormitories that had been created in the barn.
“It wasn’t the best accommodations,” said Hane. “There were quite a few families in there. We had a whole community of Japanese people here with nowhere else to go — no money. Those were hard days.”
Hane remembers playing outside and working on the farm for a couple of years after returning to Watsonville. Ping-Pong was the most popular pastime for the kids and the table was near the front of the house.
“The house had gorgeous stained-glass windows and the front door was very ornate with a lot of cut stained-glass. The banister was beautiful,” Hane said.
“I am glad that they are going to restore it,” Yoshiko said. “There’s a lot of things missing.”
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
*Photos by Tarmo Hannula*
(Published in 10/13/08 edition)
Santa Cruz artist Michael Leeds crafted his vehicle (at left) from a 1941 Seagrave hook and ladder fire truck. At right is Watsonville car collector and author Jack Passey’s 1933 Lincoln. The two vehicles were part of a small collection of classic cars on display at the Apple Annual Sunday at the Redman-Hirahara farmstead on Lee Road.
Many notable people were strolling the lawn of the Redman-Hirahara House on Sunday at the Apple Annual, a wine glass in one hand and the other used to articulate a point. Sitting on the sidestep of his 1933 Lincoln, author and car collector Jack Passey of Watsonville talked about his passion with Santa Cruz artist Michael Leeds, who is known for transforming old “junk” into futuristic designs.
Leeds drove his one-of-a-kind invention to the party, a 12-cylinder purple beast that used to be a 1941 Seagrave hook and ladder firetruck. Leeds had been working on the car for 37 years.
“It’s a vehicle that is from yesterday, here today and for tomorrow,” he said.
The same could be said of the vision for the Redman-Hirahara House. The people behind the restoration effort see the home and surrounding farmstead as a vehicle from the past, here today and for the future — a vehicle to promote the region and what is has to offer the millions of people driving by each day.
“That is what we are here for today,” said Geoff Scurfield, board president of the Redman Foundation. “This house has a lot to offer this community.”
The Apple Annual, Watsonville’s first in nearly a century, was a fundraiser to finish the foundation for the house, which was lifted more than a year ago. Perched above the crowd, two sisters looked up at it, remembering when they lived inside its walls.
“We were a family of 13, so the kids spent a lot of time playing outside,” said Eiko Nishihara, 82, who still lives in Watsonville. Eiko and her sister Yoshiko Nishihara, 81, were part of the Hirahara family that owned the home and were forced to leave it during World War II when all Americans of Japanese descent were ordered detained and forced into prison camps further east. The Hiraharas were moved to Arkansas.
The two girls spent their years in high school in one camp or another while in Arkansas before finally returning to Watsonville around 1948.
“My father and brother went home first to make sure it was safe,” said Yoshiko.
In 1950, the two women married brothers and moved out of the house. The years after the war were not easy for the Hiraharas. Local merchants would not sell them gas for their tractor and the sisters’ brother Fumio had to go to Monterey for it. Local outlets for their produce were also cut off, but distributors from Los Angeles welcomed the bounty of the Pajaro Valley.
“We had other Japanese families living here and working on the farm,” Eiko said. “And we sold a lot of vegetables in L.A.”
Aki Hane, 72, was a member of one of those families. He was 8 or 9 and lived with his family in one of the dormitories that had been created in the barn.
“It wasn’t the best accommodations,” said Hane. “There were quite a few families in there. We had a whole community of Japanese people here with nowhere else to go — no money. Those were hard days.”
Hane remembers playing outside and working on the farm for a couple of years after returning to Watsonville. Ping-Pong was the most popular pastime for the kids and the table was near the front of the house.
“The house had gorgeous stained-glass windows and the front door was very ornate with a lot of cut stained-glass. The banister was beautiful,” Hane said.
“I am glad that they are going to restore it,” Yoshiko said. “There’s a lot of things missing.”
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
*Photos by Tarmo Hannula*
(Published in 10/13/08 edition)
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