Literary Collections

Named one of America's 11 Most Endangered Places in 2014 and designated a National Treasure in 2015 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Wintersburg Village's unique history is representative of the Japanese pioneer experience on the West Coast. Japan's post-Meiji period ended the feudal system, creating in the late 1800s social changes that prompted Japanese immigration to America. Many who settled in the Wintersburg countryside were of samurai ancestry, bringing an enterprising spirit to Orange County's businesses and farms. The village's history encompasses early aviation, archaeological discoveries, one of California's oldest Japanese missions, goldfish farming and overcoming discrimination to achieve civil liberties. Forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II, Japanese immigrants left an indelible mark on Southern California. Absorbed by the City of Huntington Beach, Wintersburg Village remains mostly a memory. Join historian Mary F. Adams Urashima as she shares a vanishing chapter of Orange County.