Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church in O.C. Threatened

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Two of Orange County’s oldest and most significant Nikkei historical sites are in danger of being knocked down, according to several community figures close to the deal.

The original site of the Wintersburg Presbyterian Church (circa 1910) and the adjacent Furuta House, located on Warner Avenue in Huntington Beach, have been fenced off by the property owners, Rain bow Disposal Co., in preparation for the buildings’ possible razing.

According to the Huntington Beach City Web site, the Warner prop erties are listed in the 1991 General Plan’s Historic Cultural Resources Ele ment, which means the city recognizes the structures have historical value. However, as they are not recognized as national landmark properties, the city of Huntington Beach will determine whether to allow for reconstruction or to rescind the re-zoning proposals.

Those familiar with the church’s his tory are hoping for the latter.

“From what I can tell [Wintersburg Presbyterian Church] embodies the Japanese American heritage in Orange County,” said Art Hansen, Professor Emeritus of History & Asian Studies at Cal State University, Fuller ton. “It is extremely important that we preserve the mission church.”

While the properties’ futures are un certain, they are safe for the time being. As the church and the Furuta House are designated landmarks, the city is obli­gated to complete a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) in accordance with the California Environmental Qual ity Act. A consultant’s estimate put the FEIR’s completion at eight months if there are no delays.

There have been no official sit-downs between concerned residents and the city (a citizen’s letter to Rainbow Dis posal was unanswered). Once the FEIR has been processed however, the public will be able to voice their opinions.

“We’re going to go through [the FEIR] process,” said Ricky Ramos, a Huntington Beach associate planner and the project planner overseeing the Wintersburg Church property. “Once it’s done it will be subject to a 45-day public review period and people can read the draft and comment on that. There will be a public hearing as well.”

Rainbow Disposal plans on changing the zoning designations from residential to industrial, this according to the zon ing map amendment received by the city’s Department of Planning. At the time of the interview, Rainbow Disposal submitted plans for the construction of an 8,000 square foot office building and a 50,000 sq. ft. storage facility on the property, according to Mari Pianpka, a project manager with the Jones and Stokes consulting firm, which has been hired by the city to complete the FEIR.

As part of the FEIR process, an ar chitectural historian and archaeologist have been hired by the firm to do on-site review, said Pianpka.

Rainbow Disposal has also hired a separate consultant to do on-site review of their own.

Wintersburg Presbyterian began as a small Christian mission, under the direc­tion of Reverend Hisakichi Terasawa, a Cambridge-educated Japanese immi­grant, in affiliation with the Westminster Presbyterian Church in December of 1904. Teresawa spoke English well and assisted many turn-of-the-century Issei in adjusting to their new homes. A community center such as the church was vital to support the burgeoning Japanese immigrant population in the area.

The church was not only a spiritual center but a social, political, and economic institution. Japanese immigrants trying to adjust to American living received instructions on how to set a Western-style table, how to plan a dinner party, how to speak conversational English, even how to handle their finances.

As Teresawa’s flock grew beyond the mission’s capacity, a small church was built on May 8, 1910. The property also included a small manse and the home of one of the church’s first benefactors, Charles and Martha Furuta.

On May 18, 1930, the Mission became a separate church under Rev.
Kenji Kikuchi. In 1934, a new church was completed and was used by its congregation until 1966. This site is still visible on Warner Avenue, adjacent to the 1910 site.

Wintersburg Presbyterian’s current location in Santa Ana is now a congregation of over 500.
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For more information on the church site’s status, contact Donna Graves with Preserving California’s Japantowns at (510) 540-6809.