Historic Hood River
“A Japanese Gathering”
10-20-2023
Notes
We have frustratingly little information about his image, other than it was added to the collection in 1990, and contains both an American and Japanese flag. According to this Wikipedia post that is a pre-WW2 Japanese military flag.
I recall Bill Pattison thought this building might be a gathering hall west of town on May Street. Can anyone offer any more information to help interpret this image?
Arlen L sheldrake
I seem to remember that there was a Japanese Methodist Church out on May Street….wonder if this preceded it as growing up I remember zero Japanese at our Asbury Methodist Church in town.
L. E.
Interesting.
At first I thought perhaps it was a citizenship ceremony, but it appears they are watching the children on the left, perform.
I can see the display of the Japanese flag would not have been a big hit with local U.S. citizens.
GOrdy Sato
Am pretty sure this is my house!
Cecelia Goodnight
Is it still standing, Gordy? And wasn’t there a Japanese Hall or church in the Dee area? I think I’ve seen pictures of one at the museum in some collection.
jnails
What is the address for this house?
Susan Baldwin
In the sixties there was a concrete slab on the north side of Sherman Street at 22nd, surrounded by tall pines and firs. I was told the foundation once held a building that was referred to as Japanese Hall. A house was built on that lot several years ago…
Arlen L sheldrake
I like the “chairs”!
BethH
That’s why it looks so familiar, Gordy! I go by there all the time-
GOrdy Sato
I currently live in my grandparents house in parkdale!! It is definately my house & not sure what is happening?
GOrdy Sato
Is there a date on this photo?
Arthur Babitz
Looks like we’ve solved two mysteries– this image is from the Sato home in Parkdale, and the “Japanese Hall” was on Sherman Ave., not May Street. The only clue we have as to date is the Japanese military flag, which strongly suggests this is pre-war. As to the event, it looks more like an organization meeting than a social event, but that’s just a guess.
Jeffrey Bryant
The Japanese Community House was built in late 1925 on West Sherman. The building was 40′ x 60′ and was open to all races in the community.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1925-12-03/ed-1/seq-7/ also 1925-11-05, page 3.
John E. "Jack" Sheppard
When the Japanese people were herded off to “internment” centers, they left the key to the Japanese Community Center with the Liberty & Justice League to be used for “whatever purpose you can find to aid THE USA WAR EFFORT”. Some good folks of Hood River vandalized it within a week, probably beyond rebuilding. At any rate, I recall it still standing in maybe 1958, not a pane of glass left in it anywhere that I could see, but that pic doesn’t look like it.