A historic Japanese American farmhouse has found a new home after an eight-mile journey from what were once the orchards of North San Jose to the city’s History Park.
A coalition of three local nonprofits, joined by San Jose City Councilmember Rosemary Kamei, pushed the developer and the city to save the Sakauye farmhouse. The group celebrated their rescue efforts at an April 30 event where they said an additional $300,000 is needed to renovate the interior with exhibits, an activity space, a gallery and a small staff office.
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The farmhouse, built around 1920 at the intersection of Seely Avenue and Montague Expressway, was at risk of being demolished when developers decided two years ago to put 1,472 homes on the 23-acre site.
“This is a really historic moment for San Jose in welcoming this expanded narrative of Japanese Americans,” Vanessa Hatakeyama, executive director of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose told San José Spotlight. “Generations of kids will be able to see their story reflected in this space.”…