Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach

Designated a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2015, 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, the county’s oldest Japanese church, goldfish farming and overcoming discrimination to achieve civil liberties. Forcibly evacuated and confined during World War II, Japanese pioneers left an indelible mark on Southern California. Absorbed by the City of Huntington Beach, Wintersburg remains mostly a memory. Join historian Mary F. Adams Urashima as she resurrects a vanishing chapter of Orange County.