May 2025

Who are the Terminal Islanders?

The Terminal Islanders Club, formed in 1971, includes Japanese and Japanese Americans who had once lived on Terminal Island when it was a vibrant Japanese American Fishing Village, home to over 3,000 residents of Japanese descent.

Terminal Island changed forever on December 7, 1941. Even before Executive Order 9066, the FBI began taking Japanese fishermen and community leaders into custody, and all suspended all traffic to and from the island. The Terminal Island community became the first in the nation to be forcibly removed and relocated to internment camps.

These buildings, located on Terminal Island at 700-702 Tuna Street and 712-716 Tuna Street in San Pedro, are among the last standing links to a once-thriving fishing village. They serve as a testament to the resilience of the Japanese American community and a reminder of the injustices they endured. The Terminal Islanders comprise hundreds of family members who have worked tirelessly to remind us of their history and advocate for the importance of saving the Tuna Street buildings. With the support of Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker, these historic buildings are designated historical and cultural monuments. Read more about his recent motion to preserve this village here.

Learn more about the history of Terminal Island here, and check out our related programming: Exploration Talk about Terminal Island: Japanese Fishing Village next month.

The Rancho is bringing back its annual Summer Concert series. With a focus on highlighting community partnerships, our concerts will feature local performers and provide an opportunity to cool off during a hot summer night. Pack a picnic dinner and hang out with your family and friends on our Barns Lawn. Our performers for June 22nd will be the Laurie Morvan Band. They will be bringing blues-rock tunes. Our August 24th date will feature the jazz fusion band, Krooked Fingerz.

Free admission and parking! Parking is at CSULB Lot G13. Free shuttle service to and from the Rancho. Reservations required. Tickets are now available for our June concert.

Free admission but RSVPs are required. We can't wait to see you!

Join us for our next Cool Crafts on Thursday, June 12! Participants will get the opportunity to hear stories on our lawn and engage with hands-on crafts. Crafts and stories are inspired by the environment around the Rancho. This next month, the crafts are inspired by our blooming gardens. Make sure to walk around and look out for our spring flowers.



No reservations required; free admission. Drop in anytime.

Exploration Talk about Terminal Island: Japanese Fishing Village



Thursday, June 26th - Lecture starts at 6:00pm; doors open at 5:30pm

$10 per Attendee. Free for Members.

Learn about the vibrant fishing village that once thrived in East San Pedro. This talk explains the vital contributions of Japanese fishermen to the Southern California fishing industry during the early 20th century. Learn about the once-thriving Japanese Fishing Village, its erasure during WWII through the forced removal and incarceration of its residents, and the destruction of the entire community, except for two historic buildings known as the Tuna Street Buildings. We are honored to host three speakers from the Terminal Islanders Association and a special taiko drumming performance by Ryujin Taiko. We hope you join us in reflecting on this profound chapter in local and national history. 

We're pleased to introduce our new Executive Director, Tim Roberts, who brings 20 years of experience in historical site preservation, management, and development of interpretive educational programming.

The Rancho Los Alamitos Board of Directors partnered with a top nonprofit recruiting firm, conducting a nationwide search to locate the next leader of this special place, only the third in the foundation’s 41-year history. Tim is an exemplary nonprofit leader, public historian, and educator, ready to lead Rancho Los Alamitos to its next chapter. As a proven community collaborator, Tim’s work with nonprofits, government agencies, Indigenous communities, volunteers, and staff aligns with the Rancho’s mission to ensure that the stories we share are inclusive, dynamic, and relevant. 

Tim’s career spans work in New Mexico, Montana, and Florida, where he's been responsible for managing and restoring historic sites, including more than 400 acres of properties and a 36-acre archaeological project. In addition to his work with historic sites and museums, Roberts served as an adjunct professor at Eastern New Mexico University – Ruidoso as its grant manager and tribal liaison.       Read the full press release here

RLA’s Historical Sign

At Rancho Los Alamitos, people recognize the custom-cutwork iron sign of the cowboy on horseback that is suspended in front of the historical ranch offices, across from the gasoline pumps. It is indeed the original sign from the 1930s that designated the Rancho Los Alamitos business office, seen as you enter the driveway from the Rancho Center.

The sign did not appear on site when the Bixbys deeded the site to the City of Long Beach in 1968 and it was assumed that a family member kept it. But in the fall of 1997, Russell A. Beatty, a landscape architect who had been working with Pamela Seager on the restoration of the Rancho gardens, wrote an article titled “Restoring Rancho Los Alamitos," which was read by Lee Jester, owner of an Arts & Crafts period home furnishings shop in Berkeley, CA. Mr. Jester wrote to Mr. Beatty saying, “I own the original ranch sign shown in the enclosed photo. It is available for sale for $1,000.” 

Jeff Green, grandson of Fred and Florence, went to the shop and verified that the sign was authentic. Mr. Jester said he found it nailed to a garage owned by the daughter of a friend of Fred Bixby, Jr. Rancho volunteers collected funds to purchase the sign, and it was picked up and returned to Long Beach by associate curator Robin Herrera. It was shell-blasted and powder-coated matte black, and an RLA blacksmith forged chain links and couplers and installed the sign. Using photographs, contractors recreated the post and beam structure from which the sign hangs today.

Images pulled from RLA’s PastPerfect archive with help from the Curatorial team, as well as the Cutting Garden and Catalina Vasquez articles. 

Cheryl and Elliott Shwartz are volunteers whose combined time equals about a quarter of a century! Cheryl has helped in almost every department, including crafts, book cleaning, managing the volunteer portal, and working as a garden and guest host lead. Elliott has kept our parking lot running smoothly at every major event and has jumped in to help record training sessions for the house, blacksmith, gardens, and barn animals, as well as an instructor for virtual field trips.

Active community members, Elliott and Cheryl love socializing with fellow volunteers when they are not traveling, spending time with their family, or tailgating USC games. They love serving at the Rancho and feel inspired by the tranquil spaces and history.

Your support allows Rancho Los Alamitos to offer cultural and educational programs and tours for the entire community at no charge!

Rancho Los Alamitos is located on the ancestral and unceded land of the Tongva/Gabrielino people, who cared for this land for thousands of years and continue to do so today. The Rancho sits atop the village of Puvuun’nga - “the gathering place” - the sacred site of creation for the Tongva/Gabrielino peoples. Learn more by visiting gabrielinotribe.org.