📌APIA Every Day (326) - The Mā'alaea General Store was established in 1910 and was operated by various Japanese immigrants living on Maui. Originally, the shop was constructed and managed by the Maui Drygoods & Grocery Company with land leased from the Wailuku Sugar Company. By 1914, due to low sales, the Mā'alaea store was eventually sublet to local Japanese merchant, Sukijo Nagatani. For 90 years following this development, the store remained under the management of Japanese families who continued to serve the local Mā'alaea community. 

Between 1918 and 1922, the Mā'alaea General Store was purchased by Yosaburo and Masu Tsuboi, who renamed it the “Tsuboi Shoten.” The Tsubois recognized that the local Japanese fishing community needed a place to sell their wares, and operated the business selling general merchandise and fresh fish. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, several updates were made on the property including the expansion of the store and the addition of a restaurant, kitchen, warehouse, and an adjacent residence for employees. 

After World War II and the passing of Yosaburo, Masu sold the store in 1946 to her nephew, James Uno, who had previously been living in Sacramento, California. After being incarcerated at Tule Lake during the war period, Uno had opted not to return to his home city and move to Hawai’i instead. Soon after taking over the business, Uno married Grace Miyamoto with whom he lived on the premises and raised three children with. The store continued to be a successful enterprise, often referred to as “Maui’s Oldest Marine Supplier,” selling marine hardware and general goods.

In the 1990s, commercial developments were steadily replacing buildings located along Mā'alaea’s shore. This included the construction of a new shopping mall at the site of a former Japanese shrine, negatively impacting the general store’s business. Although the Uno family continued to operate the shop despite this challenge, the business was eventually closed in 2005. Later, local businessman Dominick Marino, purchased the property with the intention of restoring the building and preserving the Japanese American history associated with it. In 2013, the site was reopened as the Mā'alaea General Store & Cafe. 

In the same year, the store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its significance to the early history of Japanese American commerce in the region. Today, the building is the last remaining wooden structure in Mā'alaea connected to the local historic Japanese fishing community. It now operates as a deli, cafe, and grocery store, continuing to serve the residents of Mā'alaea. 

📌APIA Every Day (325) - The Phoenix Bakery, located in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, was founded by Fung Chow “F.C.” Chan and his wife, Wai Hing Chan in 1934. As recent immigrants from China, the Chans opened the business to sell traditional Chinese pastries using old family recipes. After nearly a century, the bakery still endures today, standing as a testament to early Chinese American entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. 

When F.C. and Wai Hing Chan first established their enterprise in Chinatown in the early 1930s, it was one of the first bakeries in the region to sell both Chinese and Western-style desserts. Their famous almond cookies and mooncakes helped make the bakery an immediate success. In 1941, needing more space to keep up with demand, the Chans moved the business to the New Chinatown district’s Central Plaza. Following this development, F.C.’s younger brother, Lun F. Chan joined the establishment as head baker after studying baking in Hong Kong. Lun went on to develop many of the business’s signature baked goods, including their trademark strawberry whipped cream cake. 

In the same decade, the Chans commissioned local Chinese American Artist, Tyrus Wong, to design the bakery’s logo and branding. The resulting mascot, named Sing Song, has accompanied the business ever since, displayed on an iconic sign. As the bakery gained increasing popularity, the Chan family hired architect Gilbert Leong to design a new building for the enterprise in the 1970s. Leong, the first Chinese American to graduate from the USC School of Architecture, incorporated traditional Chinese motifs into the building’s design. In 1977, the bakery moved to its current location, where it remains today.

For over 85 years, the Phoenix Bakery has continued to sell its famous pastries across Southern California. The business is now operated by the children and grandchildren of the Chans, maintaining its legacy as the oldest family-owned Chinese Bakery in L.A. According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, the building is eligible for designation as a Local Historic Monument and is a recognized L.A. Legacy Business. 

📌APIA Every Day (324) - Ota Tofu, established in Portland’s Japantown in 1911, is the oldest operating tofu company in the United States. For over 100 years, it’s remained an important culinary destination for local Japanese community members and businesses. While the company has since moved from its original location at Northwest Third Avenue and Davis Street, it continues to operate in Portland’s Buckman neighborhood.

Ota Tofu was founded by brothers Saizo and Heiji Ota who immigrated to Oregon from Okayama, Japan in 1905. In 1911, they initially started their company under the name of Asahi Tofu. After Heiji eventually returned to Japan, Saizo began managing the store alongside his wife Shina and changed the company’s name to Ohta Tofu with an anglicized spelling of Ota.

During World War II, the Ota family was incarcerated at the Minidoka Relocation Center, and the business was forced to close. Saizo, at the age of 61, passed away at the camp due to health complications. Upon Shina Ota’s return to Portland in 1945, she found that their landlord had saved their store property and equipment. Along with her daughter Matsuno, Shina reopened the business as the Soybean Cake Company. Later in the 1950s, they changed the name to Ota Tofu, dropping the “h” to more accurately reflect the spelling of the family’s name. As tofu gained greater popularity outside of Asian communities in the 1960s and 1970s, the business flourished.

In 1981, Ota Tofu moved to its current location on Southeast Stark Street, managed by Shina’s grandson Koichi and his wife Eileen. For decades, the two continued to diligently run the business up until their retirement in the 2010s. In 2019, Portland locals Jason Ogata and his mother Sharon Hirata purchased the store and took over tofu production. 

At Ota Tofu today, tofu is still handmade using traditional techniques and the company’s products are sold across the state. Over 150 local restaurants across Portland, like Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Sweet Basil, and Tokyo Sando, source their tofu from Ota. In 2023, the company initiated plans to open a second production facility in the city with the intention to transform its current location into a space where customers can eat prepared tofu snacks.

📌 APIA Every Day (322) - ​Iskwelahang Pilipino (IP) is a non-profit Filipino cultural school located at 12 Mudge Way in Bedford, Massachusetts. Established in 1976 by a group of parents and educators, IP provides a welcoming community for families from the Greater Boston area who share a connection to the Philippines. The school offers Filipino American children opportunities to learn about their heritage through various programs, including language classes, cooking, dance, and a rondalla music program. Over the years, IP has become a vibrant hub for cultural education and community engagement, serving families from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. ​

The founding of Iskwelahang Pilipino holds significant historical importance in the context of Filipino immigration to Massachusetts. As Filipino immigrants settled in the Greater Boston area, there arose a need to preserve and promote Filipino culture among younger generations. IP emerged as a response to this need, creating an environment where American-born children of Filipino descent could develop pride in their traditions and heritage. This initiative reflects the broader efforts of Filipino immigrants to establish community organizations that support cultural preservation and foster a sense of identity within the diaspora. ​

Although no current historic events exist for Iskwelahang Pilipino, their cultural heritage events have been integral to connecting and building the Filipino community in the New England region.

📌 APIA Every Day (321) - Allston is a dynamic and diverse neighborhood located in the western part of Boston, Massachusetts. Bordered by the Charles River, Brighton, and Brookline, Allston is known for its vibrant arts scene, student population, and eclectic mix of cultures. The neighborhood is closely tied to neighboring Brighton, and the two are often referred to together as Allston-Brighton. With Harvard University’s growing presence in North Allston and proximity to Boston University, the area is a bustling hub of academic, residential, and commercial activity. Allston's mixed international eateries reflect its layered urban history and multicultural identity.

In the latter half of the 20th century, Allston became a significant point of settlement for Korean immigrants, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s, when changes to U.S. immigration policy allowed for a larger influx of Korean families. As Koreans settled in the neighborhood, they established churches, grocery stores, restaurants, and community organizations that helped shape Allston's cultural and economic landscape. The area around Harvard Avenue became a cultural center, sometimes referred to as "Koreatown" by locals, though not formally designated. These Korean American communities played a key role in diversifying Allston and contributing to its reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants seeking opportunity and community in the Boston area.

Efforts to preserve Allston’s rich immigrant history, including its Korean American legacy, have emerged through both grassroots and institutional initiatives. Organizations like the Allston Village Main Streets work to support local businesses and promote cultural events that reflect the neighborhood's diverse roots. Academic institutions such as the Boston University Initiative on Cities have also explored the impact of immigration on Boston neighborhoods like Allston, documenting stories through oral histories and urban studies. No major historic landmark specifically commemorates Korean American history in Allston as of yet.

📌 APIA Every Day (320) - Terminal Island is a small industrial island situated in the Port of Los Angeles, nestled between the cities of San Pedro and Long Beach in Southern California. Originally a tidal marsh known as Rattlesnake Island, it was gradually expanded and reshaped through land reclamation to serve as a hub for shipping, shipbuilding, and naval operations. Today, the island remains a vital site for maritime commerce and industrial activity, but its layered history also holds deep cultural significance, particularly for the Japanese American community that once thrived there.

In the early 20th century, Terminal Island became home to a vibrant Japanese American fishing village known as “Fish Harbor.” Japanese immigrants and their families developed a tight-knit community centered around the fishing and cannery industries, contributing significantly to the economic and cultural landscape of the region. However, this thriving community was abruptly dismantled following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Within days, the U.S. government forcibly removed all Japanese Americans from the island, and their homes were razed, making Terminal Island one of the first Japanese American communities to be uprooted during World War II. This tragic event marked a significant moment in the broader history of Japanese American internment and the violation of civil liberties during wartime.

In recent years, preservationists and descendants of former residents have worked to commemorate Terminal Island's unique history. Efforts include the establishment of the Terminal Island Japanese Memorial, dedicated in 2002, which honors the community that was lost during World War II. Advocacy groups, such as the Terminal Islanders Club, continue to campaign for the recognition and preservation of the island's cultural and historical legacy. These initiatives aim to ensure that the stories of the Japanese American community, their contributions, and the injustices they faced are not forgotten, even as the island continues to evolve as a hub of industrial development.

📌APIA Every Day (319) - The Epworth United Methodist Church, originally founded as a mission in the late-19th century, is the only Japanese Methodist church in the state of Oregon. Since its inception, the church has served as a significant religious center for Japanese Americans in Portland. Particularly in its early days, it represented a haven where Japanese Christians could freely practice their religion without facing discrimination. 

In the 1890s, as Portland’s Japanese immigrant population grew, missionaries from the Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church in San Francisco were tasked with spreading evangelism to Oregon. Reverend Teikichi Kawabe headed these efforts and made multiple visits to Portland before opening the Japanese Methodist Mission in 1893 in a rented house in what is now Old Town. The mission quickly gained popularity among Portland’s Japanese residents and the congregation gained over 100 members by 1894. Eventually, the community purchased a building in 1897 to establish a ladies’ society and Sunday School. By 1903, the mission had purchased a house east of Japantown to serve as its church, and in 1919, it expanded by acquiring an adjacent dance hall.

In 1942, following E.O. 9066, Japanese residents in Portland were forced to report to the Portland Assembly Center and were transported to incarceration camps.During this time, the church closed due to the loss of its congregation. However, when Japanese community members returned to Portland in 1945, the church building was repurposed to provide housing for displaced families. At this time, under Reverend Francis Hayashi’s leadership, the Japanese Methodist Church was renamed the Epworth Methodist Church. In 1952, the congregation moved to its current location, the former site of the Grace German Methodist Church. In the 1970s, Reverend Chester Earls oversaw significant renovations and expansions to the building, adding an educational wing, dining hall, and sanctuary.

Today, the Epworth United Methodist Church continues to hold worship services and offer various community programs. In partnership with the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland, the congregation runs initiatives like Ikoi no Kai, a lunch program providing meals to seniors, and an annual Graduation Banquet that celebrates local Japanese American high school graduates. 

📌APIA Every Day (318) - The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Birmingham was established in 1998 in order to meet the needs of a growing Hindu community in Alabama. Following the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, an influx of Indian immigrants began settling in the area, initially gathering in their homes for worship. After the Hindu Temple of Atlanta opened in 1990, the need for an Alabama equivalent became clear, leading to the establishment of the Birmingham temple as a major religious center for Hindus in the city’s metropolitan area.

The idea for a temple project was first proposed by Krishna Khurana in 1993, who initiated the development of the congregation’s bylaws and constitution. Prominent community leaders, including Dr. Santosh Khare and Dr. Mahender Reddy, helped lead the temple construction effort by forming a fundraising committee. The following year, the temple organization was formally incorporated and Dr. Khare later served as its first chairman. In 1995, the decision was made to build a cultural center alongside the temple, and a five-acre property in Pelham was acquired for the site.

Construction began in 1997 after the building's design was finalized, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in October. The temple officially opened in 1998, featuring a large worship hall designed to accommodate a broad spectrum of Vedic deities, addressing the diverse religious needs of the community. The adjacent cultural and educational center included a spacious event hall, auditorium, and classrooms. 

Today, the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Birmingham continues to host a vibrant community. Daily worship services are held at the temple and various events celebrating cultural holidays like Diwali are hosted at the community center. Additionally, the temple offers a range of educational programs, including religious discussion groups, helping to preserve and pass down cultural traditions for future generations.

📌APIA Every Day (317) - Between the 1820s and 1840s, Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Territory was home to a multiethnic village including a significant population of Native Hawaiian residents. As a fur trading post, the Fort served as the commercial headquarters of the prosperous Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). Hawaiian laborers had been working for HBC as ship crew members as early as 1821, facilitating trade between the Oregon Territory and Hawai’i. Over time, many of these Native Hawaiians settled at the Fort, taking on local jobs and establishing homes in the surrounding area.

The village that developed outside the stockade walls of Fort Vancouver—often referred to as "Kanaka Village" due to its large Hawaiian population—became a community of various ethnic groups, including Hawaiians, Métis, and Indigenous Americans. Residents were expected to construct their own residences out of whatever material they could salvage. An estimated number of 40 to 60 houses were built in the area and the Hawaiian residents numbered possibly as high as 138 in 1844—representing nearly a third of the village’s total population. 

Some Hawaiian men lived in the village seasonally, working as sailors for the HBC, while around 50 to 60 Hawaiians made the Fort their permanent home. They worked in various roles, such as sawmill laborers, servants, farmers, soldiers, and cooks. Within the village, it was common for single Hawaiian men to marry Native American women, forming multiethnic families. Many of these men opted to stay in the Northwest with their new families rather than return to Hawai’i once their labor contracts were fulfilled.

One of the most notable Hawaiians in the village was William Kaulehelehe, a Methodist preacher hired by the company in 1845. Along with his wife, Mary Kaai, he became a key figure in ministering to the Hawaiian community at the Fort. Kaulehelehe established a small church and schoolhouse, called “Owyhee Church,” within the Fort’s walls. The couple was the only Hawaiian family to live within the Fort compound after they moved from their previous home in the village. Eventually, the couple’s old home, along with the rest of the village, was destroyed due to fire in 1960 after the U.S. Army occupied the site. 

In 1966, Fort Vancouver was added to the National Register of Historic Places, however, the original buildings of the village no longer exist. Instead, reconstructed cabins outside Fort Vancouver provide a glimpse into the lives of early HBC laborers on the site. Archaeological work at the Fort is ongoing, uncovering more artifacts like ceramic jars at the location of Kaulehelehe and Kaai’s demolished village house, to better understand the early Native Hawaiian history at the compound.

📌APIA Every Day (316) - The Ghadar Memorial Hall in San Francisco once served as the Ghadar Party’s headquarters circa 1913 to 1917. This political movement, founded mainly by North American Punjabi Sikh immigrants, along with Hindu and Muslim East Indians, sought to free India from British colonial rule. The term "ghadar" translates to "mutiny" or "revolution," reflecting the party's mission. From the San Francisco Hall, Ghadar activists spread word of their cause through an international newspaper. 

San Francisco’s sizable Indian population, combined with the influence of party leader Har Dayal in the area, made the city a natural base for the Ghadar Movement. The party’s first headquarters, also referred to as Yugantar Ashram, was established in 1913 and the organization published the first edition of their newspaper that same year. Titled “The Ghadar,” the publication highlighted the struggle and need for Indian independence. Some unspecified time later, the headquarters was moved to the current location of the Ghadar Hall at 5 Wood Street. The three-story building, also known as the Ghadar Ashram, provided space for party members to organize secret meetings and run their printing press. 

The start of World War I in 1914 marked the beginning of the Ghadar Conspiracy which encouraged Indians abroad to return and start a rebellion in British India. However, British intelligence learned of these plans, and most of the 150 Ghadarites on the first mission were arrested. Over the years, more attempts were made, but many of the 8,000 North American Indian immigrants involved were arrested, and some were hanged by the British Raj. In 1917, American officials tried  Ghadar Party members in the District Court of San Francisco for disrupting the United States’ neutrality with Britain. Known as the Hindu-German Conspiracy Trial, it was the longest and most expensive trial in U.S. history at the time.  

After the trial, with many of the remaining U.S. members serving prison sentences, the Ghadar Party slowly subsided. When India eventually did achieve independence in 1947, the U.S. Consulate transferred the San Francisco Ghadar Ashram over to the Indian government in 1949. Restoration efforts began in 1952 as the local Indian community and the Indian government raised funds for the building’s repairs. In 1975, the Ghadar Memorial Hall was inaugurated. A Memorial Library was added the following year, dedicated by India's Minister of External Affairs, Yashwantrao Chavan.

Today, the Ghadar Memorial Hall stands as a testament to the sacrifices made by North American Ghadar activists in their fight for Indian independence. The Indian Consulate occasionally organizes events at the Hall to commemorate holidays like Indian Independence Day and Republic Day. In 2019, the Consulate signed an agreement to restore and transform the Memorial into a museum, though significant progress has yet to be made.

📌APIA Every Day (315) - The Republic Café, one of Portland's oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurants, initially opened circa 1930. Located in the city’s Chinatown district, the café was housed in the O.B. Stubbs Building alongside other Chinese businesses and organizations like the Hop Sing Tong Association. For early Chinese Americans, the café and lounge served as a social center, where people could gather and enjoy cultural dishes. 

In its early years, the café primarily served Cantonese cuisine as the owners were from the Guangdong province of China. A popular Americanized dish included Chop Suey, a meal prepared with meat and a variety of mixed vegetables. In 1939, Sam Soohoo, who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1928, became the principal owner and head chef of the business. By the 1940s, the café was located in a prime food neighborhood, surrounded by prominent Japanese eateries like the Tokio Sukiyaki House and Yodogawa Restaurant. 

In the 1950s, Dr. Victor Wong became a minor partner and helped secure a liquor license for the Republic Café in 1951. With this new development, Soohoo opened the Ming Lounge to serve alcoholic drinks, and revamped the restaurant’s interior with Chinese decorative motifs. Through the 1970s, the café continued to thrive, serving a variety of signature Cantonese dishes. While other clubs and restaurants in the area closed early, the Republic stayed open until 4 a.m., attracting busy crowds of customers. During this time, the café quickly became known as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Portland and was often frequented by important public figures and celebrities. Dr. Wong, who had later become the manager of the restaurant, was referred to as the unofficial “Mayor of Chinatown.” 

In 1989, the Republic Café and Ming Lounge were added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Portland New Chinatown/Japantown Historic District. Although Soohoo and Wong sold the restaurant to new owners in 1979, it continues to operate and serve Cantonese food today. Now managed by the Mui family, the café hosts a variety of cultural events, including art shows, live bands, and maker fairs in its gallery and lounge spaces.

📌 APIA Every Day (314) - The Canacka Boarding House, located in Nantucket's New Guinea historic neighborhood, played a significant role in the island's maritime history. Established in the 19th century, this boarding house provided lodging for Pacific Islander sailors, particularly those from Hawai’i and Aotearoa, who were integral to Nantucket's whaling industry. Nantucket, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, was a prominent whaling hub during the 18th and 19th centuries. Historically, the New Guinea neighborhood was a community built by formerly enslaved African Americans that gradually evolved into a multicultural space. 

Within this community, the Canacka Boarding House emerged as a vital establishment for transient seamen from the Pacific Islands. The boarding house was operated by William and Maria Whippy. William Whippy, born in Aotearoa in 1801, was likely the son of a Nantucket whaleman and a Māori mother. His wife, Maria, was the daughter of James Ross, an African-born resident of Nantucket. The Whippys' establishment served as a haven for Pacific Islander sailors who arrived in Nantucket aboard whaling vessels, offering them a sense of community and belonging far from their ancestral homelands. 

The boarding house provided lodging and represented the multicultural fabric of Nantucket during the whaling era. The site represents the island's diverse population and Pacific Islander mobilities, which included significant numbers of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander sailors between 1820 and 1860. While the original structure of the Canacka Boarding House no longer exists, its legacy is preserved through various historical artifacts and initiatives. Notably, the sign from the boarding house is part of the Nantucket Historical Association's collection, serving as a tangible reminder of the island's diverse maritime heritage. 

📌 APIA Every Day (313) - Yee Pat Ling was a Chinese immigrant who arrived in the United States in the early 20th century, a time when Chinese immigrants faced significant challenges, particularly in the southern and western parts of the U.S. He settled in Temple, Texas, where he would go on to establish one of the first Chinese restaurants in the area. Born in China, Yee Pat Ling, like many of his compatriots, sought better economic opportunities in America, driven by the promise of prosperity, especially after the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the growth of cities. In a period when Chinese immigrants often faced discrimination and were relegated to niche occupations, Yee Pat Ling’s work in the restaurant industry became a testament to the perseverance and resourcefulness of Chinese immigrants in the face of adversity.

Yee Pat Ling's restaurant played a significant role in the broader history of Chinese immigrants in Texas, a state where the Chinese community began to grow primarily in urban centers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As with many other Chinese-owned restaurants, Yee Pat Ling’s establishment served as both a place of business and a cultural hub for the local Chinese community, offering not just food, but a sense of belonging and identity in a predominately white society. The restaurant was more than a simple eatery; it symbolized the resilience of Chinese immigrants who were carving out a space for themselves within American society. In the context of Texas, where Asian populations remained relatively small compared to other ethnic groups during this time, Yee Pat Ling's restaurant contributed to the growing presence and little-known contributions of the Texan Chinese community.

In 2014, the Texas Historical Commission has sought to memorialize Yee Pat Ling’s contributions to Temple, Texas through a historical plaque located at Hillcrest Cemetery, where Mr. Ling is buried. Additionally, local historical societies, in collaboration with community members, have worked to ensure that Yee Pat Ling’s legacy is not forgotten. Efforts to mark the site where Yee Pat Ling's restaurant once stood, along with storytelling projects, have aimed to elevate his role in the development of Temple's social and cultural fabric. 

📌 APIA Every Day (312) - The Wat Khmer Buddhist Temple in Long Beach, California, is a significant cultural and spiritual landmark for the local Cambodian community. Established in 1980, the temple serves as a place of worship, cultural preservation, and community gathering. Its founding was driven by the needs of the Cambodian refugees who had fled the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, seeking asylum and new lives in the United States. As a symbol of both religious practice and cultural identity, the Wat Khmer Buddhist Temple not only offers spiritual services but also provides a safe space for Cambodian immigrants to connect with one another, maintain their heritage, and support their community through various programs and events.

The Wat Khmer Buddhist Temple is deeply intertwined with Long Beach's Cambodian immigrant history. In the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide, many Cambodian refugees found their way to California, particularly to Long Beach, which became home to one of the largest Cambodian populations in the United States. The temple, located in the heart of this community, became a vital institution for these new immigrants. For many, the Wat Khmer Buddhist Temple was the first point of contact with their cultural and religious roots in a new environment. It became a center where they could practice traditional Cambodian Buddhism, celebrate religious holidays, and find a sense of community and belonging. Over time, the temple has not only served as a spiritual sanctuary but also as a cultural hub, offering classes in Cambodian language, dance, and music, helping to preserve and transmit Cambodian traditions to younger generations.

Given that Southeast Asian refugee communities like Cambodians in Long Beach have settled in the past forty years, we reflect on whether and how historic preservation practices are prepared to recognize these neighborhoods and their cultural institutions as significant narratives of larger American historic landscapes.

📌 APIA Every Day (311) - The history of Chinese immigration to Alaska dates back to the late 19th century, when Chinese laborers first arrived in the region during the gold rush and salmon cannery industry. The Chinese were part of a larger wave of immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of economic opportunities, driven by the promise of prosperity in booming industries. Many Chinese immigrants initially found work as railroad laborers, miners, and in various service industries. Over time, they became an integral part of the growing economy of Alaska, contributing not only through labor but also by establishing businesses that catered to the needs of a rapidly developing region. As with other parts of the U.S., Chinese immigrants in Alaska faced racial discrimination and exclusionary policies, but they built resilient communities despite these challenges.

In the early 20th century, the establishment of a "Chinatown" in Anchorage was directly tied to the labor needs of the burgeoning cannery industry. Chinese immigrants played a critical role in the canning operations that flourished along Alaska's coast, particularly in the fishing industry. These workers, many of whom were employed in the canneries and salmon processing plants, created tight-knit communities where they could maintain their cultural traditions while contributing to the local economy. Anchorage, as a central hub for these industries, became home to a small but vibrant Chinatown, where Chinese immigrants and their families lived, worked, and conducted business. Despite the lack of large-scale infrastructure for the Chinatown in the traditional sense, the area was marked by Chinese-owned shops, restaurants, and small businesses that served both the local population and the labor force at the canneries.

Preserving the history of Anchorage's "Chinatown" has been an important effort in recent years, as the community's contributions to the city’s development have often been overlooked in broader narratives of Alaskan history. Academics and community organizations began working to document and memorialize the stories of Chinese immigrants in Anchorage, focusing on the cultural and social legacy of the Chinatown district. Given that historic preservation efforts have been largely public history-based, how might current historic preservation practices preserve this small, but rich ethnic enclave that once existed and contributed significantly to the Alaskan salmon industry?

📌APIA Every Day (310) - The Portland Rizwan Mosque, built in 1987, is a local chapter of the international Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Founded in 1889 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in India, the Ahmadiyya Mission first spread to the United States in the 1920s, as Ahmadi Muslim immigrants sought refuge from persecution. As the first mosque built in Portland, the Rizwan Mosque quickly became an important multiethnic religious center for the city, serving the local Muslim community for decades.

The roots of the Portland Ahmadiyya Muslim community trace back to Pakistani and Indian university students and professionals who settled in Oregon during the 1960s. This small group gathered at various residences to pray and commemorate Islamic celebrations with no regard to sectarian differences. In 1966, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Portland was officially incorporated. As the local Muslim community grew, gaining more South Asian and African American members, services were held at locations such as the St. Pius X Church and the Jenkins Estate. Eventually in the 1980s, as the need for a formal worship space became clear, two doctors initiated fundraising efforts to build a mosque.

In 1985, with permission from the Ahmadiyya Community, the congregation purchased land in a residential neighborhood of Portland for its future religious center. Two years later, in 1987, the Portland Muslim community gathered to celebrate the placement of the mosque’s first foundation stone. Later that same year, the building was dedicated in a ceremony attended by the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Mission, inaugurating the Rizwan Mosque as an official branch of the Ahmadiyya movement. The mosque’s design blended traditional Islamic features, like a tall minaret, with the style of typical American suburban architecture.

Today, the Portland Rizwan Mosque serves a culturally diverse congregation which is primarily South Asian but also includes Southeast Asians and African Americans. The mosque continues to hold daily services and, like other Ahmadiyya centers across the country, organizes various social programs and community outreach events. One of the most significant of these programs is Open Mosque Day, an annual event during the holy month of Ramadan where neighbors are invited to join the congregation for Iftar and learn about Islam.

📌APIA Every Day (309) - The Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin in Honolulu, dedicated in 1900, is part of a larger religious organization called the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i. As one of the earliest Buddhist temples on the Islands, the Betsuin was built a decade after the establishment of Hawai'i’s first Buddhist temple in Hilo. For nearly 125 years, the Honolulu Betsuin has served as the flagship temple for the Hongwanji Mission in Hawai’i and continues to be a significant proponent of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in the United States. 

The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai’i was initially founded in the late 19th century by Reverend Soryu Kagahi who was concerned about the spiritual well-being of Japanese immigrants who had become disconnected from temples in Japan. During his visit to Hawai’i, Rev. Kagahi founded Buddhist communities on Hilo and Honolulu, establishing the Hilo Betsuin in 1889. Following Rev. Kagahi’s initiatives, Bishop Honi Satomi began growing Honolulu’s congregation in 1898. Together with his nephew, Reverend Yemyo Imamura, he constructed a temple building on Fort Lane in 1900. A year after its dedication in 1901, the Honpa Hongwanji Hawai’i Betsuin in Honolulu hosted Queen Lili’uokalani and Mary Robinson Foster for a memorial service. This visit had a profound effect on the local Buddhist community, encouraging more members to join the congregation. 

With a growing community, construction on a new temple building began in 1916 and was completed in 1918. The design of the temple blended traditional Indian aesthetics with more contemporary Western architecture, honoring the historic roots of Buddhism while also acknowledging its universality. In order to garner greater acceptance among Americans, the interior was designed with a church-like layout, featuring wooden pews, a pulpit, and an organ. This style would influence nearly 75 percent of all Buddhist temples built in Hawai’i after the 1940s as they continued to follow this precedent. Around this time, the Honolulu Hongwanji temple received its honorary title of “Betsuin” from the main temple in Japan and was recognized as the headquarters of the Hawai’i Hongwanji Mission. 

In the mid-20th century, the Honolulu temple began a series of expansions, including the addition of a mausoleum to the main hall. However, during World War II, construction plans were put on hold, and many Buddhist ministers were incarcerated while temples across Hawai'i were closed. After reopening in the post-war period, the Hongwanji Mission founded a Hongwanji Mission School near the Honolulu Betsuin complex in 1949. In 1964, a townhouse and annex temple, which included a large social hall, were added to house students and the Buddhist Women's Association.

Today, the Honpa Hongwanji Hawai'i Betsuin continues to serve an active congregation while overseeing 30 Hongwanji temples across Hawai'i. Services at the Betsuin are held every Sunday in both English and Japanese, and the temple organizes educational programs, cultural activities, and festivals throughout the year. However, like most other Buddhist temples across the state, the Honolulu Betsuin has faced issues of declining membership. Between 2007 to 2021 alone, the temple’s congregation diminished by 52 percent. To combat this decline, the Betsuin has committed to diversifying its available programs to attract new members. With money from the National Fund for Sacred Places, the temple is set to modernize its community spaces, ensuring accessibility for future generations.

📌APIA Every Day (308) - The Iosepa Settlement Cemetery, established circa 1889, is located in a ghost town in Utah’s Skull Valley. Originally a 1,920 acre ranch, the Iosepa area was settled in the late 19th century by Pacific Islanders, predominantly Native Hawaiians, who had immigrated to the United States after converting to Mormonism. Today, the cemetery stands as one of the last surviving sites documenting the early Polynesian history of Utah.

In the 1850s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began sending missionaries to Hawai’i and the surrounding Pacific Islands. One of the most influential figures in this missionary effort was Joseph F. Smith, the eventual namesake for Iosepa. In 1889, about 50 Native Hawaiians had joined the church and migrated to Salt Lake City. However, due to discrimination against the new arrivals, the Church relocated the community to Skull Valley. Once settled in Iosepa, the Native Hawaiians established a small town following a gridded plan typical of Mormon settlements. At the center of the town, they built a church and schoolhouse in a public square (called an imilani), with other buildings lining two main streets named Honolulu and Kula. The Iosepa Cemetery was founded as early as 1889, the same year as the settlement’s establishment, when the first burial took place. Over time, Iosepa grew to encompass 226 people and community members continued to preserve their heritage through cultural traditions like lu’aus.

Throughout this period, the Polynesian residents worked as laborers on farms under the Iosepa Agricultural and Stock Company. By 1908, the community had created an elaborate irrigation system and grown numerous fruit trees on residential properties to guard against the harsh Utah summers. Two years following these improvements, the town gained greater financial independence and an increased quality of life. In 1915, as the Mormon Church began construction on a temple in Hawai'i, many Iosepa residents opted to move back to the Pacific Islands by 1917. Those who remained continued to be buried at the Iosepa cemetery, with burials occurring as recently as 2019. As the town was abandoned, a livestock company purchased the land and demolished most of the buildings, leaving only the cemetery and a few stone foundations behind.

In 1971, the Iosepa Settlement Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historical Places, in recognition of its significance to Polynesian history in Utah. A century after the town’s establishment, a historic marker was dedicated at Iosepa by the Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley in 1989. Although the town no longer has any permanent residents, Pacific Islander continue to visit the site annually to honor their pioneer ancestors with lu'aus. To accommodate these visitors, the Iosepa Historical Association added a pavilion with a stage, kitchen, and restrooms to the site. Currently, the Association is gathering donations to update the existing facilities, ensuring that future gatherings commemorating Iosepa continue to occur. 

📌APIA Every Day (307) - The Jain Society of Greater Detroit (JSGD) was initially founded by a group of Indian Jain professionals who had immigrated to the United States following the Immigration Act of 1965. Many of these early members, who settled in the Detroit Metropolitan area, were primarily students pursuing higher education at American universities. In 1998, the JSGD established the first Jain temple in Detroit in the city’s suburb of Farmington Hills. This temple quickly became a significant gathering space for the Indian Jain community across the state.

The origins of the JSGD trace back to 1975, when a small congregation of just nine people began gathering at each other's homes in Taylor, Michigan, to observe religious holidays. By the end of that same year, the congregation had grown to 50 families, prompting the move of worship services to a local community center and church hall. In 1981, the Society was officially incorporated and in the coming years, established various ongoing community programs like an annual summer camp and religious school. In 1985, the Detroit Society hosted the third national Jain Convention of North America, inviting Jains from across the country to participate in workshops and lectures highlighting their shared heritage. 

In 1989, the JSGD acquired three acres of wooded property in Farmington Hills for a future temple. Four years later, they purchased an adjacent three-acre lot with an existing house, which became a temporary religious center. Construction of the formal temple began in 1995 and 160 Jain families gathered in 1997 to perform a brick laying ceremony. In 1998, the JSGD held a ten-day Pratishtha Mahotsav ceremony to consecrate the completed building. The new temple included a prayer hall, a social hall, a kitchen, a library, and classrooms, with a distinctive marble shikhara (temple dome) on its exterior imported from India.

Currently, other than the Hindu-Jain Bharatiya Temple in Lansing, the JSGD Temple in Detroit is the only major Jain temple in the state. With a congregation of over 700 families, it continues to host weekly worship services and offers study classes for both youth and adults. In 2023, the JSGD celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Jain Center, an event attended by over 1,000 people, including Deputy Mayor of Farmington Hills Randy Bruce. During the celebration, the community raised $500,000 for the current temple’s expansion, reflecting the JSGD’s growing significance in the Detroit area. 

📌APIA Every Day (306) - Anzen, previously known as the Teikoku Company, was Portland’s oldest Japanese grocery and retail store. Initially established in Japantown (Nihonmachi) by Mosaburo Matsushima in 1905, it remained an essential shopping destination for the local Japanese community for over a century. Although Anzen moved from its historic location in the Merchant Block in the mid-1940s, the building still stands as a testament to early Japanese American history in Portland today.

Mosaburo Matsushima, who immigrated to Oregon from Okayama, Japan, originally opened his store under the name Matsushima Shoten. In 1911, six years after opening, Matsushima renamed his business the Teikoku Company, stocking a variety of goods for Japanese laborers, including canned food, hats, and caulk boots. At the same time, the shop became an agent of Yokohama Bank enabling Japanese immigrants to send money to their families in Japan. In the 1920s, Matsushima’s nephew and son, Umata Yasui Matsushima and Ayao Matsushima, took over the store’s management. During this time, the family inhabited and maintained the Merchant Hotel (then known as the Teikoku Hotel), which operated on the floors above the store and served as a boarding house for immigrants. 

In the 1940s, Umata assumed full control of the business as the rest of the family returned to Japan. Aside from managing the storefront in Portland, he also traveled throughout the Pacific Northwest, delivering goods to Japanese laborers working in canneries and lumber camps. In 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Portland officials began closing Japanese-owned businesses around the city. Umata, in his position as the owner of the Teikoku Company, was arrested and sent to various detention centers around the country. The store was closed and his wife Fumi and their two children were incarcerated at the Minidoka Camp in Idaho. 

After returning to Portland in 1946, the Matsushima family reopened their business near its original Japantown location. Due to concerns over the name “Teikoku” (which translates to “imperial”), the city government prohibited them from reopening under the same name. Instead Umata established the new store as Anzen, a word meaning “safety.” In 1968, Anzen moved to a new location in Portland's Lloyd District. Umata's sons, Yoji and Hiroshi, took over the business, continuing to sell Japanese foods, home goods, medicine, and books.

In 1975, the Merchant Hotel, the original location of the Teikoku Company Store, was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Portland Skidmore/Old Town Historic District. In 2014, after 109 years of operation, Yoji and Hiroshi Matsushima retired, and Anzen closed its doors. Although Anzen is no longer in business today, its legacy is embodied at the site of the original Teikoku Company which is now home to Goodies Snack Shop, an Asian food store established in 2022. While this marks a new beginning for the historic Merchant Building, Anzen continues to be remembered as a beloved community shopping destination by the Portland community.