Harada House facts for kids
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Harada House
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Harada House
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3356 Lemon Street, Riverside, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1884 |
| Architect | Harp Brothers |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000325 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 15, 1977 |
| Designated NHL | December 14, 1990 |
The Harada House (Japanese: ハラダハウス, Harada Hausu) in Riverside, California, is a very important historic home. It became famous because of a big court case called California v. Harada. This case was about a law that stopped people from owning land if they were not citizens. The Harada family, who were Japanese immigrants, fought for their right to own their home. They won the case, which was a huge victory.
The house was built in 1884. The Harada family later made changes to it. In 1990, it was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, the Museum of Riverside looks after the Harada House.
Contents
About the Harada House
The Harada House is located near downtown Riverside. It sits on Lemon Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets. The house started as a simple, one-story cottage in 1884. It had wood siding and a shingle roof.
In 1916, the Harada family added a second story. This addition included four bedrooms, a bathroom, and a front porch. Now, it is a two-story building with wood siding. It has a two-story porch at the front. The second floor of the porch is now closed in. Many original parts of the house, like its wallpaper and design, have been kept. This is because the house's changes were important evidence in the court case.
History of the Harada Family and Their Home
The Harada Family's Journey
In the early 1900s, Jukichi Harada came to America from Japan. His wife, Ken, and their first son, Masa Atsu, came with him. The Harada family settled in Riverside, California. They leased a boarding house and ran a restaurant. They had three more children: Mine, Sumi, and Yoshizo.
In 1913, their five-year-old son, Tadao, sadly passed away from an illness. Their small home was very crowded. Jukichi Harada then started looking for a new house. He wanted one that was close to their church and his children's school.
The California v. Harada Court Case
In 1915, Jukichi Harada bought the house. But because of a law called the California Alien Land Law of 1913, he could not own property himself. This law stopped immigrants from Japan and other countries from owning land. So, the house was officially put in the names of his three young children. They were born in the United States, which made them citizens.
After the Haradas bought the house, some neighbors tried to make them leave. When that didn't work, state officials took the family to court in October 1916. The case, known as California v. Harada, began in December 1916.
The main question in the case was whether American-born Japanese children could own property. This case was a big test for the alien land law. The trial got attention from all over the world. Relations between the U.S. and Japan were important at the time. The trial ended in September 1918. Judge Hugh Craig decided that the Harada children had the right to own the house. He said that as American citizens, they could own property, no matter their race. The state did not try to appeal this decision.
Even though the Haradas kept their home, the court also confirmed that the law preventing non-citizens from owning land was still valid. This meant that other immigrants still faced challenges in owning property.
Saving the Harada House
During World War II, many Japanese Americans were sent to special camps. The Harada family was among them. Both Ken and Jukichi Harada died while in these camps. While they were away, a friend of the family, who was not Japanese, lived in the house. This helped the family keep ownership of their home.
After the war, Sumi Harada, one of the three children, took care of the house. She let other Japanese families, who had lost their homes, live there. During this time, the upstairs porch was enclosed to create more living space.
In the 1970s, a student named Mark Rawitsch began studying the Harada House. He worked with Sumi Harada, who had saved many family records. Together, they showed how important the house was to Riverside. In 1977, the house became an official landmark. In 1991, the National Park Service declared it a National Historic Landmark.
In 2004, after Sumi Harada passed away, her brother Harold became the owner. He then donated the house to the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, which is now the Museum of Riverside.
Restoring the Harada House
The Harada House needs a lot of work to be fully stable. In 2016, the American Alliance of Museums told the Museum of Riverside that they needed to fix the house. They want to make sure the house is safe and can be opened to the public.
Experts are checking the house's structure to understand its condition. Even though some repairs have been done, more work is needed. The goal is to carefully take parts of the house apart to see its original structure. Then, a full plan can be made to restore it completely.
The Museum of Riverside is working to turn the house into a cultural and educational place. They are raising money to buy a house next door, called the Robinson House. This house will become an interpretive center for visitors.
Images for kids
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National Historic Landmark plaque in front of the Harada House.
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Riverside Cultural Heritage Board plaque in front of the Harada House.
See also
- Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial
- Day of Remembrance (Japanese Americans)
- Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project
- Empty Chair Memorial
- Fred Korematsu Day
- Go for Broke Monument
- Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II
- National Japanese American Veterans Memorial Court
- Sakura Square
- Alien land laws
- List of National Historic Landmarks in California
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Riverside County, California
