Yamato Colony, Florida facts for kids
The Yamato Colony was a special community started by Japanese farmers in what is now Boca Raton, Florida. This happened in the early 1900s. Florida leaders encouraged young Japanese men to come and farm there. At its busiest, about 75 Japanese men lived there, some with their families. They built houses, a general store, and places to pack their crops.
However, the colony faced many problems. A plant disease called blight ruined their crops. Because of these difficulties, the colony never grew very big. It slowly faded away and finally ended during World War II.
Starting the Yamato Colony
The Model Land Company was a business created by Henry Flagler. This company owned a lot of land given to Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway by the state of Florida. The company wanted people to settle on its land. They especially wanted new immigrants. This helped them sell land and also brought more business to the railroad.
In 1903, the company met Jo Sakai. He was a Japanese man who had just finished college in New York. Sakai bought 1,000 acres (about 4 square kilometers) from the Model Land Company. He then asked young men from his hometown of Miyazu, Japan, to come and live there.
Farming and Challenges
Hundreds of settlers came to the colony. They mostly grew pineapples. These pineapples were sent by train from the Yamato station on the Florida East Coast Railway.
But in 1908, a plant disease called pineapple blight destroyed their crops. This was a big problem. Also, the colony could not compete with pineapples from Cuba. Cuban pineapples were cheaper and grew faster. Because of these issues, many settlers went back to Japan. Others moved to different parts of the United States.
The End of the Colony
The last parts of the colony were taken over after the United States joined World War II. Their land was bought to build a training base for the United States Army Air Corps. Today, this land is where Florida Atlantic University and the Boca Raton Airport are located.
A Lasting Memory
Only one member of the Yamato Colony stayed in the area. His name was George Morikami. He continued to farm in nearby Delray Beach, Florida until the 1970s. George Morikami later gave his farmland to Palm Beach County. He wanted to save it as a park and honor the Yamato Colony.
Today, the Yamato Colony is remembered in several ways. There is a main street in Boca Raton called Yamato Road. You can also visit Morikami Park and the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. The city of Delray Beach is even a "sister city" with Miyazu, Japan. This special connection honors George Morikami and the Yamato Colony.
