SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — For some families, scrapbooks passed down from loved ones can hold significant history. That was the case for Vilate Whittle of Salt Lake City, whose determination to preserve her family’s history paid off.
Whittle is the granddaughter of George A. Fisher, a businessman and rancher who helped a small colony of Japanese American families avoid internment camps during World War II. Fisher owned 3,800 acres of land just east of Park City in Wasatch County. That land is now covered by the Jordanelle Reservoir.
The newspaper clippings, pictures and scribbled notes all fascinated Whittle, who gained a better understanding of her grandfather.
“He [Fisher] and his brother came to that area in 1917 with plans of buying up the land and properties there. There were families living there,” said Whittle.
She said her grandfather was referred to as George A. or George A. Fisher because another distant relative shared his first and last name, but a different middle name. Fisher kept as many newspaper clippings as possible that related to Japanese Americans who lived on his land and transformed it into Keetley Farm. One clipping in the scrapbook revealed the land was only half deserted. Whittle said her family lived in the area.
During World War II, George A. Fisher got word about the challenges businessman Fred Wada of Oakland, California, and his small Japanese colony faced in trying to secure a safe place to live and farm.
Their ultimate goal was to avoid going to internment camps.
“They were originally looking at Duchesne County. But that didn’t work because they couldn’t provide the housing necessary. And they were too far away from a place where the produce could be loaded on a train and moved to wherever it needed to go,” said Whittle.
Whittle said her grandfather did some research, exploring the possibility of making Keetley available for Wada. However, he was concerned about any legal issues that could arise.
“So, he wrote to Dan Shields, the U.S. attorney, and he was told that, in their opinion, it doesn’t have any violation of law. At all,” said Whittle.
From that point, Fisher had to work through challenges he faced in the community to get people to agree to have Japanese families settle in the area. Fisher faced resistance from residents worried about unwanted attention.
“And people weren’t afraid to say it. They didn’t think they were going to be safe. They said we’d agree for them to come to Keetley, but they have to be under strict observation at all times,” said Whittle.
With strategy, good connections and timing, George A. Fisher set up a business deal with Fred Wada. He leased the land to Wada’s group for $7,000.
The contract was signed March 24, 1942.
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AloJapan.com