Quick Facts:
- 272 acres of preserved land north of Placerville, CA
- Protected in November 2010 through a partnership with American River Conservancy
- Cultural Preserve is the site of the first agricultural settlement of pioneer Japanese immigrants in North America
- Located at the headwaters of Granite and Shingle Creeks, with blue and interior live oak woodland, grassland, lake, pond and wetlands
Placer Land Trust holds the easement on this American River Conservancy property, which is the historic site of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm, the first permanent Japanese settlement in North America, established on June 8th, 1869. This ranch is a beautiful mosaic of springs, streams, wetlands, blue and live oak forest, sweeping vistas and prime agricultural soil. Ranch ponds and the small lake is a draw for wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl during the winter and early spring.
Public-Private Partnership
This project was made possible in part through grant funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as private donations and bridge loans from New Resource Bank and the Veerkamp family.
Protecting History for the Future
The National Park Service recently placed the Wakamatsu Colony site on the National Register of Historic Places at a level of “National Significance.” ARC’s is working to create a public park at the Wakamatsu Colony site that protects important gravesites, establishes a memorial garden, creates trails and a house museum within the historic farmhouse, and develops a demonstration and production farm that displays the valuable contributions that Japanese Americans have made to California agriculture and to the United States as a nation of diverse peoples.
To Visit
Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm may be visited during scheduled public tours, private tours, events, and open farm days. More information about Wakamatsu Farm, including tour availability, can be found at the American River Conservancy website.
