A recent court ruling puts a group of islanders in charge of the historic Mukai farmhouse. Their long-sought legal victory is also a win for Vashon, a chance for us to take back this sadly neglected piece of local history.
The Mukai farmhouse is one of the most intact historic sites on Vashon. It’s the place where the Mukais, a Japanese-American family, once ran a successful strawberry growing and packing business. Many have called their home just outside town a unique marrying of two cultures — an American-style farmhouse set off by a traditional Japanese garden. The property speaks to the island’s agricultural and cultural heritage, as well as some history we’re not proud of. In 1942, the Mukais fled the island to avoid internment. Michael Sullivan, a well-respected historian, said today the site makes up the most intact Japanese-American-owned complex in the state, with a house, garden and fruit barrelling plant all still standing.
Mary Matthews saw the significance of this site years ago and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for her nonprofit, Island Landmarks, to purchase it. Since then, however, she has been unable to fulfill her vision for restoring the place and it’s fallen into a sorry state of disrepair. She and her husband may have had good intentions but have lived out of state, rarely visiting the site, opening it to the public or doing work there. Matthews herself admitted the Mukai property was more than she could handle alone, but was unwilling to loosen her grip on it short of a court order to do so.
Now the Friends of Mukai, a group of well-respected Vashon residents, are able to move forward on plans they’ve been developing to restore the house and garden and open them to visitors. With government agencies and nonprofits already committed to helping, and Sullivan’s company poised to create expert restoration plan, this group is far better prepared to steward this important site. One day, the place could look much as it did in its heyday, when hundreds of people came to work in the strawberry fields that stretched for acres behind it. It could be open for the public to come learn about this time in our island’s and our country’s past. And it will be because of the work of a few islanders who were tirelessly committed to saving the property, even when it meant dragging the issue through court.
On Monday, Sullivan told The Beachcomber he would say “attaboy” to those Vashon activists who didn’t give up. We would echo his sentiment and add a thank you to other supporters, government officials and historians who also called for change and supported the Friends of Mukai. We hope to one day visit the site after those who helped save it realize its full potential.
