For decades, a stubborn farmer in California stood against the colossus that was the Walt Disney company, fighting relentlessly to protect the land of his family against development.
But when the city of Anaheim, supported by developers, moved to grab the beloved farm of the family in 1985, this marked the start of a heartbreaking saga that would change everything for farmers' family.
The Legacy of Fujishige Farm started in 1906 when Hisao Fujishige emigrated from Iwakuni to the United States in the Yamaguchi prefecture.
Years later, in 1918, he bought a 30-hectare plot in East Los Angeles, where he and his six children, Aiko, Hiroshi, Masao, Kimi, Henry and Anna, and his wife, Ayano. A variety of crops grew.
On the extensive farm for Atlantic Eastern Avenue and Santa Fe, the Fujishige's dry onion, garlic and cabbage grew – and they did that happily until a disaster struck.
A few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, hisao was arrested and in March 1942 his wife and two oldest sons, Hiroshi and Masao, moved their family to Clearfield, Utah to live with their cousins ​​instead of an internment camp.
During the war they remained agriculture in Clearfield, grow tomatoes, peas, sugar beets and onions.
The Legacy of Fujishige Farm started in 1906 when Hisao Fujishige emigrated from Iwakuni to the United States in the Yamaguchi prefecture. Displayed: Fujishy Farms Sign from Harbor Blvd
In 1952 Hiroshi and Masao Fujishige moved back to California and bought H&M Fujishige Farms (photo), a 58 -hectare farm in Anaheim, where they grew strawberries, vegetables and herbs
In 1944, Hiroshi, who would eventually go to the Family Farm Steward, was set up in the 442 Regimental Combat Team and his brother Masao took the lead over the farm.
After the war, the Fujishige family remained agriculture in Utah for the next nine years before Hiroshi and Masao moved back to California and bought a 58-hectare plot in Anaheim in 1952.
The vast country would soon be H&M Fujishige Farms where they sold Strawberries, sweet white corn, pears, mandarins and much more.
The beloved building, located on Harbour Boulevard from 1854, would be where the two men would raise their families. Together they worked on the farm, grew and harvested crops and slowly won profit in the industry.
However, a little further on the road, the former site of a bunch of orange trees was developed by a man named Walt Disney.
While the Fujishiges strawberries kept choosing, they could see a castle built over the field.
Disneyland was finally opened to the public in July 1955. It was a sensation and the Fujishiges were suddenly neighbors of the most famous theme park on the planet.
Yet offers for their valued plot did not come in immediately, but as Disneyland grew, the eyes of every developer turned to the national Oranje District.
Hiroshi would soon become the unofficial spokesperson for the family, although often described as a calm, private man.
In 1991, Hiroshi De Los Angeles Times said that a man had recently dropped an $ 2 million offer per hectare and that he rejected him flat.
“I didn't even get his name,” he told the outlet.
A few years later, the then Disney chairman Michael Eisner invited the Strawberry Farmer for dinner in a restaurant Disneyland in a desperate plea that tried to convince him to sell.
After the war, the Fujishige family stayed in Utah for the next nine years, before Hiroshi and Masao moved back to California and in 1952 bought a plot of 58 hectares in Anaheim
The vast country would soon be H&M Fujishige farms where they sold strawberries, sweet white corn, pears, mandarins and many more. Displayed: At the end of the 1990s, crops grew on the fujishy Farm Location Off by Harbor Boulevard
But Hiroshi was not influenced at all by the powerful director and claimed: “I'm just a dirty farmer.”
In 1984, Hiroshi was again in hot water when a large jury of Orange County mentioned his farm as one of the 26 in the province with migrating employees in 'inhumane circumstances'.
Shortly thereafter, the Californian farmer received a deadline to close the housing, and, when it was asked by reporters, he said: “The growing season will be over by that time. I don't need the barracks. Moreover, one of them is ready to fall anyway. '
The Fujishige farm made the news again in 1985, when the city of Anaheim announced for the first time in its history, the Eminent Domain would use on behalf of a private company.
A developer of Hong Kong planned a $ 200 million hotel and condo project near the Anaheim Convention Center – located just half a miles from the farm – and the increased traffic of the project required two extra roads that the building would cut through.
As usual, however, the Fujishiges refused to sell, and to make the project go ahead, the city decided to grab the country.
In the middle of their bitter struggle, however, the city attracted the tragedy.
After a day of working, Hiroshi's brother Masao committed suicide.
Family members said he had been 'very despondent' during the fight with the city and that his health had never recovered after a stroke three years earlier.
A few days later, Hiroshi addressed the Anaheim city council to ensure that they “should not feel guilty.”
“I don't have bad feelings for you,” said Hiroshi. “He was a sick man. The only problem was that I did not realize how sick he was. '
Once a lush 58 -hectare farm, H&M Fujishige Farms has since been convicted by high -rise buildings, chain restaurants and the world's most powerful entertainment engineer
Hiroshi's children work on the Anaheim farm of the family
The developer eventually withdrew from the project, but new bidders continued to approach the Fujishiges.
With every year that passed, their country became more valuable. In the 1990s, estimated was the most valuable undeveloped property left in the area.
“Some say he is crazy because he is on real estate worth $ 60 million and $ 70 million and sees his strawberries grow,” a source close to the De Los Angeles Times family in 1991. “I think he knows something we don't know.”
Every day from sunrise to sunset, the Fujishiges farm sold fresh products to the passing of tourists and the locals, so that almost nothing was compared to the generation richness that a deal with Disney offered.
Over time, Disney would rise in popularity, looking for his already extensive attractions, but without more room more to do this – still tirelessly arguing with the stubborn farmer for his slice of undeveloped country.
In February 1998, Hiroshi, who was then 75 years old, suffered a bad fall.
Finally, after more than 40 years of cultivating their cherished country, Disney announced in August 1998 that the Fujishige family had finally agreed to sell on the condition that they could keep three and a half hectares for a little agriculture and their products.
The family did not say what changed ideas, but the declining health of Hiroshi was considered a possible part of that decision.
After more than 40 years of cultivating their cherished country, Disney announced in August 1998 that the Fujishige family had finally agreed to sell on condition that they could keep three and a half hectares for a little agriculture and their products. Shown: a tractor makes its way over a corner of the Fujishige family farm
A month after the monumental sale, Hiroshi died and despite the fact that he went against each other with Anaheim's top politicians and business leaders for decades, tribute filled in with sorrow for the dedicated farmer. Shown: Pancho Contreras, who worked for 19 years at the Fujishige Farm, collects flowers that were delivered to the stand on the day after the death of Hiroshi
The Fujishige farm is now the site of the 'Toy Story' parking lot, where thousands of guests park every day and take a shuttle to Disneyland
The final selling price was never announced, but experts suspected that it was somewhere between $ 65 million and $ 78 million. Nowadays, adapted for inflation, the Fujishige deal would correspond to around $ 127 million, estimates Sfgate.
“It is simply too valuable to stay as agricultural land,” a member of the Anaheim city council told The Times in 1998.
A month after the monumental sale, Hiroshi died and despite the fact that he went against each other with Anaheim's top politicians and business leaders for decades, tribute filled in with sorrow for the dedicated farmer.
“We have the highest respect and esteem for the Fujishige family, and we are very sad to hear from the death of Hiroshi Fujishige,” Disneyland spokesperson Ray Gomez told the La Times.
In the meantime. Former city councilor Irv Pickler wondered how Hiroshi's 'integrity' 'was more important than money:' I admire the fact that he stood and the family knew what they wanted to do. I wish we had a little more today. '
Now the Fujishige farm is the location of the 'Toy Story' parking lot, where thousands of guests park every day and take a shuttle to Disneyland.
