90 Years of Family History — Please Help Us Keep It Alive

For over 25 years, my Mom has lived in our family home, which has been in our family for the last 90 years. A place that has been a sanctuary not only to me and my family but to many that have come across it.

Due to issues with the estate after my grandfathers passing, my mother is being displaced and the property is at risk of being taken.

Our history:

• 1911 — Shotaro Yamaguchi emigrated from Japan and established a small fruit ranch in the Cucamonga area (notes show the property along present-day Church Street between Hellman and Carnelian avenues).

• 1923–1924 — Shotaro traveled back to Japan, found a bride (Yoshie/Yoshi), and returned to continue the ranch and experiment with fruit hybrids.

• WWII era — Despite Shotaro’s son serving in the U.S military many of his family members where interned, and the property was cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza.

• 1957 — Shotaro’s children created the Yamaguchi Ranch Co.; later the company went inactive. The property was vacant at times and occupied again by family members across the decades.

• Recent history — My grandfather (Bill/William Yamaguchi) and then my mom lived there, raised gardens and chickens, and kept the place as a family sanctuary. Now probate and relatives pushing to sell have put everything at risk.

This is about more than a house. It’s about dignity and a lifetime of labor — my mom cared for our family and home for years. It’s about preserving heirlooms, photographs, letters, and history that connect us to our elders and to the Japanese-American story in this community. If the property is sold without time to move and save these items, a family’s archive could be lost to history.

What we need — $15,000 goal

We are asking for $15,000 to make sure my mom doesn’t end up homeless and to preserve our family’s history while the legal process plays out.

How funds will be used:

• $5,000 — Moving & Long-term Storage

Truck/movers, packing supplies, and secure storage (18–24 months) for family photos, documents, heirlooms, and artifacts that can’t be left behind or thrown away.

• $7,000 — Housing Transition (Deposit + Rent)

First month + security deposit and utility start-up to get her into a safe rental of her own so she isn’t forced to live in an unsafe or temporary arrangement.

• $2,000 — Legal/documentation & emergency buffer. Filing fees, document copies, notarization, and emergency needs while we coordinate with legal

• $1,000 — Furnishings and essentials.