(Photo courtesy of Arcadia Publishing)
For many locals, the history of Fife is shared through stories, photos and family heirlooms. But for many of the city’s newest residents, that history remains a mystery.
Next January, Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series will release a book detailing the history of Fife with more than 200 photos representing the city and its families between the 1890s and the 1960s. Readers will learn more about Fife’s early families, including its extensive Japanese community, local farms, businesses and schools.
“Fife was an idyllic place to grow up,” book author Susan Kaelin said. “It was close to the city, but still a small town. Everyone knew everyone.”
Kaelin, the granddaughter of an early Fife pioneer, spent a year compiling photographs and conducting interviews with descendants of Fife’s early families. She has always been fascinated by Fife’s history and became interested in writing the book about the city.
“There has never really been anything formal written about Fife,” she said.
In Fife’s early days, the community was primarily made up of immigrant families from Europe and Japan. After World War II and the internment of Japanese families, many residents were displaced and chose to leave the city.
To connect these dots, Kaelin reached out to people across the country. The book’s farthest source, living in Washington, D.C., was a descendant of an early Japanese family from Fife. Others, including the Kurimoto and Andre families, donated photos and shared personal stories from their family history.
Although most information was readily available through pictures and stories, Kaelin said the project posed a few challenges. She had trouble tracking down personal history from Native Americans who lived in the area, and was unable to locate a few Fife landmarks – the Pick Quick drive-in restaurant and Fife’s former drive-in movie theater.
“Unfortunately, people didn’t think about taking any pictures of those places,” she said. “Hopefully people will come away learning something and seeing pictures they haven’t seen before.”
To place your order, visit the Fife History Museum located at 2820 54th Ave. E., adjacent to Dacca Park. The museum is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Wednesday noon to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call museum staff before visiting, at (253) 896-4710. Those who place an order may collect their copies during the week of Jan. 23.
People who have photos that were not obtained as part of this project, the historical society would love to hear from you. If you have questions about the book or the scanning process, feel free to contact Kaelin at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
