Is This You, Okei-san?
By RYOKO OHNISHI
RAFU STAFF WRITER
Sunday, June 10, 2007

Photos of Wakamatsu colony are discovered.

Photos by RYOKO OHNISHI/Rafu Shimpo
Philip Veerkamp, one of the owners of the 303-acre property that includes the former Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony and Okei’s grave, holds a photo of a young woman thought to be Okei.

On Saturday, Philip Veerkamp, a fifth generation family member, told the more than 100 visitors to the site that 11 pic­tures, likely taken around the time of the Wakamatsu Colony era, were found on the property by his cousin Martha De Hass,

“I believe, or hope, this must be Okei-san. But of course, don’t know,” said Veerkamp, speaking of the tragic story of a young Japanese girl who was brought to the colony as a nursemaid and died there in 1871 at age 17. “She is beautiful, and if you think about it, this is how a nursemaid would have been dressed for a trip to a photo studio.”

According to Jon McCabe, an expert photo curator and historian on the Gold Rush period from the El Dorado County Museum, the photos were taken by pho­tographer George Gilbert, whose studio was in the area from 1870 to 1883.

This would match the time when the Wakamatsu colonists inhabited the Gold Hill area.

“My father had that envelope (con­taining the photos),” said De Hass. “When was preparing for this event in March, opened it and found them.”

The ceremony, hosted by the campaign fund-raiser, the American River Conser­vancy, began with a group of Gold Trail Elementary School children singing, “Haruga Kita” (Spring Has Come).

During the ceremony, assembly member Alan Nakanishi described his early memories of the historic site.

“I was a 10 year old when my father brought me to Okei’s gravesite,” Na­kanishi recalled. “This is an emotional place. I am going to start writing letters and work on the legislation to preserve this place.”

lan Erghott, the executive director of the ARC, a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protectingnatural and historic landscapes and sites, emphasized how important it is to preserve the area as a living history forsilk making, tea products, rice culture and papermaking and bamboo crafts by the Japanese in California. Reminiscing about their childhoods on the property, Philip Veerkamp and his siblings Evelyn and Gary shared stories and spoke of their decision to put the property up for sale to the ARC.

“It was a tough decision to sell,” said Philip. “My father put blood, sweat and tears into this land, but we decided not to split one baby into three, and instead do an adoption.”

On behalf of the American River Conservancy (non-profit 501 C3 corporation,Tax ID #68-0195752, Coloma, Calif.), The Rafu Shimpo is collecting donations for the $4.6 million “Gold Hill—Wakamatsu Project” campaign.

The deadline for Rafu supporters to donate is Nov. 23. If the ARC fails to raise the target $4.6 million, donations will be 100 percent refunded to the original donors.

To contribute, make checks payable to the American River Conservancy (not the Rafu Shimpo) and send them to “Wakamatsu Project,” c/o The Rafu Shimpo, 138 Onizuka St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). Receipts will be issued. The Rafu is only responsible for the checks we receive.