Brief Report 9/2005 -- On the Cabrillo College Summer 2005 Research Project and Arch. Tech 4 excavation class at The Redman House - Hirahara Farmstead, Watsonville, California
By Rob Edwards

Redman House - Hirahara Farmstead team, Summer 2005

The objectives of the Cabrillo research plan for summer 2005 focused;

1. Primarily on looking at the Redman House foundation construction and soil stratigraphy;
   
   
2. A comparison of the relative distribution of material culture outside the front, side and, back doors;
   
   
3. Determining evidence of both the Anglo and the Japanese American eras of occupation;
   
   
4. Analyzing the purpose[s] of the overgrown area called the arbor. And
   
   
5. Another major objective [which was developed in the field] of documenting a barn with (possibly pre? and) post WWII habitation by Japanese Americans returning from Interment Camps. As always
   
   
6. We planned and presented Public Education alternatives.

Findings

1. The basic soil stratigraphy immediate adjacent to the foundation of the Redman-Hirahara House has been documented in four areas, one on each side of the building. The strata are composed of both natural and cultural strata including: a stratum from the construction of the house; several levels where flooding occurred; a strata of brick steps with a stratum of brick and mortar debris (possibly from the ’06 quake?); several strata of varying cultural material yet to be analyzed; and of course, the top stratum after the house was abandoned. Below the level of construction lie strata (or stratums) of black clay soils. Numerous artifacts were recovered and preliminarily processed and returned to Cabrillo College. These materials were analyzed in the Laboratory Processes class [Arch.Tech. 5] in August.
   
   
2. We found that the numbers of artifact [highest to least] were found a) next to the back door, b) then the side door, c) the formal front door and d) a unit on the side of the house with no door.
   
   
3. While needing further analysis, we do have multiple strata that relate to the construction of the House and its occupation eras. One of the more graphic finds was a beautiful Japanese style bowl found in an upper stratum.
   
   
4. The lath structure (also referred to as an arbor or shade structure) was defined and recorded after extensive vegetation removal. It had been proposed as an arbor and possible place for an ofuro (Japanese hot bath). It is now suggested to have been a Bonsai growing area. Only a small area of the structure was tested which provided a number of cultural artifacts both from the Hirahara era as well as more recent post-Hirahara era. While clearing the lath structure a fence that had extended from the lath structure to the pear tree and the house was exposed. We also documented an additional small lath structure to the north east of the large one. Samples of 65 to 70 different plants around the house, garage, and the lath structure were collected for later identification. Considerable time was spent on clearing vegetation around the House, garage and especially the lath structure. The research team consisted of 26 students, four crew leaders and two faculty, all who worked 15 days from 8-5 and the two faculty who put in many more days and hours.
   
   
5. The Barn complex to the southwest of the house turned out to be a highly significant resource with both a “carriage house” and a “blacksmith shop” connected by a later roofed structure. A visit from a local life-time resident of Pajaro Valley, Aki Hane, who lived on the property post WW II, gave us invaluable information both about the “carriage barn” which was the residence of three or more Japanese-American families returning from the Internment Camps. This information caused us to look more closely at the carriage barn and to recognize a wealth of historic resources including some Japanese documents nailed to the wall under the wallpaper but on top of a 1937 newspaper. Considerable time and energy has been spent recording and collecting inside the barn as we were initially told the barn was to come down shortly. That time line for destruction seems to have changed and so the opportunity of more detailed recording, evaluation and development of recommendations for this unique structure now exists. The basic structural framing of the main area of the carriage barn ‘seems’ solid.. This part of the barn has been strengthened and various entrances to the barn have been closed in with plywood and a lockable door established. A small northern structure in this complex has been called a blacksmith shop that may relate to the Redman as well as the Hirahara eras. This also needs to be investigated, recorded, evaluated and recommendations developed.
   
   
6. Public Education was an integral part of the Field School process. We had a display tent with artifacts, photographs, sample excavation notes, handouts in both English and Spanish about the excavation, information about the program and free posters. Over 100 individuals visited and were given tours by our students. In addition, we had school visits from Radcliff Middle School (about 40 students and teachers) and the SOS alternative High School (about 15 students and two teachers) based at the Cabrillo College Watsonville Center. We also gave a number of tours to the Foundation Board members who expressed great interest in our findings. There were three excellent articles in the Register-Pajaronian by reporter Roger Sideman. We look forward to a Voice article (Cabrillo student paper) and another article in the Santa Cruz Student Guide Paper both expected in September. We have had several requests for talks and presentations in the community and plan to develop a power point presentation for this purpose.

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