Finding Aid to the California Flower Market Records MS
4142
Al Bersch and Frances Kaplan
California Historical Society
2023
678 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
reference@calhist.org
Contributing Institution:
California Historical Society
Title: California Flower Market records
Creator:
California Flower Market, LLC
Identifier/Call Number: MS 4142
Physical Description:
10 Linear Feet
5 record cartons, 2 manuscript boxes, 7 oversized flat boxes,
and 2 photograph album boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1890s-2014
Abstract: The records of the California Flower
Market, Inc. include photographs, photograph albums, manuscript materials, books, articles,
ephemera, and audiovisual materials from the late 1800s to 2014, with the bulk covering the
period 1910 to 1990. Together they tell the story of the California Flower Market, Inc. from
its beginnings in 1912 when 54 Japanese American flower growers joined together as
shareholders to create the organization.
Language of Material: Materials primarily in English,
with some in Japanese.
Biographical / Historical
The flower industry in San Francisco and the extended Bay Area dates back to the late 1800s
when flower sellers would gather at an outdoor flower market at the corner of Kearney Street
and Market Street in San Francisco. Conveniently located, it enabled growers to transport
their produce to the market using the Southern Pacific and Key System ferry lines and
trains. From its inception, the flower market served growers primarily represented by three
ethnic communities: Chinese Americans, Italian Americans, and Japanese Americans.
The California Flower Market, Inc. was founded in 1912 by Japanese American flower growers
in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1923, Italian American flower growers established the San
Francisco Flower Growers Association, and in 1924, the two groups opened a 22,000 square
foot covered flower market at 5th Street and Howard Street in San Francisco. Soon after, the
Peninsula Flower Growers Association, established by Chinese American flower growers, moved
into the building. Although all three associations are represented in the collection, the
bulk of material covers the California Flower Market, Inc.
During World War II, the United States Army ordered the forced removal and incarceration of
Japanese Americans living on the west coast of the United States. Many Japanese American
flower growers and florists lost their land and businesses, while some were able to lease
their properties to non-Japanese American growers. The California Flower Market, Inc. board
president Sam Sakai continued managing the business of the Flower Market by mail while he
and his family were incarcerated, first at the Stockton Assembly Center and later at Rowher
incarceration camp in Arkansas. Sam Sakai returned to the Bay Area in 1945 where he
re-established the California Flower Market, Inc. board of directors and successfully
negotiated the return of leases in the Flower Market.
In 1956, all three flower grower associations moved from 5th and Howard to a new location
at 6th Street and Brannan Street in San Francisco, under the name San Francisco Flower
Terminal. The building covered 135,000 square feet and could accommodate 100 growers. In the
1990s, the joint market committee, consisting of the California Flower Market, Inc. and the
San Francisco Flower Growers Association, re-branded under the name San Francisco Flower
Mart. Today, the market is known as the San Francisco Flower Market, and is one of only five
wholesale flower markets existing in the United States.
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the
California Flower Market, Inc. were transferred to the California Historical Society (CHS)
in December 2019 by the California Flower Market, Inc. Reproduction or publication of
materials in this collection beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission
of CHS. Please contact rights@calhist.org.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The California Flower Market records were donated to the California Historical Society by
the California Flower Market, Inc. on December 18, 2019.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item, date]; California Flower Market Records, MS 4152; [box number,
folder number]; California Historical Society.
Scope and Contents
The records of the California Flower Market, Inc. include photographs, photograph albums,
manuscript materials, books, articles, ephemera, and audiovisual materials from the late
1890s to 2014, with the bulk covering the period 1910 to 1990.
The California Flower Market, Inc. was founded in 1912 by Japanese American flower growers
in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1923, Italian American flower growers established the San
Francisco Flower Growers Association, and in 1924, the two groups opened a 22,000 square
foot covered flower market at 5th Street and Howard Street in San Francisco. Soon after, the
Peninsula Flower Growers Association, established by Chinese American flower growers, moved
into the building. Although all three associations are represented in the collection, the
bulk of material covers the California Flower Market, Inc.
Manuscripts and ephemera document the purchase and move to various buildings occupied by
the California Flower Market, as well as the San Francisco Flower Growers Association and
the Peninsula Flower Growers Association. These spaces include a wholesale market at 5th and
Howard streets in San Francisco, established in 1924, and buildings at 6th and Brannan
streets where the San Francisco Flower Market, as it is now officially known, currently
exists. The photographs consist of gelatin silver prints, negatives, slides, albums and
duplicate images of photographs used in the publication of the book
Living with flowers: The California Flower Market history. Many of the
photographs are of growers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, including
Oakland, Alameda, San Leandro, San Mateo, Petaluma, Redwood City, Sunnyvale, and San Jose,
and show multiple generations of flower growers along with their families and crops. Other
photographs are of the Flower Market and span its time at different locations. Audiovisual
materials include two 16mm prints and several VHS copies of a documentary on the San
Francisco Flower Mart produced in 1977, and an assortment of advertisements, promotional
materials, and conference proceedings from flower industry gatherings.
Arrangement
The records are arranged in six series: (1) organizational and administrative records; (2)
financial records; (3) meeting minutes; (4) publications, printed material, ephemera, and
clippings; (5) photographs; and (6) audiovisual materials. Photographs in series 5 have been
further arranged in subseries. The series and subseries arrangement of the records is as
follows:
Series 1: Organizational and administrative records, 1910-1983 Series 2: Financial records,
1933-1998 Series 3: Meeting minutes, 1948-2010 Series 4: Publications, printed material,
ephemera, and clippings, 1950-2012 Series 5: Photographs, 1890s-2000s
Subseries 1: Photograph albums, 1920-1940 Subseries 2: Early photographs, 1890s-1930s
Subseries 3: Duplicate and miscellaneous photographs from Family Album of California Flower
Market, Inc., 1939-1940 Subseries 4: Flower Market photographs, 1940s-2000s Subseries 5:
Photographs used in "Living With Flowers", 1890s-1993 Subseries 6: Florists' photographs,
1950s-1980s Series 6: Audiovisual materials, 1977-2000s
Custodial History
The California Flower Market records were donated to the California Historical Society by
the California Flower Market, Inc. board of directors in December of 2019. The collection
comprises materials created by Flower Market administrators, shareholders, or customers.
Prior to donation, the material was stored at the California Flower Market offices at 6th
and Brannan streets in San Francisco.
Existence and Location of Copies
Photographs and selected documents have been digitized and are available online through the
California Historical Society Digital Library.
Processing Information
Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. Original caption information and
labels from photograph envelopes, when available, was transcribed onto protected sleeves.
Where captions were illegible, the archivist's interpretation is enclosed in square
brackets. The language of the original captions, which includes editorializing comments was
retained. Archivists also used captions and identifying information from
Living with flowers: The California Flower Market history by Gary
Kawaguchi in their descriptions and notes. The collection was arranged into series based on
the original order of the records as maintained by California Flower Market, Inc. staff.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Japanese Americans -- California
Japanese American families
Japanese American farmers -- California
Cut flower industry -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area --
History
Flowers -- California
Floriculture
California Flower Market, LLC
Organizational and administrative records
1910-1983
California Flower Market organizational and administrative records, 1910-1983
carton 1, Folders 1-4
Share certificates
1913-1970
Physical Description: 4
folders
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
carton 1, Folder 5
Share certificate for Wataru Kitagawa
1913 February 12
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folder 6
Share certificates, A-N
1941-1972
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folder 7
Share certificates, O-Y
1941-1977
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folder 8
Share certificate receipts
1983
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folder 9
By-laws of the California Flower Market, Inc., unsigned
1970s
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folder 10
California Flower Market, Inc. application to the State of
California
1948-1949
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folders 11-13
Stockholders proxy statements
1977-1979
Physical Description: 3
folders
carton 1, Folder 14
Deposits on temporary leases for stores on Brannan Street
1955-1971
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Contains deposits on temporary leases for stores on Brannan street, includes lease
agreements for Somerset Nursery, William Zappettini Company, Sidney Adler Company,
Kearns Wholesale Florist Co., Consolidated Growers and Shippers, Inc., Pacific Coast
Evergreen Co., Tropical Hawaiin Wholesale Florist, John Nuckton & Company, Azalea
Land Nursery, Tropical California Inc., and Masao Oku and Alice Oku and Leonard Oku
and Iko Oku.
carton 2, Folder 20
Membership lists
1937-1942
Physical Description: 1
folder
OV-Box 1
Scrapbook
1910-1940s
Physical Description: 1 oversize
box
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook contains multiple manuscripts in Japanese and English documenting the
establishment and activities of the California Flower Market, Inc. It includes the
California Flower Market's first newsletter (1920), as well as by-laws, invitations,
correspondence, receipts and expenses, and a 1914 indenture between the California
Flower Market and Japanese Association of America. Also includes a 1930 issue of
Japanese American News with the front page detailing the history and importance of the
California Flower Market.
Conditions Governing Access
Scrapbook is fragile. Please use extra caution when handling.
OV-Box 2
California Flower Market tenants
1959-1974
Physical Description: 1 oversize
box
Financial records
1933-1998
Scope and Contents
Contains end-of-year annual reports and financial statements. Also contains a bound
ledger of expenses, divided into sections on rent, meeting expenses, tax, salary, wages,
travelling expenses, stationary and printing, advertisement, and other costs.
carton 1, Folder 15
Ledger
1933-1939
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 1, Folders 16-25
Financial statements
1986-1998
Physical Description: 10
folders
Meeting minutes
1948-2010
carton 2, Folder 1
Annual reports
1948-1980
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 2, Folder 2
Board and General Meeting Minutes, outline and copies
1937-1952
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 2, Folders 3-19
Meeting notes, agendas, and minutes
1946-2010
Physical Description: 17
folders
Publications, printed material, ephemera, and clippings
1950-2012
Physical Description: 30
folders
Scope and Contents
Contains printed materials created by and about California Flower Market, Inc.
carton 3, Folder 1
California Flower Market history, typed transcript
1956-1972,
undated
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Includes a letter to Takeshi Yatanabe from Mas Yonemura, 1972, discussing his
memories of the Southern California flower market.
carton 3, Folder 2
California Flower Market history project and interview guidelines
1957-1987,
undated
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Includes a transcript from a January 10,1957 episode of Success Story, a live
telecast produced by KGO-TV, about the San Francisco Flower Terminal.
carton 3, Folder 3
A floriculture overview by Yoshimi Shibata
1984 June
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 3, Folder 4
Gary Kawaguchi research materials
circa
1900-1992
Physical Description: 1
folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Contains research notes and photocopies of prints created and collected by Gary
Kawaguchi for use in his book,
Living with flowers: The
California Flower Market history [Hana to tomo ni
, published in January
1993. Includes information on the Mario Ciampi, the architect commissioned to draw up
plans for a wholesale flower terminal at Brannan Street in San Francisco; a history of
the California Flower Market's origins, 1884-1941; and a list of shareholders of
California Flower Market, Inc., dated 1963.
carton 3, Folders 5-7
Living with Flowers book proofs and promotional materials
1992-1993
Physical Description: 3
folders
carton 3, Folder 8
News clippings from Japanese language newspapers
undated
Physical Description: 1
folder
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
carton 3, Folders 9-10
News clippings on flower growers and sellers
1987-1997
Physical Description: 2
folders
carton 3, Folder 11
Grace Knight Anderson correspondence and news clippings
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Letters from Grace Knight Anderson to Mr. and Mrs. Takeshi ("Doc") Yatabe, Berkeley,
California.
carton 3, Folders 12-18
California State Florists Association
1954-1969
Physical Description: 7
folders
Scope and Contents
Contains issues of the California State Florist Association magazine as well as
materials from the Aloha Convention in 1957, the 12th Annual Convention in 1960, the
16th Annual Convention in 1964, and various copies of articles from the magazine.
carton 3, Folder 19
California Horticulture Journal
1969 July
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 3, Folder 20
A few romantic facts of the chrysanthemum industry, by H. Hayashi
1930 September 1
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 3, Folder 21
San Francisco Flower Mart promotional materials
undated
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Includes a promotional brochure for the San Francisco Flower Terminal at 6th and
Brannan streets.
carton 3, Folder 22
Recognition dinner Invitations
1989, 2012
Scope and Contents
Invitations to the 1989 Christmas Design Show, and to the Hundredth Anniversary
dinner held at the Nikko Hotel, June 2,2012.
carton 3, Folder 23
Recognition dinner invitation responses
2012 June
Physical Description: 1
folder
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
carton 3, Folder 24
Recognition awards and certificates
2012
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Recognition letters to the California Flower Market on the 100th anniversary of their
incorporation. Includes awards from Dianne Feinstein and Jackie Speier, and a
proclamation by Edwin Lee, Mayor of San Francisco, that June 2, 2012 is California
Flower Market Day.
carton 3, Folder 25
Kiku Kumiai, fifty years
1981 September
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Two copies of
Kiku Kumiai, fifty years, published by
the California Chrysanthemum Growers Association and edited by Hiroji Kariya, in which
Kiku Kumaia tells the history of the California Chrysanthemum Growers Association. The
book includes a list of past members and photographs of current members in 1981.
carton 3, Folder 26
Letter to his grandsons by Takeshi Yatabe
1993
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Memoir by Takeshi ("Doc") Yatabe on the history of the Yatabe and Kato families.
carton 3, Folder 27
Hana zukuri no ku [Words on how to grow flowers]
undated
Physical Description: 1
folder
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
carton 3, Folder 28
Kashu Nipponjin Kaengyo Hayyenshi [The history of Japanese floriculture in
California]
Physical Description: 1
folder
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
Published in 1929 by the California Flower Market, the book is a history and
directory of Issei (first generation) growers in California.
carton 3, Folder 29
Remembering our local Japanese heritage. The El Cerrito and Richmond flower
growers, 1900-2006
Physical Description: 1
folder
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Pamphlets
carton 3, Folder 30
Ethnicity in immigrants' farming: A study of Japanese floriculture in the San
Francisco Bay-Monterey Bay region, California, by Noritaka Yagasaki, 1984
Physical Description: 1
folder
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Pamphlets
Box 4
Ethnic cooperativism and immigrant agriculture: A study of Japanese
floriculture and truck farming in California by Noritaka Yagasaki
[dissertation]
1982
Physical Description: 1
folder
carton 3, Folder 31
Growing a community: Pioneers of the Japanese American floral
industry
2014 March 28
Physical Description: 1
folder
Scope and Contents
Contains a 15-page transcript of an oral history between Interviewer Dana Ogo Shew
and interviewees Bob Otsuka and Norm Hayashi. The interview was conducted March 28,
2014 at the San Francisco Flower Market.
Photographs
1890s-2000s
California Flower Market photographs
Physical Description: 5 Linear
FeetOne record carton, one letter document box,
four oversized flat boxes, and two small photograph album boxes.
Scope and Contents
Photographs consist of lose photographic prints and snapshots, negatives and
transparency film, contact sheets, and photographic albums. One of the albums is a
large, 120-page volume created by photographer Tsunemaro Manabe in 1940, as a souvenir
to commemorate the Kigen 2600, the 2600th anniversary of the Imperial Era in Japan.
Loose photographs taken by Manabe for use in this album are also included, organized in
folders by name of subject (family, and location of farm). Other photographic prints and
snapshots consist of formal portraits, family photographs, group portraits and
photographs of awards and formal occasions, as well as several folders of snapshots from
the 1970s - early 2000s. The snapshots mainly consist of casual portraits, photographs
of people working at the flower market, the building and parking lot at 6th and Brannan,
repairs and work on the building, and special events. Copy prints made for the layout of
Living with flowers: The California Flower Market history [Hana
to tomo ni]
by Gary Kawaguchi in 1993 are also included, as are original
photographic transparencies showing portraits of California Flower Market, Inc. board
members, the building, and floral arrangements.
Photograph albums
1920-1940
OV-Box 6
Family album of California Flower Market, Inc.
1940
Creator: Manabe, Tsunemaro
Creator: California Flower
Market, LLC
Scope and Contents
Photograph album containing photographs of California Flower Market members,
families, and farms by photographer Tsunemaro Manabe, published by the California
Flower Market as a souvenir to commemorate the Kigen 2600, the 2600th anniversary of
the Imperial Era in Japan.
Related Materials
Duplicate and miscellaneous related photographs are stored in MS 4142 Carton 4
Folders 24-38.
Box 2
Souvenir album from the Japanese Pavilion at the Golden Gate International
Exposition
1938-1939
Creator: Manabe, Tsunemaro
Scope and Contents
Souvenir album belonging to photographer Tsunemaro Manabe containing photographs
and ephemera from the Japanese Pavilion at the Golden Gate International Exposition
in San Francisco.
Related Materials
Duplicate and miscellaneous related photographs are stored in MS 4142 Carton 4
Folders 39-42.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San
Francisco, Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Box 3
Family photograph album of California Flower Market member
early
1920s
Scope and Contents
Photograph album from a California Flower Market member, containing snapshots of
family and farm life.
OV-Box 7
Photograph album of flower farm
1927-1931
Scope and Contents
Photograph album depicting a flower farm. One photograph includes a sign mentioning
Domoto Bros., Inc.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Domoto
Early photographs
1890s-1940s
OV-Box 4
Mounted photographic prints
1890s-1940s
OV-Box 5
Panoramic photographs
circa
1900-1930
carton 4, Folder 1
Portraits and family photographs
1890s-1940
Duplicate and miscellaneous photographs from Family Album of California
Flower Market, Inc.
1939 -1940
Creator: Manabe, Tsunemaro
Scope and Contents
Contains photographs of California Flower Market members, families, and farms by
photographer Tsunemaro Manabe for use in Family Album of California Flower Market,
Inc. (MS 4142, OV Box 6), a Photograph album published by California Flower Market,
Inc. as a souvenir to commemorate the Kigen 2600, the 2600th anniversary of the
Imperial Era in Japan.
Photographs are stored in protective sleeves along with original envelopes containing
member names and locations, and are organized alphabetically by last name.
Related Materials
Duplicate photographs from this sub-series were published in Family Album of
California Flower Market, Inc., stored in MS 4142 OV Box 6.
carton 4, Folder 24
Howard Street market interior
1940
carton 4, Folder 25
Fujii, Kakichi and Maruo
1940
carton 4, Folder 28
Kanzaki, Shikanosuke
1940
carton 4, Folder 29
Korematsu, Kakusaburo
1940
carton 4, Folder 30
Maeda, Yuko (Mrs. Eiichi)
1940
carton 4, Folder 31
Nakanishi, Katsutoro
1940
carton 4, Folder 32
Oishi, Seizo ("Nelson")
1940
carton 4, Folder 32
Rikimaru, Iwasuke Joseph
1940
carton 4, Folder 34
Tsubakimoto, Bunkichi
1940
carton 4, Folder 36
California Flower Market, Inc. office staff
1940
carton 4, Folder 36
35th annual stockholder and general meeting
1940
carton 4, Folder 36
US-Japan cultural night
1940
carton 4, Folders 37-38
Miscellaneous photographs
1939-1940
Scope and Contents
Contains miscellaneous unlabelled photographs of California Flower Market members,
families, and farms by photographer Tsunemaro Manabe, including photographs taken at
Gilroy Hot Springs (Folder 38).
carton 4, Folders 39-42
Tsunemaro Manabe photographs of the Golden Gate International
Exposition
1938-1939
Creator: Manabe, Tsunemaro
Scope and Contents
Photographs of the Golden Gate International Exposition taken by Tsunemaro
Manabe.
Related Materials
Duplicates of some photographs are included in Souvenir album from the Japanese
Pavilion at the Golden Gate International Exposition, 1938-1939, stored in MS 4142
Box 2.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San
Francisco, Calif.) -- Pictorial works
Flower Market photographs
1940s-2000s
carton 4, Folder 2
Portraits and groups
1940s-1970s
carton 4, Folder 3
Miscellaneous buildings and interiors
circa
1950-1980
carton 4, Folder 4
Grand opening of the San Francisco Flower Terminal
1956
September
carton 4, Folder 5
Flower market snapshots
1960s-1970s
carton 4, Folders 6-8
T. "Doc" Yatabe retirement dinner
1972
carton 4, Folder 9
Annual shareholder dinner
circa
1972
carton 4, Folder 10
Annual shareholder dinner
early
1980s
carton 4, Folder 11
Flower market snapshots (slides)
early
1980s
carton 4, Folder 12
5th Street annex acquisition and renovation
circa
1983
carton 4, Folder 13
J.A.C.P.
1987 November
16
carton 4, Folder 14
Loma Prieta earthquake damage
1989
carton 4, Folders 15-19
Flower market snapshots
1980s-2000s
carton 4, Folder 20
Mayor Frank Jordan
November 1991
carton 4, Folder 21
Flower market show
circa
1993
carton 4, Folder 22
Mayor Willie Brown
October 1996
carton 4, Folder 23
Pooches and Posies event
circa
1990s-2000s
Photographs used in "Living With Flowers"
1890s-1993
Scope and Contents
Photographs taken and collected for use in
Living with
flowers: The California Flower Market history [Hana to tomo ni]
by Gary
Kawaguchi, published in 1993. Photographs include reproductive prints, slides, still
life images of flowers, portraits of California Flower Market board members,
negatives, contact sheets, and images used in the book layout.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Kawaguchi, Gary
Box 1, Folder 3
Aerials and flower market interiors
1993
Box 1, Folders 4-5
Flower market building and interiors
circa
1980s-1993
Box 1, Folder 6
Negatives and contact sheets
1991-1992
Box 1, Folder 7
Color transparency reproductions of illustrations
1993
Box 1, Folders 8-17
Reproductive prints
1890-1993
Box 1, Folder 18
Reproductive slides
1890-1993
Box 1, Folder 19
Negatives and contact sheets of book layout
1890-1993
Florists' photographs
1950s-1980s
carton 4, Folder 43
Funeral arrangements from Tanforan Flower Shop in Daly City
1950s-1980s
carton 5
Audiovisual materials
1977-2000s
Scope and Contents
Audiovisual materials include two copies of 17 minute and 30 second 16mm film titled
"The San Francisco Flower Market," produced in 1977, and six copies of the film recorded
to VHS in 2003. Also included are various promotional clips related to floriculture,
news clips and interviews featuring California Flower Market, Inc. and the San Francisco
Flower Mart, and recordings of floriculture industry meetings and conferences.