Harry Kawabe

June 10, 1890 (age 79)

Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

He is known for contributing greatly to the economy of Seward, Alaska. In 1969, he founded the Kawabe Memorial House for elderly Japanese Americans, and the 154-unit complex was built through the Housing and Urban Development Senior Housing program in 1972. His family members were farmers. In 1906, Kawabe moved to Seattle, Washington and worked as a houseboy. He moved to Alaska in 1909, hoping to become rich off of gold mining. He did not have much luck and used what he had to move to Seward. He started buying empty lots and businesses in Seward. Harry and Tomo had no children of their own but were kind to the local children, doing things such as driving the children in one of the town"s few cars. At the end of the war the detainees returned to Seward, however, Harry and Tomo moved to Seattle after staying in Alaska for a while. In 1953, after the McCarran-Walter Acting removed restrictions that had barred Asian immigrants from naturalization since 1924, Harry was allowed to obtain United States. citizenship. In 1978, the Kawabe Scholarship, given to Seward High School students, was created in his honor. Harry died in November 1969. While in Seward Kawabe owned various businesses, such as:.

Harry Kawabe

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Background

Harry Sotaro Kawabe was born on June 10, 1890 in a small rural village near Osaka, Japan.

Career

He is known for contributing greatly to the economy of Seward, Alaska. In 1969, he founded the Kawabe Memorial House for elderly Japanese Americans, and the 154-unit complex was built through the Housing and Urban Development Senior Housing program in 1972. His family members were farmers.

In 1906, Kawabe moved to Seattle, Washington and worked as a houseboy.

He moved to Alaska in 1909, hoping to become rich off of gold mining. He did not have much luck and used what he had to move to Seward.

He started buying empty lots and businesses in Seward. Harry and Tomo had no children of their own but were kind to the local children, doing things such as driving the children in one of the town"s few cars.

At the end of the war the detainees returned to Seward, however, Harry and Tomo moved to Seattle after staying in Alaska for a while.

In 1953, after the McCarran-Walter Acting removed restrictions that had barred Asian immigrants from naturalization since 1924, Harry was allowed to obtain United States. citizenship. In 1978, the Kawabe Scholarship, given to Seward High School students, was created in his honor. Harry died in November 1969.

While in Seward Kawabe owned various businesses, such as:.

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Harry Kawabe

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