Tanabe Walter (1 results)

Condition: Very good. 35 loose photographs and 16 items of ephemera. Generally very good. This is a group of items depicting a Japanese American family in Hawaii compiled by a Walter S. Tanabe. Walter was a native of Hawaii, and was born in Waialua in 1906. We have not been able to locate much about him save that in March 1947 he announced the formation of the Tanabe Furniture Store and Farm which was described as a "general hardware retailer and produce farm." It was operating as late as 1956 and Walter passed away at the age of 51 in 1958. It's clear from the ephemera and contemporary newspaper reports that Walter was very active in community organizations. One example is his participation in the Waialua Lions club which commissioned and raised the funds for the creation of the Waialua-Kahuku War Memorial in 1947. Several photographs here show the unveiling ceremonies for the memorial and a four-page dedication program in English and Japanese is included. We also learn from an included bilingual certificate that Walter was president of the Waialua Hongwanji Mission. Various invitations show he was invited to several events by either politicians or royalty, and there's a letter from the county treasurer thanking Walter for helping him get elected. A letter of introduction/recommendation from Hawaii's Attorney General further bolsters his political connections. Around 19 photos show friends and family around homes and having parties. The rest show mostly unidentified events. There's a three-shot series showing digging and constructionperhaps for the war memorial? A few photos depict large dinners, one shows a dance and a spectacular 7" x 9" shot shows the Waimanalo baseball team in 1931. There's also a large formal portrait of a wedding party.