Historical Portrait
Shimasaki family with new 1930 Chevrolet
Archive record
Historical photograph of the Shimasaki family posing with their new 1930 Chevrolet automobile in Strathmore, California. Public domain image from 1930.
About this photograph
The Shimasaki family photographed with their new 1930 Chevrolet in Strathmore, California. The archive record does not identify a photographer.
Strathmore is located in Tulare County, which sits in California's San Joaquin Valley. The county library maintains a collection of local history photographs documenting ordinary residents, families, schools and businesses from the area rather than public figures.
The San Joaquin Valley became a major farming region during the late nineteenth century, relying on irrigated agriculture. The presence of a Japanese surname in this agricultural area reflects the broader patterns of immigration and settlement that shaped California communities during this period.
Ownership of a new automobile in 1930 marked a significant purchase for most families. The decision to commission a photograph of the car alongside family members suggests the importance of documenting this acquisition.
The photograph is held by the Internet Archive as part of material digitised through California Revealed, a statewide programme that makes holdings from California libraries, archives, museums and historical societies publicly available. The Tulare County Library contributed this image, which forms part of their documentation of local residents and community life in the county's farming towns.
Compiled from the catalogue record and reference notes on the formats and events involved. The archive record above is the primary source.
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