One of the last working orchards in San Jose is a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the Sakauye family, Japanese-Americans who first planted fruit trees here around 1900. After he and his family were unjustly interned at Heart Mountain, Wyoming during World War II, master horticulturalist and civic leader Eiichi Sakauye returned to this family homestead in 1945 and continued living and farming here until his death in 2005. His orchard, gardens, c.1930s home and numerous barns are all threatened with demolition for a new mixed-use housing development and public park slated for the site. Despite acknowledging the historic significance of these resources, neither the City nor the developer have agreed to incorporate any of the historic orchards or structures into the new development or park.