The Life and Times of Takuji Yamashita

Takuji Yamashita was born in Japan in 1874.

He came to Tacoma in the late 1890’s, and came to Seattle in 1900. He came because he had little hope of a good future in Japan, and wanted to get an education and “work for the public good.”

He graduated from the UW school of Law with distinction, but was not allowed to practice law because only a US citizen was allowed to do that. At the time, Asians living in Washington could not legally gain citizenship. People in the area were resentful towards most immigrants. So he went to court to contest it, and represented himself, but lost the case. His struggle paved the way for many such struggles against racism in the future. In the end the law saw changed, and many now see Yamashita as a hero.

Jessica

John Norstrom

John Nordstrom was a very important part of Seattle’s history. He created what is today one of the largest fashion companies in the world; Nordstrom. He traveled from Sweden in search of opportunity at a young age and eventually moved to Alaska because of the Klondike Gold Rush. He met a man while living there and together they opened up a shoe store n Seattle. At first they made little money but once people started to know the store they became popular. Later they expanded to a clothing an shoe store and the company spread among states. Over the years the company has grown into one of the largest retail companies in the United States and is still expanding over the world.

Charlie Terry: The Money Man

Charles C. Terry, born in Waterville, NY, in 1830, originally sailed west to make a fortune in the California Gold Rush. But when he met Arthur Denny in Portland in 1850, the man recruited him to a party that was headed for the Puget Sound, where Denny planned to build a city. There began the story of how Charlie Terry became one of the most important founders of Seattle. Terry was particularly essential to the city's economy and good humor. He was friendly, outgoing, sharp with mathematical calculations, and was an incredibly hard worker whenever there was money to be made. He was the first one to bring in money for the settlement at Alki Point, and continued to find economic success in Seattle up until he died at the early age of thirty-seven.