Terminal Island - History

History

The island was originally called "Isla Raza de Buena Gente" and later "Rattlesnake Island." It was renamed Terminal Island in 1891.

The island was home to about 3500 first and second-generation Japanese prior to World War II in an area known as East San Pedro or Fish Island. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor all of the adult issei males on Terminal Island were incarcerated by the FBI on February 9, 1942. Immediately after the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 the rest of the inhabitants were given 48 hours to evacuate their homes. They were subsequently sent to internment camps and the entire neighborhood was razed. The Japanese community on Terminal Island was the first to be evacuated and interned en masse.

Because of the relative geographical isolation of the island, the citizens developed their own culture and even their own dialect. After World War II, the Terminal Islanders settled elsewhere. However, in 1971, they formed the "Terminal Islanders Club". Since its formation, the members have organized various events for the members. In 2002, the surviving second-generation citizens set up a memorial on Terminal Island to honor their parents.

In 1927 a civilian facility, Allen Field, was established on Terminal Island. The Naval Reserve established a training center at the field and later took complete control designated the field Naval Air Base San Pedro (also called Reeves Field). In 1941 the Long Beach Naval Station became located adjacent to the airfield. In 1942 the Naval Reserve Training Facility was transferred and a year later NAB San Pedro's status was downgraded to that of a Naval Air Station (NAS Terminal Island). Reeves Field as a Naval Air Station was disestablished in 1947, although the adjacent Long Beach Naval Station would continue to utilize Reeves Field as an auxiliary airfield until the late 1990s. A large industrial facility now covers the site of the former Naval Air Station.

During World War II Terminal Island was an important center for defense industries, especially ship building. It was also, therefore, one of the first places where African-Americans tried to effect their integration into defense work on the West Coast.

In 1946, Howard Hughes moved his monstrous Spruce Goose airplane from his plant in Culver City to Terminal Island in preparation for its test flight. In its first and only flight, it took off from the Island on November 2, 1947.