The San Joaquin Historian – Fall 2024

The Forgotten History of the Filipino Farm Centeraims to shed light on a little-known piece of local Filipino American history. The Filipino Farm Center was located on what is today Manila Road in Lathrop and served as an important hub for Filipino farm owners and their families during the 1940s to the 1960s. During this period, the homes and farmland surrounding the Filipino Farm Center spanned hundreds of acres, much of which was owned by Filipinos. Despite this, documentation of this part of Filipino American history is extremely limited. Through this project, we intend to document how the Filipino Farm Center provided a sense of community and support and helped foster a strong sense of cultural identity for those who lived there.