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· collected 2026-08-19 · by TOI World Desk
A family farm has been surrounded by Disneyland in Anaheim, California since the theme park's opening in 1955, despite repeated offers from Disney executives to buy the property. The Fujishige family, who have owned the 58-acre farm since 1953, turned down a $90 million offer and remained committed to their land. Hiroshi Fujishige told the Los Angeles Times in 1991 that he refused to sell because "this land means quite a bit to me," referencing his brother's sacrifices for the property. The farm has continued to operate alongside Disneyland's growth and development, with the family's roadside stand selling produce to locals and visitors.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
For decades, a small family farm stood next to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
asserted
farm → stand → Anaheim
While the theme park expanded around it, the Fujishige family continued to grow strawberries, vegetables and herbs on their land.
asserted
family → expand → land
The farm had become an unusual sight in an area increasingly shaped by Disney and tourism.
asserted
farm → become → Disney
According to SF Gate,By the 1990s, the family’s produce stand was still selling fresh strawberries and vegetables to locals and visitors, even as the value of the land rose sharply.
uncertain
value → accord → land
The Fujishige family had repeatedly rejected offers to sell the property.
asserted
family → reject → property
Disney executives wanted the land as the company planned further development around Disneyland.
asserted
company → want → Disneyland
But Hiroshi Fujishige remained firm about keeping the farm.
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Fujishige → remain → farm
“This land means quite a bit to me.
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land → mean → me
My brother died for it.”
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brother → die → it
Fujishige told the Los Angeles Times in 1991.
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Fujishige → tell → 1991
Hiroshi and his brother Masao were born in Los Angeles in the 1920s to Japanese parents.
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Hiroshi → bear → parents
According to PBS SoCal, their family faced restrictions under California’s Alien Land Laws, which prevented Japanese immigrants from owning land.
uncertain
which → accord → land
When the US military forced Japanese Americans to leave the West Coast in 1942, the Fujishige family moved to Utah.
asserted
family → force → Utah
Hiroshi was later drafted into the US Army.
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Hiroshi → draft → Army
Before he was sent to Europe, he became seriously ill.
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he → send → Europe
By the time Fujishige recovered, the war had ended.
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war → recover → time
“He saved my life,” Fujishige later told the Post.
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Fujishige → save → Post
Living next to Disneyland
After the war, the family returned to California.
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family → live → California
In 1953, Hiroshi and Masao bought a 58-acre berry farm in Anaheim for $3,500.
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Hiroshi → buy → 3,500
They began growing strawberries, vegetables and herbs on the property.
asserted
They → begin → property
At the time, Walt Disney was developing his plans for a theme park in Anaheim.
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Disney → develop → Anaheim
The Fujishiges watched the area around their farm change as Disneyland took shape nearby.
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Disneyland → watch → shape
Disneyland opened in July 1955.
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Disneyland → open → July
The contrast became more striking as Anaheim developed.
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Anaheim → become → ?
High-rise hotels and other businesses appeared around the farm, while the Fujishiges continued farming.
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Fujishiges → appear → farm
Their roadside stand sold produce from the property, including strawberries and corn.
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stand → sell → strawberries
As Disneyland grew, so did interest in the Fujishige land.
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interest → grow → land
The property was in an increasingly valuable location, and developers began approaching the family with offers.
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developers → begin → offers
Fujishige did not appear impressed by the attention.
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Fujishige → appear → attention
In 1991, he told the Los Angeles Times that one man had offered $2 million per acre.
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man → tell → acre
He rejected the offer and said, “I didn’t even get his name.”
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I → reject → name
A few years later, Disney chairman Michael Eisner invited Fujishige to meet at a Disneyland restaurant and tried to persuade him to sell.
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Eisner → invite → him
Fujishige remained unconvinced.
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Fujishige → remain → ?
Picture: Los Angeles Times
City tried to seize land
In 1985, Anaheim announced that it would use eminent domain on behalf of a private business for the first time in the city’s history.
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it → try → history
A Hong Kong developer was planning a $200 million hotel and condominium project near the Anaheim Convention Center.
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developer → plan → Center
The project was expected to increase traffic, and two roads were proposed through the Fujishige farm.
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roads → expect → farm
The family refused to sell again.
asserted
family → refuse → ?
The city then moved to seize the land so the project could go ahead.
uncertain
project → move → land
The following year, after a day working in the fields, Masao Fujishige died by suicide.
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Fujishige → work → suicide
Family members said he had been deeply distressed over the fight with the city and that his health had also suffered after a stroke three years earlier.
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health → say → stroke
…and 22 more, not listed.
