“The Fresno Armenians”

Tamara Karakashian / Staff Writer

The intriguing history of the Armenian Diaspora community of Fresno is captured in a new book titled The Fresno Armenians by Berge Bulbulian. The Fresno Armenians tells of the triumphs and lifestyles of the first Armenian settlers and their evolution into today’s community. Bulbulian decided to pursue this project through the support and enthusiasm of Professor Dickran Kouymjian, Haig and Isabel Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies.

While discussing with Dr. Kouymjian the lack of published material on the Armenians in Fresno, Bulbulian decided to undertake the task of fulfilling this void. He had never thought of writing a history of the Fresno Armenians before; however, once faced with the challenge, he thought it a good idea, because he knew there was a lot of information out there.

Prof. Ephraim Smith of the History Department at Fresno State assisted Bulbulian’s search by giving him access to a large data base of newspaper articles on life in Fresno in the early part of the century, the originals of which Bulbulian found at the Henry Madden Library at Fresno State.

Further information was found at the Fresno County Library with the help of Linda Sitterding, who at the time was director of the Californian Room. She located many sources that Bulbulian believes he wouldn’t have found on his own.

The search for information continued with interviews of descendants of the Seropians, the first permanent Armenian settlers in Fresno in 1881. George Richard Seropian provided Bulbulian with first-hand information from discussions that he had with his father George Seropian Sr., one of the five Seropian brothers who settled in Fresno.

Zabel Melkonian of Visalia provided information about her mother and grandmother. The information gathering process lasted two years, with endless nights searching microfilms in the Madden and County libraries as well as the many interviews. Writing the book took another two and a half years. Some of the interesting facts Bulbulian learned during the research for his book were that the Genocide of 1915 was not the only event that led Armenians to immigrate to Fresno.

Bulbulian learned that the earliest Armenians came to Fresno in 1881 because of the massacres and economic depression occurring in the Ottoman Empire at that time. Bulbulian also learned that most Armenians came to Fresno from the East Coast, where they were tradesmen, merchants, and factory-workers before they immigrated to Fresno, rather than the belief that these Armenians had always been farmers and merely continued farming in Fresno.

Bulbulian said he was fascinated when researching the Seropian family. He was amazed at its extensive size and how they were able to fit in and develop their business so quickly.

The book demonstrates the fortitude of the Fresno Armenians through stories of how they were able to get into business so quickly once they immigrated to the area. They were very prosperous early on, which may have led to the later discrimination against Armenians, that through hard work, they managed to overcome. Bulbulian is a retired grape farmer from the Fresno area, where he has lived for most of his life. Bulbulian has a degree in Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles.

He has always been interested in history and his travels to Europe have helped preserve this fascination. While on vacation in Europe, Bulbulian visited many archeological sites and museums. He found that the more he traveled the more he became involved in history, particularly art history.

Bulbulian’s profound interest in education has led him to have a long-term connection with Armenian Studies Program and the Henry Madden Library. Bulbulian was 70 years old when he began writing the book. It was one of his goals to do something significant after the age of 65.

Bulbulian has written many articles, yet this was the first book he published. Public reaction to The Fresno Armenians has been very positive, and people seem to be able to relate to the stories in the book. Bulbulian says that non-Armenians have learned a tremendous amount about the Armenian community in Fresno. Bulbulian has thoughts of writing a follow up to The Fresno Armenians. He thinks his second book would be more like a novel, or a memoir which relates to the Armenian community.

The Fresno Armenians was published by The Press at CSU, Fresno, and made possible by a grant provided by Mr. Henry S. Khanzadian Kazan, in memory of his late wife, M. Victoria Kazan.