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| Landmark #934-8 | San Mateo County | Visited: November 16, 2013 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A sign marking the former site of the racetrack that served as an assembly center for Japanese Americans during World War II! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: The temporary detention camps (also known as “assembly centers”) represent the first phase of the mass incarceration of 97,785 Californians of Japanese ancestry during World War II. Pursuant to Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, thirteen makeshift detention facilities were constructed at various California racetracks, fairgrounds, and labor camps. These facilities were intended to confine Japanese Americans until more permanent concentration camps, such as those at Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, could be built in isolated areas of the country. Beginning on March 30, 1942, all native-born Americans and long-time legal residents of Japanese ancestry living in California were ordered to surrender themselves for detention.
OTHER TIDBITS: What is now the Tanforan Mall was a racetrack from 1899 until 1964, when it burned down! It served as an assembly center from April 28 to October 13, 1942, housing at its height 8,033 people of Japanese descent! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Tanforan Park Shopping Center El Camino Real San Bruno, CA 94066 ANNOTATIONS: I found this plaque outside BJ’s, but since I don’t know if BJ’s will be here forever, let’s just say it’s on the southwest side of the shopping complex! From Los Angeles: ~380mi (612km) — 6.4hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |