Adventure 051, Site 171 – Detention Camps For Japanese Americans

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 171 – Detention Camps For Japanese Americans

California Landmark Number: 934

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 22, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 37° 17.48′ N

Longitude: 120° 29.104′ W

Address: 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced, CA

Description:

Thing One and Thing Two have gone to some of the Internment or Detention Camps. Each time which we do, we are hit by the sorrow of how shameful conditions have us do shameful things. In this case, 4,500 Japanese and Japanese-Americans were forced to come to the Merced Fairgrounds to moved them to permanent relocation camps during World War II.

From the California Office of Historical Preservation:

NO. 934 TEMPORARY DETENTION CAMPS FOR JAPANESE AMERICANS-MERCED ASSEMBLY CENTER - This was one of 15 temporary detention camps established during World War II to incarcerate persons of Japanese ancestry, a majority of whom were American citizens, without specific charges or trial. From May to September 1942, 4,669 residents of Northern California were detained until permanent relocation camps were built. May the injustices and humiliation suffered here as a result of hysteria, racism, and economic exploitation never recur.
Location: Merced County Fairgrounds, 'J' St at 7th St, adjacent to parking lot at entrance to fairgrounds, Merced



Inscription from Noehill:
Merced Assembly Center
This was one of 15 temporary detention camps established during World War II to incarcerate persons of Japanese ancestry, a majority of whom were American citizens, without specific charges or trial. From May to September 1942, 4,669 residents of Northern California were detained until permanent relocation camps were built. May the injustices and humiliation suffered here as a result of hysteria, racism, and economic exploitation never recur.
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 934
Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Japanese American Citizens League, Livingston-Merced Chapter, February 19, 1982.




References:

• Wikipedia
  
• Noehill
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB.org)
  
• Waymarking
  
• History of Prejudice about Japanese
  
• Merced Sun-Star on Memories of Japanese Americans
  

Overall Landmark References:

• David Schmitt's California State Historical Landmark (Schmitt)
  
• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• State of California's California Historical Landmarks (CHL)
  
• Wikipedia: California State Landmarks (WCSL)
  
• State of California Historical Resources (CHR)
  
• Noehill (NOE)
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
  
• WayMarking (WAY)