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93-487: Between April and October 1942, the racetrack was the site of the Tanforan Assembly Center , an internment camp in which 8,000 Bay Area Japanese Americans were detained and processed for forced relocation and internment . The racetrack was destroyed by fire on July 31, 1964. The site is now the location of The Shops at Tanforan shopping center. The mall has a Tanforan Racetrack historical plaque ,

186-467: A shopping mall (1971–2022), and as a BART station (2005+). Thirteen Temporary Detention Camps for Japanese Americans in California were collectively designated California Historical Landmarks on May 13, 1980; Tanforan is CHL Number 934.09 and a memorial plaque was placed at the mall around this time. After the mall completed its remodeling in 2005, the memorial plaque was moved to a site near

279-518: A 45 ft (14 m) circle from an altitude of 200 ft (61 m). The 1911 Air Meet would include multiple aviation firsts. On January 15 Phil Parmalee piloted a Wright Model B biplane carrying Lt. Myron S. Crissy , who dropped a live bomb within 10 ft (3.0 m) of its target from an altitude of 500 ft (150 m) as the first instance of aerial bombing in the United States. The first aerial reconnaissance flight

372-521: A Tanforan Assembly Center Memorial is scheduled to be completed outside the San Bruno BART station in spring 2022. Guy M. Standifer and Jack Ranier purchased the site in 1945 and in spring 1946, the site began a US$ 2,000,000 (equivalent to $ 31,250,000 in 2023) reconstruction as a race track, despite a nationwide shortage of building materials. The reconstruction permit was denied in May 1946 and

465-487: A comeback. In 1948, future U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Citation set a new Tanforan track record of 2:02  4 ⁄ 5 for 1 + 1 ⁄ 4  mi (2.0 km) in winning the Tanforan Handicap. Two years later his Calumet Farm stablemate and Kentucky Derby winner, Ponder , also won the race. In 1956, Bobby Brocato won his second straight Tanforan Handicap. That same year, he equaled

558-656: A distance of 30 mi (48 km) at an altitude ranging from 400 to 1,300 ft (120 to 400 m). Paulhan's flights were taken in his Farman III biplane. After watching Paulhan flying at Tanforan in 1910, Ivan Gates was inspired to begin his career of exhibition flying. Approximately one year later, the San Francisco International Air Meet opened on January 7, 1911, with American aviators Glenn Curtiss , Eugene Burton Ely , and Charles F. Willard scheduled to fly alongside Hubert Latham (France) and James Radley (England). This time,

651-604: A federal judge issued an injunction in 1947 to halt work at Tanforan, but the injunction was ignored and rebuilding the track continued; as a result, Standifer was arrested and jailed for three months alongside several other track officials, and after Eugene Mori took over the track in October 1947, associates of General Vaughan successfully lobbied the Justice Department to lift its injunction prohibiting construction. Racing at Tanforan resumed on March 14, 1947, despite

744-471: A flight piloted by Parmalee; the transmitter was designed and built by Beck and the signal was received from a distance of 40 mi (64 km). A third air meet at Tanforan Park started on December 25, 1912, with flying exhibitions to feature local pilots Lincoln Beachey and Tom Gunn ; in addition to close passes and other aerial acrobatics, Beachey raced in his airplane against an automobile (driven by "Daredevil" Edwards) and motorcycle. Beachey also

837-492: A home for hobos and spiders" between the 1911 ban and the site's 1917 reactivation as Camp Tanforan, followed by foreclosure proceedings in 1918 against Cal Jockey which forced the property's sale. The track was rebuilt in 1922 and reopened without betting for the 1923 and 1924 seasons through the subsidy of the Pacific Coast Jockey Club, a group of prominent area businessmen led by Adolph B. Spreckels, who

930-507: A loss conservatively estimated at US$ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 1,780,000 in 2023), making it impossible to operate without legalized betting. As before, the track turned to auto racing and other events, including considering the installation of a boxing ring , although it was alleged that betting continued on at least one occasion. Intermittent operation continued in the 1920s, with betless racing held in 1926 and 1928. Marchbank, Kyne, and Judge Joseph A. Murphy introduced "option" betting after

1023-588: A monopoly on horse racing in the Bay Area for Oakland. The dispute was exacerbated when Corrigan's entries were refused by the Oakland track; as he had been repudiated by reputable horsemen nationwide, the California Jockey Club wanted nothing to do with him. Corrigan took revenge "by making Tanforan a haven for men whose methods have made them objectionable at Oakland", which violated the rules of

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1116-608: A music school with approximately 500 students. The music program held a weekly Music Hour for the residents, with the loan period being three days for books. The art and music programs were incorporated into a more formal education program. Starting on May 25, children between the ages of 6 and 18 were registered for the program, and instruction began the next day. By August, onsite elementary (headed by Ernest Takahashi), junior high (John Izumi), and high schools (Henry Tani) had been set up, educating approximately 1,600 children at Tanforan. An adult school under Mrs. Tomoye Takahashi also

1209-642: A new airfield on the opposite side of the interurban tracks from Tanforan Park was used, named Selfridge Field (not to be confused with the later air base in Michigan ) to honor Lt. Thomas Selfridge . The military was an eager participant in 1911, having taken the responsibility to prepare Selfridge Field and staging several exhibitions at the Air Meet, including military maneuvers and early applications of airplanes to war, with Latham and Willard shooting stationary targets, then Willard dropping practice bombs within

1302-801: A nonstop solo aerial distance record of 610 mi (980 km) from San Diego in the process. At Tanforan, Gunn presented Stinson with a medal from China in recognition of her Asian tour over the winter of 1916–17. The 1500 soldiers of the Grizzlies arrived safely overseas in August 1918 and began returning from the war in January 1919. Meanwhile, the ban on "pool selling" had been extended statewide on January 31, 1911, effectively ending horse racing at Tanforan Park. The grandstand and stables were dismantled in December 1918 after "rapidly [degenerating] into

1395-465: A plaza outside the station. When complete, the memorial plaza will include a bronze statue depicting Hiroko and Miyuki Mochida of Hayward, inspired by one of Lange's photographs taken while the Mochida family waited to board the bus to Tanforan. The memorial plaza also will feature benches, seat walls, and a horse stall, representative of the housing conditions at Tanforan. A groundbreaking ceremony for

1488-427: A residential development. Before demolition could commence, a fire started at the grandstand on the afternoon of Friday, July 31, 1964 first reported at 4:55 P.M. (local) by San Francisco chief deputy sheriff Thomas J. Burns; while driving by, Burns had first seen a "flicker of flame" from a cardboard box, then heard an explosion and watched the flames engulf the building while on the telephone. Within minutes,

1581-600: A self-styled nobleman who wintered in San Francisco. The Western Turf Association acquired 150 acres (61 ha) of land in San Bruno and began construction of the grandstand by September 1899, which was estimated to cost US$ 35,000 (equivalent to $ 1,280,000 in 2023) and scheduled to open in time for the season in November. The facility was named after Toribio Tanforan, the grandson-in-law of Jose Antonio Sanchez,

1674-450: A space from 40 to 50 sq ft (3.7 to 4.6 m ), with families of eight housed in quarters that were just 20 ft × 20 ft (6.1 m × 6.1 m). Because the infield barracks were still being constructed, the first detainees were housed in converted horse stalls, hastily updated for humans with minimal cleaning and amenities, as evidenced by the insects and dung trapped in whitewashed surfaces. In many cases,

1767-662: The San Francisco Evening Bulletin . In December of that year (1913), Hearst merged The San Francisco Call with the Evening Post and the papers became The San Francisco Call & Post . Its most famous editor, crusading journalist Fremont Older, agitated for years against civic corruption and colluded with wealthy San Franciscan sugar baron Rudolph Spreckels to bring down the Mayor, Eugene Schmitz and political boss, Abe Ruef . On 29 August 1929,

1860-617: The American Turf Congress . This included Corrigan scheduling a race at Tanforan Park with a US$ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 370,000 in 2023) purse the same day as the Burns Handicap at Oakland, which carried an identical purse, thinning the field at Oakland. The ostensible leaders of the Western Turf Association made a public apology in January 1900 after Corrigan publicly denounced R.B. Milroy,

1953-753: The Golden Gate and Mount Hamilton . The grandstand had seats for 3000 with a total capacity for 5000 spectators; service was provided by Southern Pacific on the Peninsula Commute via a stop in front of the grandstand, just 30 minutes from the Third and Townsend Depot . Before races started, the neighboring Bay Area tracks agreed to have half the regular season raced at the California Jockey Club in Oakland (that racetrack opened as

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2046-613: The Oakland Trotting Park in 1871 at the Emeryville Shellmound in what is now Emeryville ), and to split the remaining half between Ingleside in San Francisco and the new Tanfaran Park track in San Bruno. The track's name quickly was corrupted to Tanforan Park within that first winter season, which lasted just two weeks, holding six races per weekday, from 1:30 PM to 4 PM. In addition, six stakes races were scheduled to be run. The first season

2139-547: The Tanforan Park Shopping Center , which opened in 1971. Some of thoroughbred racing's most notable owners and trainers competed at Tanforan Racetrack including: owner/breeder James Ben Ali Haggin ; owner/trainer Sam Hildreth ; and trainer Noble Threewitt . Threewitt set a record when he won with nine consecutive starters at Tanforan in April 1954. In 1932, the great Australian champion Phar Lap

2232-606: The Wartime Civil Control Administration acquired Tanforan Racetrack on April 4 for use as a temporary assembly center; plans called for the site to be used to accommodate up to 10,000 "evacuees" while permanent relocation sites were being prepared further inland. The Tanforan Assembly Center began operation in late April 1942, the first stop for thousands who were forced to relocate and undergo internment during World War II. The majority were U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry who were born in

2325-644: The Winter Handicap , with a purse of US$ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 110,000 in 2023) on January 26, 1901; Eclipse , US$ 1,500 (equivalent to $ 50,000 in 2023) on February 2; California Oaks , US$ 2,500 (equivalent to $ 90,000 in 2023) on February 9; California Derby , US$ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 110,000 in 2023) on March 2; Spring Handicap , US$ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 110,000 in 2023) on March 30; and Great Trial Stakes , US$ 2,500 (equivalent to $ 90,000 in 2023) on April 27. The feud between Tanforan and Cal Jockey

2418-442: The 1928 season, allowing the track to resume more regular operation. Stakes races continued at Tanforan, which introduced starting gates built by Bahr for the fall 1930 season starting November 15. The California Horse Racing Board was created in 1933 to regulate and license horse racing in California, including wagering on the results; the legislation which allowed parimutuel betting was championed by Kyne. Kyne had first pushed

2511-614: The Assembly Center, detainees were organized into blocks with a single House Manager. These were detainees appointed to help the Caucasian administrators by representing their groups of five to ten barracks or a single stall building; their primary responsibilities were to relay complaints from and order supplies for their residents. The internal police were tasked with searching people and baggage during induction to ensure that no contraband items were being smuggled and maintaining

2604-490: The Caucasian administration ... they [were] not given the attention received by American types", with typical recreational center activities including bridge, checkers, chess, boxing, and dancing. Some mothers complained about how late their daughters had returned after the first dance, held May 9. Talent shows were well-attended, with some audiences ranging from 2,000 to 5,000; these were held every Thursday night and lasted for 90 minutes. Starting on September 9, 1942,

2697-533: The Pacific Coast Jockey Club, confidently declared that no betting was allowed at Tanforan. Other officials of Pacific Coast Jockey Club included Herbert Fleishhacker and John D. Stelling . Before the start of racing, the rebuilt Tanforan track was the site of a barbecue in September 1923 celebrating the Pony Express , marked by horse relays from Stockton to Tanforan via San Jose and San Francisco, following

2790-762: The San Francisco Jockey Club for US$ 600,000 (equivalent to $ 21,970,000 in 2023); Poniatowski admitted that Phelan's veto influenced his decision to sell. Bay Area racing was consolidated under the New California Jockey Club, incorporating members from the Western Turf Association, Pacific Coast Jockey Club, and San Francisco Jockey Club, and the last race of the season at Tanforan Park was held on April 19. Although horse racing continued at Tanforan intermittently that fall, in January 1902 Williams announced that no more horses would be raced at both Ingleside and Tanforan Park. However,

2883-615: The Tanforan Assembly Center commemorative garden and a statue of Seabiscuit . The site, 12 mi (19 km) from San Francisco , was chosen to circumvent a ban on gambling that had been implemented on March 13, 1899, which closed down the Ingleside track in the southwestern corner of the city. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors (SFBoS) attempted to re-legalize gambling as betting with pool selling in July, but

Tanforan Racetrack - Misplaced Pages Continue

2976-601: The Tanforan track record for 8.5 furlongs (5,600 ft; 1,700 m) and set a new track record for 9 furlongs (5,900 ft; 1,800 m). Tanforan Assembly Center The Tanforan Assembly Center was created to temporarily detain nearly 8,000 Japanese Americans , mostly from the San Francisco Bay Area , under the auspices of Executive Order 9066 . After the order was signed in February 1942,

3069-662: The United States. Tanforan Assembly Center was operated for slightly less than six months; most detainees at Tanforan were transferred to the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah, starting in September. The transfer to Topaz was completed by mid-October, and the site was turned over to the Army a few weeks later. The people detained at Tanforan had previously lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, in

3162-625: The Y.M.C.A. Between May and September, detainees published 19 issues of the Tanforan Totalizer , an internal newsletter for the Assembly Center. Each issue has been digitized and is available online through the Library of Congress . Taro Katayama was chief editor of the Totalizer , heading a staff that included Jim Yamada, Lillian Ota, and Charles Kikuchi, whose diary detailing life at Tanforan would be published in 1973. Initially,

3255-512: The background of a scene for Broadway Bill . Tanforan Park was acquired by the Wartime Civil Control Administration in April 1942 and from April to October 1942, used as the Tanforan Assembly Center , where 7,800 Japanese-Americans from the San Francisco Bay Area were held after the signing of Executive Order 9066 . For comparison, the population of San Bruno was 6,519 in 1940. The detainees were mostly U.S. citizens by birth, and were housed in temporary barracks, converted horse stalls, and

3348-770: The bill in 1931, then after the Governor vetoed a version that passed in 1933, lobbied for its subsequent successful passage. In 1932, Kyne sold his interest in Tanforan Park and completed the Bay Meadows race track in 1934 in nearby San Mateo. That year, Tanforan was rebuilt again and a full racing season was held for the first time since 1924. In this third incarnation, Hollywood film director Frank Capra filmed scenes at Tanforan Park for two of his films, Broadway Bill (1934) and its remake, Riding High (1950). Prominent local banker William H. Crocker appeared in

3441-590: The cost of rations for one detainee per day at Tanforan was US$ 0.37 (equivalent to $ 6.9 in 2023), slightly less than the $ 0.38 average for all assembly centers; by August, Tanforan was serving 23,300 meals per day, averaging 6,480 lb (2,940 kg) of bread, 1,160 lb (530 kg) of butter, 2,720 dozens of eggs, 6,410 US gal (24,300 L) of milk, 2,880 lb (1,310 kg) of meat, and 2,520 lb (1,140 kg) of vegetables. The first meals were Army "A" and "B" rations and showed little cultural consideration; rather than fish and rice,

3534-456: The counties of San Francisco, Alameda , Contra Costa , and San Mateo ; a small group was taken from San Joaquin County . Internees began arriving on April 28. The maximum population at Tanforan was 7,816 on July 25, 1942; Tanforan was the second-largest assembly center by population, but still held less than half the population at Santa Anita Assembly Center . The last detainees left

3627-408: The detainees. Initially, all the detainees were served at a single mess hall at the grandstand; as Isabel Miyata recalled, "Everyone goes early to stand in line — if you don't you don't get a table or your share of the food. So the meals get earlier every day and you get hungry before you go to bed." The grandstand mess was the sole source of food for Tanforan's first week and a half. On average,

3720-627: The director of Tanforan Assembly Center, overseeing five departments (Administration, Works and Maintenance, Finance and Records, Mess and Lodging, and Service). Davis previously was the assistant state director of the Works Progress Administration and was named director in March. An internal report was critical of each division in turn: the Administrative Division was responsible for "thoroughly censoring"

3813-549: The entrance facing El Camino Real. A second plaque was dedicated in September 2007, marking the site as a memorial garden. In March 2012, the Tanforan Assembly Center Memorial Committee was formed to exhibit photographs of detainees at Tanforan on the concourse level of the San Bruno BART station ; the photographs were drawn from those taken by famed documentary photographer Dorothea Lange in 1942 and some were paired with photographs of

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3906-667: The federal government to remove Japanese-Americans from the West Coast as quickly as possible while allowing time for more permanent relocation centers to be built in the interior. Racetracks and fairgrounds were chosen, as they typically had on-site utilities, spacious grounds, and facilities that could be adapted for housing thousands of people. Sites "close to home" were chosen so that detainees could settle last-minute financial matters, minimize travel distances, and grow acclimated to group living. According to an Army spokesman, "there wasn't time—there literally wasn't time—to segregate

3999-507: The first group of 214 detainees were sent from Tanforan to permanent detention at the Topaz War Relocation Center (aka Central Utah Relocation Center), a journey taking two days by train. Groups of approximately 500 detainees each followed, starting on September 15, 1942; one group was sent per day until September 22, when approximately 4,400 in total had been transferred. The remaining 3,500 were relocated to Topaz beginning on September 26, again using daily trains of 500 detainees;

4092-683: The first group of detainees were transferred from Tanforan to the Topaz War Relocation Center near Delta, Utah ; daily trains carried the remaining detainees to Topaz over the next month. After October 13, the site was turned over the United States Army in October, then the Navy in June 1943, who kept the site for the duration of World War II. The site was collectively named a California Historical Landmark along with other Assembly Centers in 1980. Several memorial plaques have been placed on-site, and

4185-577: The first mess manager ordered chili con carne and sauerkraut. Several detainees remembered the Jell-O served: "We lined up at the Grand Mess Hall over there, and we had the JELL-O, the hardest JELL-O you can ever have ... We could throw it on the floor, and it would bounce back and make faces at you. It was the worst thing." By the end of May, 10 additional mess halls were in operation to supplement

4278-435: The floor was dirty and no brooms were available to sweep them out. The converted stalls were converted into two-room dwellings, measuring approximately 7 ft × 9 ft (2.1 m × 2.7 m) and 12 ft × 10 ft (3.7 m × 3.0 m). Bachelors initially were housed in the grandstand area, but were moved into outlying barracks in the last week of May. Larger families were assigned to

4371-465: The grandstand, or in temporary barracks quickly built in the infield. In total, there were 180 buildings on site: 26 converted stables and 154 new barracks; of those, five were condemned and not used, one was used as the headquarters for the center's recreational activities, and another one was used as the library. The Wartime Civil Control Administration allotted 200 sq ft (19 m ) of living area per couple, but in practice each person had

4464-450: The grandstand. Tanforan was one of several temporary Assembly Centers that were chosen "close to home" so that detainees could settle last-minute financial matters, minimize travel distances, and grow acclimated to group living while the permanent "War Relocation Centers" were being built. Conditions at Tanforan were difficult for the detainees, who struggled with sanitation, hunger, loss of freedom, and lack of privacy. Starting in September,

4557-526: The grantee of the Rancho Buri Buri Mexican land grant. Approximately 700 men labored to complete the new track, and by late September, paving work had begun for the road servicing Tanforan Park, requiring 150 cu yd/d (110 m/d) of gravel. The race track, then named Tanfaran Park , opened for racing on November 4, 1899. The 1 mi (1.6 km) oval track was oriented with its major axis lying along an imaginary line between

4650-424: The kids get their education from Superman," describing the hyper-patriotism among many detainees. Clarence Sadamune escaped detention at Tanforan in May 1942 by telling the guards he was not Japanese. At the time, visitors to the assembly center were allowed, but were required to obtain a pass to enter and leave the grounds. Sadamune, who was half-Portuguese, told the guard at the gate that he had lost his pass and

4743-676: The last train left Tanforan on October 13, carrying 308 detainees. After the Assembly Center was emptied, the site was turned over to the Northern California Sector of the Western Defense Command on October 27; the Army used it for "commando training" before transferring the site to the United States Navy in June 1943. After World War II, the site resumed its former use as a racetrack (1947–63), then as The Shops at Tanforan ,

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4836-419: The loyal from the disloyal." One administrative officer summed up his feelings about the detainees after three months of internment: "... no one can tell you what a Japanese is thinking. I know less about them right now than the first day I came here." On the other hand, a detained college student noted that elementary school students onsite turned in "themes with the terms, 'treacherous Japs.' Apparently many of

4929-412: The main mess hall. However, many hungry young men would eat multiple meals by visiting different mess halls; house managers were forced to watch the people entering the mess to ensure that only the intended residents were served. Eventually, a colored ticket system was implemented to control mess access. By August, 19 individual mess halls had been built, each staffed by detainees who prepared and served

5022-406: The main wall collapsed; the speed at which the flames spread led San Bruno fire chief Herbert Freitas to suspect it was the product of arson: "This wouldn't happen — this couldn't happen — with normal combustible materials". Approximately 60 firemen responded from several neighboring cities, limiting the destruction to the grandstand and club house. Eventually, the site was cleared and redeveloped as

5115-870: The meals under Caucasian supervision; the grandstand kitchen was converted into a cooking school and bakeshop. Because each mess hall was unable to serve all the residents in its block, meals were split into two shifts; the first shift would be served at 7 a.m., 12 noon, and 5 p.m., and the second shift would be served 45 minutes later. Some detainees grumbled the second shift was more desirable, as they were allowed to finish off any leftover food. Approximately 2,300 detainees were employed in work crews, performing maintenance, cleanup, and cooking. The wages were announced on May 13 at US$ 8 (equivalent to $ 150 in 2023) per month for unskilled workers, rising to US$ 12 (equivalent to $ 220 in 2023) for skilled workers and US$ 18 (equivalent to $ 340 in 2023) for technical or professional jobs. Onsite sanitation

5208-407: The measure was vetoed by Mayor James D. Phelan . Edward C. Corrigan , who operated Ingleside, lost a $ 250,000 investment he had made in the track, spurring him to start a new track outside San Francisco. Corrigan organized a team of investors, the Western Turf Association, for this purpose; the principal shareholders were banker William H. Crocker and his brother-in-law Prince Andre Poniatowski ,

5301-444: The new memorial was held on February 11, 2022, attended by U.S. Representative Jackie Speier and local officials and politicians. The Tanforan Memorial plaza was dedicated on August 27, 2022. Both the statue and plaza were designed by Sandra J. Shaw . San Francisco Call The San Francisco Call ( Post ) was a newspaper that served San Francisco, California . Because of a succession of mergers with other newspapers,

5394-641: The newly built barracks, although with dividers reaching only 3 ⁄ 4 of the way to the ceiling, privacy was minimal, and the hasty construction showed in gaps that let in the prevailing winds. Each of the barracks held 30 people, divided into either 5 or 10 apartments; each building measured 20 ft × 100 ft (6.1 m × 30.5 m). Detainees used scrap lumber and improvised cleaning tools to build furniture and maintain their living spaces. 1,135 visitors were recorded between May 14 and 24, most bearing gifts of food, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and treats in response to requests from

5487-483: The newspaper and "every other activity of the residents"; Supply, reporting to the Administrative Division, was "often charged with favoritism and 'graft ' "; Works and Maintenance was "for a long time one of the most inefficient groups" until it was reorganized with a Japanese foreman; Mess and Lodging had included one person who had failed to order adequate rations for May and June; and Service "was entirely disorganized" in relation to detainee employment. Within

5580-404: The original route. A rodeo was held at the same time, featuring an appearance by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford on September 9. The 1923 season was scheduled to run from November 3 to December 1, with six races each day except Sundays. There were nine scheduled stakes events that season. Horse racing was planned to be discontinued again after the 1924 spring season; the track had sustained

5673-562: The other half had 8. Eventually, 42 latrines were built by the end of May. Food poisoning incidents were common; in one case, the busy pace of nighttime latrine use led the guards to suspect that a rebellion was being plotted. Only one shower room was built by May 1, and even then, no hot water was available for a week and a half. The latrines themselves were built with limited privacy features; half-walls separated toilets and communal sinks and showers, forcing detainees to build makeshift tubs and dividers. The head physician at Tanforan

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5766-783: The paper variously came to be called The San Francisco Call & Post , the San Francisco Call-Bulletin , San Francisco News-Call Bulletin , and the News-Call Bulletin before the name was finally retired after the business was purchased by the San Francisco Examiner . The Call was founded on December 1, 1856, by five printers: James J. Ayers , David W. Higgins, Charles F. Jobson, Llewellin Zublin, and William L. Carpenter. Between December 1856 and March 1895 The San Francisco Call

5859-628: The pediatrician, and Dr. Benjamin Kondo, cardiologist. During the detention at Tanforan, there were 64 births and 22 deaths. On May 31, a baby was born prematurely and died while being transferred to the County Hospital due to the delays from clearing site administrative procedures. The birthing center was an empty barrack with no partitions; in total there were five barracks set aside for medical purposes, with rotating functions due to inadequate space and equipment. Artist Miné Okubo

5952-544: The post office at Tanforan required detainees to come in to pick up their mail; delivery to residences started on May 4 and as residents began to request or order and receive packages from friends and retailers, more than 6,000 pieces of mail were being handled per day within two weeks. For recreation, the detainees set up 109 baseball teams and recreation centers; a pond was built in the infield, holding races with model sailboats. There were three troops of Boy Scouts; although Japanese cultural activities were "not suppressed by

6045-461: The procurement controversy. At the time, the history as an Assembly Center was elided, and its wartime uses were noted to be merely "as a training and staging area" by the Navy. At the time, the track was owned secretly by ex-bootlegger Joseph Reinfeld and a minor outrage ensued in 1949 after journalist Drew Pearson reported that aides to President Harry Truman , including General Harry H. Vaughan , had influenced government officials to facilitate

6138-492: The procurement of those materials. As the population of the San Francisco Peninsula and San Mateo County continued to grow after World War II, the track's previously pastoral setting became more urban. For example, the track was under the flight path for nearby San Francisco International Airport ; jetliners passing overhead would occasionally startle racehorses unfamiliar with the site. A strike in 1957 idled

6231-429: The racing season between the three tracks and vowed to keep the California Jockey Club operating as well. The SFBoS again passed a measure permitting pool selling in early March 1901, bringing hopes the Ingleside track could be reopened, but the measure was vetoed by Mayor Phelan, renewing the ban on gambling in San Francisco. Williams settled the dispute a few days later by purchasing both Ingleside and Tanforan Park from

6324-592: The safety of the detainees. Initially, the force consisted mainly of young detained men who failed to impress: "[They] took advantage of their position to eat wherever they chose and to get into any place that they wanted. They did not patrol the beats as they were supposed to for it was very cold and their friends along the way were always available for bull sessions." They were replaced by 13 Caucasian patrolmen, supplemented by Japanese-American quarantine officers, messenger boys, and guides. The assembly centers were temporary detention facilities at sites selected to allow

6417-494: The same detainees taken decades later by Sacramento Bee photographer Paul Kitagaki Jr. The exhibit was staged to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Tanforan Assembly Center, and later became a traveling exhibition named Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit . The installation at the San Bruno station was made permanent in 2016 as the Tanforan Assembly Center Memorial , with plans to add

6510-539: The secretary of Cal Jockey and author of the San Francisco Call article describing Corrigan's malfeasance. Compounding matters, the finances of the Western Turf Association were called into question during a trial that March. By August of that year, Corrigan was out after Poniatowski , president of the San Francisco Jockey Club, acquired a controlling interest in both the Ingleside and Tanforan Park tracks. Second season stakes races at Tanforan Park included

6603-606: The site for the San Francisco International Air Meet, which was the second aviation event in the United States, following the inaugural event held in Los Angeles the week before. The Air Meet was organized by the Pacific Aero Club and attended by aviation notables Louis Paulhan and John J. Montgomery . Attempts to take off were scrubbed on January 23 due to stormy conditions. Paulhan first took flight on January 24, covering 12 mi (19 km) in 12 minutes after

6696-541: The site on October 13. For comparison, the population of San Bruno was 6,519 in 1940, and the entire population of San Mateo County that year was 111,782. There were approximately 1,600 children detained at Tanforan, of which 110 were under one year old. According to the Final Report authored by John L. DeWitt , the cost of constructing the detention facilities at Tanforan was US$ 1,147,216 (equivalent to $ 21,390,000 in 2023). Frank L. Davis served as

6789-482: The storm that had thwarted his takeoff attempts earlier had passed; it was the first recorded flight in northern California. The next day, he flew for 10 mi (16 km) at an altitude of between 200 and 500 ft (61 and 152 m), witnessed by 30,000 spectators, the largest crowd to ever visit Tanforan Park; finally, to close the exhibition, Paulhan took off from Tanforan Park at 3:55 PM on January 26 and flew to Redwood City and back in 31 minutes, 30 seconds,

6882-489: The track at Tanforan Park would be extended and horse racing might resume after the Bayshore Cutoff had improved rail passenger service to the site; however, the Ingleside track, which had been used to house people displaced by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , was unlikely to reopen. Horse racing resumed that fall, with the final race of the 1908 season held on November 1. In January 1910, Tanforan Park served as

6975-433: The track continued to operate, as some horses were kept at Tanforan to prepare for races at Oakland and Ingleside. Williams met with sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels in April 1903 and agreed to lease Tanforan to Spreckels for automobile racing. As a result of the feuds and leases, Tanforan Park saw a variety of uses during its early years, including dog shows , motorcycle races , and auto races . By 1908, Williams stated

7068-489: The track, which subsequently was hit with a cheating scandal in 1958. The track was sold to an "Eastern syndicate" on August 26, 1959 for $ 5 million, then acquired two months later by a group of four investors led by William G. Gilmore . Gilmore, the owner of Tanforan and Golden Gate Fields, died in 1962 and 67 acres (27 ha) of the neighboring Navy base was sold to a developer that year for US$ 1,200,000 (equivalent to $ 12,090,000 in 2023). The last race at Tanforan

7161-493: Was Club president and had previously leased the track for auto racing in 1903. The Club announced its intentions to reopen Tanforan as a "clean sport" without betting shortly after incorporating in January 1922. Work on the steel grandstand, which had a seated capacity of 5000 spectators and an estimated cost of US$ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 1,820,000 in 2023), started in December 1922. The new owners were John W. Marchbank and William P. Kyne . Rudolph Spreckels, vice president of

7254-454: Was Dr. Kay Kitagawa, who prior to his detention had practiced medicine in San Francisco. Dr. Kazue Togasaki was detained for a month at the Tanforan Assembly Center, and while there she delivered fifty babies and led an all-Japanese-American medical team. Togasaki was one of three sisters, all doctors; her sisters were detained at Manzanar and Poston. Other detained physicians on the medical center staff included Dr. Eugenia Fujita, serving as

7347-486: Was allowed to leave. After he left, he took a bus to San Francisco and attempted to enlist in four different branches of the military, but was rejected when he told the recruiters he was half-Japanese. He purchased poison at a local drugstore and ingested it at the Army recruiting station; he was treated, then returned to Tanforan, then was sent to Arizona as a "troublemaker". At Tanforan, Japanese-American detainees were housed in stalls previously used as horse stables , in

7440-578: Was brought to Tanforan to rest from his long ocean voyage and then conditioned before being shipped in late January to Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana , Mexico to run in the Agua Caliente Handicap . Over the years, Tanforan Racecourse saw a number of famous horses compete on its track. Among them, future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Seabiscuit was stabled at Tanforan after recovering from an injury where he began training for

7533-516: Was detained at Tanforan before transferring to the Topaz Relocation Center. She documented the daily life in internment camps with a series of drawings, many which were later published in her graphic memoir Citizen 13660 . Other notable artists detained at Tanforan included George and Hisako Hibi and UC Berkeley professor Chiura Obata and his family. Shortly after being detained, Obata proposed to start an art school, which

7626-485: Was difficult. Aside from living quarters converted from horse stalls, the rainy spring weather meant that internees had to slog through muddy lanes, and the accumulated manure and poorly drained sewage gave the center an offensive stench. The first large group arrived on April 30; it rained all day, soaking the ground into mud and leaving the luggage drenched. There were 24 latrines in the camp when it opened, 12 each for men and women. Of those, half had 16 toilets, and

7719-618: Was elected to the California state legislature in 1898 representing the 28th district (San Jose). John McNaught became editor in 1895, when Charles M. Shortridge purchased the paper. He was promoted as general manager of the Call on October 1, 1903, and continued in that position until 1906. In 1913 M. H. de Young , owner of the San Francisco Chronicle , purchased the paper and sold it to William Randolph Hearst who in 1918 brought in editor Fremont Older , former editor of

7812-456: Was granted by the administrators and taught by sixteen artists, including Okubo and the Hibis. For administering and teaching at the art school, which operated twelve hours a day and included 636 students, ranging from elementary school students to adults, Obata received US$ 16 (equivalent to $ 300 in 2023) per week. Kay Sekimachi took her initial art training at Tanforan. Tanforan also had

7905-672: Was held in 1963. In February 1964, the California Horse Racing Board approved the closure of Tanforan, shifting its race dates to nearby Golden Gate Fields in Albany and Bay Meadows ( San Mateo ); Tanforan Park was scheduled to be demolished. The 143-acre (58 ha) site was sold to the Sunset International Petroleum Corporation in March 1964 for US$ 6,150,000 (equivalent to $ 60,420,000 in 2023), who planned to build

7998-568: Was held the next day, as Lt. George E.M. Kelly and Walter Brookins flew at an altitude of 2,000 ft (610 m), unsuccessfully trying to locate ground troops that had taken shelter in wooded areas nearby. On January 18, Ely took off from Tanforan in his Curtiss Model D airplane and landed on the USS ; Pennsylvania , an armored cruiser temporarily fitted with a short flight deck and anchored in San Francisco Bay . This

8091-422: Was marred a feud between Corrigan, the owner of Ingleside and de facto leader of Tanforan, and Thomas H. Williams Jr., President of the California Jockey Club, which had been founded by his father, Thomas H. Williams Sr. Corrigan's initial bitterness stemmed from the closure of Ingleside in 1899, as he felt that Williams Jr. had influenced the decision to shut down gambling in San Francisco and in so doing, secure

8184-474: Was named The Morning Call , but its name was changed when it was purchased by John D. Spreckels . In the period from 1863 to 1864 Mark Twain worked as one of the paper's writers. It was headquartered at Newspaper Row . The Morning Call was reported purchased by Charles M. Shortridge of the San Jose Mercury for $ 360,000 in January 1895. Shortridge became the sole proprietor and editor. He

8277-418: Was not resolved by pushing out Corrigan, however; in February 1901, a "declaration of war" was made when Poniatowski stated that racing would continue at Tanforan indefinitely to draw competitors and bettors away from Oakland, as he felt that Williams Jr. had improperly influenced San Mateo County to shorten Tanforan's season. Williams in turn saw the prolonged session as a violation of the 1899 agreement to split

8370-461: Was scheduled to present a game of "aerial leapfrog" with his friend and fellow stunt pilot Horace Kearny, but Kearny was killed ten days before the event opened in an apparent crash while flying in a "hydro-aeroplane" with reporter Chester Lawrence from Newport Beach; Roy Francis performed the stunt with Beachey instead. Tanforan was temporarily converted into a United States military training center in summer 1917 during World War I . Camp Tanforan

8463-504: Was started to educate the Issei and Kibei, many of whom did not speak English. A nursery school served approximately 90 children between ages 2 and 5, six days a week. In total, there were 3,000 students enrolled in Tanforan's schools. The library at Tanforan started with 50 books, and grew to 4,000 donated volumes under the leadership of librarian Kyoko Hoshiga, who had attended Mills College . The first donations were provided by Mills and

8556-471: Was the first ever successful shipboard landing of an aircraft, and the first to use the tailhook system, leading to today's aircraft carrier technology. Later that same day, Ely took off from the Pennsylvania (now pointed into the wind) and landed back at Tanforan. Finally, on January 21, Lt. Paul W. Beck was the passenger and radio operator for the first air-to-ground wireless transmission on

8649-523: Was used by the "Grizzlies", a volunteer regiment organized as the 144th Field Artillery of the United States Army . The Grizzlies held their first muster at Tanforan on August 31, 1917 and departed for Camp Linda Vista (later renamed to Camp Kearny ), near San Diego, for further preparation on October 25. To help raise funds for the Grizzlies, aviator Katherine Stinson flew to the track in December 1917 for aerial exhibitions, setting

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