Re/Collecting Project Archive

This letter from the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church to the San Luis Obispo City Council acknowledges the imminent expansion of Highway 101 and removal of church property, and requests purchase of 4 acres of city property to relocate.

Letter from J.H. Fitzpatrick, San Luis Obispo City Clerk, to Ken Kitasako, Secretary of San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, in response to the church's request to purchase city property to relocate the church. The church property was removed by the expansion of highway 101 in the 1960s. The city responds by stating that there is no property for sale.

Letter from State of California, Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, District V to San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, attention Mr. B.H. Kawaoka, to vacate premises: "In accordance with the close of escrow as of December 11, 1961, and due to impending Highway construction, you are hereby notified and requested to vacate the above mentioned premises on or before Monday, January 15, 1962. It is required that you vacate said premises on or before said date so that the right of way may be cleared in time for scheduled construction. Very truly yours, E.R. FOLEY, District Engineer. By J.F. POWELL, Senior RIght of Way Agent."

As Ken Kitasako, Secretary of San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, writes to Title Insurance and Trust Company, "At the board meeting of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church held on June 10, 1962, the subject of the need of additional funds to defray cost of our new church building was discussed. Masaji Eto, treasurer, stated that Security First National Bank, San Luis Obispo, was willing to go on a loan of $38,000 at 6% interest for a 10 year period with monthly payments of $422.00. The matter was discussed at length and it was moved (Ken Kitasako), seconded (Stone Saruwatari) that Masaki Eto be authorized to negotiate with Security First National Bank for said loan of $38,000 at 6% interest for a period of 10 years with monthly payments of $422.00. The motion was carried unanimously."

A list of donors and their contributions to a benefit show.

As stated in Ken Kitasako's report: "At a Board meeting of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church held on Tuesday, February 7, 1961, the following motion was made and unanimously carried. Board member, Kingo Kawaoka, moved that Treasurer, Masaji Eto, be authorized to look for a suitable property to re-establish our church, to report to the Board members of any or several prospective locations, that he be authorized to negotiate with a landowner or a real estate operator any particular property that has had the approval of the Board, that Noriharu Kawaoka, Masaji Eto, and Ken Kitasako who are presently the president, treasurer, and secretary, respectively, of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, be authorized to sign, acting together, documents pertaining to purchase of a property for the church. In case of extreme necessity, with the approval of the Board, any two out of three of the aforementioned officers may sign documents. Said motion was seconded by Mitsugi Fukuhara and unanimously carried. Respectfully submitted, Ken Kitasako, Secretary."

Letter from Ken Kitasako, Secretary, on behalf of the San Luis Obispo Church to express condolences for the passing of Ernest Vollmer. Mr. Vollmer took care of the church while the Japanese American community was interned during the Second World War. As Secretary Ken Kitasako writes to Mrs. Ernest Vollmer, "Mr. Vollmer was truly a great friend of the Japanese of this community. It was during the period of the evacuation of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the coast that Mr. Vollmer undertook to care for our church property during our forced absence. He did a splendid job of maintaining the property, paying taxes when they became due, collecting rent from the rentals on the church property, and maintained strict accounting of all expenses pertaining to the property. And when the war was over and we were able to return to the coast, we were very happy and grateful to find the church so well kept,-thanks to the efforts of Mr. Vollmer. We lost a very dear friend in Mr. Vollmer, and as the years go on we shall always look back and remember that in those trying days of the last war we had a real friend who was kind and willing to take on the heavy responsibility of taking care of our church property during our absence." Attached to this letter is the handwritten reply letter and envelope from Marguerite Vollmer.

Letter from San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church thanking Mr. Peter R. Andre of Andre & Wood for their legal services. Letter states, "In behalf of the Board of Directors and members of our church, we wish to express our appreciation of your services which you rendered in connection with the sale of our property to the State of California. Furthermore, Masaji Eto, our Board member, informs us that you have donated said services to our church for which we are doubly appreciative. With kindness regards and again, our heartfelt thanks for your kindness, we are Very sincerely yours, SAN LUIS OBISPO BUDDHIST CHURCH." The receipt for the services is attached to a copy of the letter sent.

This is the original manuscript draft of the history of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Temple written by Masaji Eto. Covers the history until about 1970.

The 1960 financial report for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, which includes income, expenditures, and beginning and ending year balances. It also includes the contributors and their contributions to the fund to acquire an organ for the Church.