Re/Collecting Project Archive

"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 any or several prospective locations when found, that he be authorized to negotiate with a landowner or 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 the documents. Said motion was seconded by Mitsugi Fukuhara and unanimously carried."

The certified copy of a portion of the minutes for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church Board of Directors meeting on May 7, 1962 states: "Noboru Soeda moved that Masaji Eto be authorized to negotiate sale of approximately 10-1/2 acres, being that northerly portion of lot 21 in the William Bebee Tract, for the sum of $33,600.00, terms to be arranged as follows: $9,000.00 down payment of which $3,000.00 deposited in Security First National Bank, San Luis Obispo, $6,000.00 payable into escrow within 90 days. Balance of $24,600.00 payable in monthly installments of $240.00 including interest at 6% per annum. Motion was seconded by Stone Saruwatari and unanimously carried."

The certified copy of a portion of the minutes for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church Board of Directors and members meeting on October 14, 1961 states: "Mitsugi Fukuhara moved that we sell to the State of California our church property of 7 acres including all the buildings on said property for the sum of $100,000.00, and that the President and Secretary be authorized to sign the necessary documents to close the transaction. Motion was seconded by Masaji Eto and unanimously carried."

In 1961, the State of California Division of Highways acquired property belonging to the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church for Highway 101. The Grant Deed provided to the State of California "All right title and interest in and to that portion of Lot C of the resubdivision of Lots 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65 of the Subdivision of of the Ranchos Canada de los Osos and La Laguna, as said resubdivision is delineated on the map of the survey by R. R. Harris in January 1875; filed for record January 30, 1875, in Book A of Maps at page 161, records of San Luis Obispo County, conveyed to the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church corporation by deed recorded June 28, 1939 in Volume 259 of Official Records at page 374, records of said County, lying westerly of the west line of the State Highway as said November 19, 1947 in Volume 461 of Official Records, at page 92 records of said County; said portion of Lot C being in the City of San Luis Obispo, County of San Luis Obispo." The State purchased the land for $100,000.

The San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church purchased property from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Monterey-Fresno. As stated in the "Declaration of Title to Property," "We, the undersigned, have purchased, in name only, for the members of the Buddhist Church of San Luis Obispo County, State of California, said members being American of Japanese Ancestry, that certain pieces of property known as Lot "C" of the subdivision of Lot 63, Rancho Laguna, containing 10.10 [?] acres situated in the City and County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, for the express purpose of establishing a Buddhist Church for the benefit of said members of the Buddhist Church above referred to."

Texts reads: "THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES: That he is now, and at all times herein mentioned, has been the duly elected, qualified and acting Secretary of SAN LUIS OBISPO BUDDHIST CHURCH, INC., a duly organized and existing California non-profit membership corporation and in charge of the minutes, books and corporate records of said corporation. That attached hereto and marked Exhibit "A" is a full, true and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of said corporation at a meeting thereof duly held on July 26, 1961. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate and affixed the corporate seal of said corporation this 9th day of August, 1961." Signed by Ken Kitasako, Secretary. Included embossed seal of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church. Exhibit "A" is the text of the resolution authorizing President B.H. Kawaoka and Treasurer Masaji Eto to purchase new property for $65,000, after the State of California exercised right of way to the church's current property. The new location is part of the W.L. Beebee Tract of the Rancho San Miguelito (by Avila Beach, California).

Unsigned copy of Right of Way contract, perhaps a draft, between State of California and San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church. Includes a map of the church property being sold to the state to expand Highway 101.

Statement of the Evacuation Claims Compromise Settlement for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church from the United States Department of Justice, Civil Division. As stated in the award: "Pursuant to the Act of July 2, 1948 (62 Stat. 1231), as amended by Public Law 673, 84th Cong., the above-named claimant is hereby awarded the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Dollars and No Cents ($1,270.00), in compromise settlement of the above-numbered claim. GEORGE COCHRAN DOUB, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division. By: John T. Allen, Attorney in Charge, Los Angeles Office, Japanese Claims Section." Letter is cc'ed to Saburo Kido, Esq., 305 E. 2d Street, Los Angeles 12, Cal.