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."

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."

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.

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."

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."

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.

Program for the 50th anniversary and memorial service for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church.

Itemization of income and expenses for October, November, and December 1967. Second page included donors and their donated amounts and the expenses for the 40th Year Anniversary Commemorative Service.

Deed to the State of California of the land once belonging to the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, granted in 1961. The form is incomplete and unsigned, but has the description of the land that is to be granted to the State.

Program for the commemoration and memorial service for the 40th anniversary of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church.

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.

This document is a certified copy of the San Luis Obispo Church's Articles of Incorporation. As stated in Article II, one purpose of the corporation's formation is "to cultivate and promote the social, educational and religious welfare of the members." The document also empowers the corporation to handle property, "social, religious and philanthropic enterprises," and a cemetary. Original directors named in the document are: T. Fukunaga (Cambria, CA), M. Eto (San Luis Obispo, CA), H. Taku (Pismo Beach, CA), Tom Nakaji (San Luis Obispo, CA), I. Hori (Pismo Beach, CA), S. Kawaoka (Arroyo Grande, CA), and K. Kawaoka (Arroyo Grande, CA). Church president K. Taku and secretary K. Saiki deposed that the church members "authorized and directed" them "to execute and sign the said Articles of Incorporation." The document was signed on January 4, 1939 and filed on January 6, 1939.

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."

This booklet contains the program for the June 22, 1963 Dedication Ceremony for the new San Luis Obispo Buddhist temple. Because of highway construction, the church property was bought by the state and the temple was moved to its current location in Avila Beach, California. The new property was purchased in 1961, with construction started in 1962. U.C. Berkeley graduate and Morro Bay, California resident George Nagano was the temple's architect.

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).

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.

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.

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.