Madison Woods in Sacramento in Sacramento County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Walerga Assembly Center

Lest We Forget

Photographed By Syd Whittle, March 6, 2009

1. Walerga Assembly Center Marker

Inscription. Walerga Assembly Center was established by the United States at the onset of World War II to assemble and temporarily detain, without charge or trial, 4,739 Sacramento residents solely because of their Japanese ancestry. Approximately 120,000 persons were uprooted from their West Coast homes and interred in ten War Relocation Centers. Over two-thirds were American citizens by birth. Given the opportunity, many thousands left the ten centers to work on farms and in war industries or to serve with valor in the armed forces. Their acts and deeds gave living proof that Americanism is a matter of mind and heart, not a matter of race or ancestry. May this memorial remind all Americans to be alert so that such injustices never recur.
Camp Kohler succeeded Walerga Assembly Center with the departure of the last Japanese American internees in late June 1942. After being taken over by the Army Signal Corp, the camp’s facilities were greatly expanded to house and train military personnel. Camp Kohler became one of the Corps’ three principle training centers during World War II.

Erected 1987 by Japanese American Community of Sacramento in cooperation with Sunrise Recreation and Park District, February 1987. (Marker Number 934.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic

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lists: Asian Americans • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1942.

Location. 38° 40.1′ N, 121° 21.079′ W. Marker is in Sacramento, California, in Sacramento County. It is in Madison Woods. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Palm Avenue and College Oak Drive, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at Walerga Park. The park is located at the NW corner of Palm Ave and College Oak Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sacramento CA 95841, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. McClellan Air Force Base (approx. 1.9 miles away); a different marker also named McClellan Air Force Base (approx. 1.9 miles away); Base Headquarters (approx. 1.9 miles away); Bachelors' Barracks and Post Exchange (approx. 1.9 miles away); Base Hospital (approx. 1.9 miles away); Firehouse (approx. 1.9 miles away); Rapid Area Maintenance Team (approx. 2 miles away); POW/MIA (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sacramento.

Regarding Walerga Assembly Center. This site is one of twelve Assembly Centers

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, July 4, 2019

2. Walerga Assembly Center Marker

It appears that the original metal marker was removed or stolen and replaced by this stone marker, which is very hard to read.

designated as California Historical Landmark No. 934.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. - Additional Temporary Detention Sites

Also see . . .
1. Camp Kohler. After the removal of Japanese detainees to permanent sites, the camp known as the Sacramento Relocation Center (Walerga) was utilized by the United States Army Signal Corps and became Camp Kohler. (Submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.)

2. Online Archive of California – Machico Date. (Submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.)

Additional commentary.
1. This site was designated as California Registered Historical Landmark No. 934 on May 13, 1980.
The temporary detention camps (also known as 'assembly centers') represent the first phase of the mass incarceration of 97,785 Californians of Japanese ancestry during World War II. Pursuant to Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, thirteen makeshift detention facilities were constructed at various California racetracks, fairgrounds, and labor camps. These facilities were intended to confine Japanese Americans until more permanent concentration camps, such as those at Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, could be built in isolated

Photographed By Syd Whittle, March 6, 2009

3. Walerga Assembly Center Marker

The marker along with grove of cherry trees dedicated to Henry Taketa in the background See Photo #6

areas of the country. Beginning on March 30, 1942, all native-born Americans and long-time legal residents of Japanese ancestry living in California were ordered to surrender themselves for detention.

— Submitted March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.

2. Camp Harmony News
Camp Harmony was a "relocation center" located in Washington, and this was noted in the WASP, the camp newspaper:

Camp Harmony News-Letter
Vol. 1 No. 6 -- Puyallup, Wash. -- June 12, 1942

SAC' TO EVACUEES
LEAVE FOR TULELAKE BEGINNING JUNE 15
The Walerga WASP, Walerga Assembly center publication, revealed in its June 6th issue that 5,000 Sacramento Valley Japanese now temporarily residing in that center will be removed to the Tulelake Relocation center in northern California, beginning June 15, by order of the Western Defense Command.
The Walerga Assembly center, about 14 miles north of Sacramento, is believed to be the first temporary center whose entire population has been designated for removal to a war-duration center.
It was simultaneously revealed that residents of the Marysville Assembly center at Arboga, California, will begin moving on June 24.
An advance group of 500 Japanese from Camp Harmony and the Portland, Oregon Assembly center are already

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, July 4, 2019

4. Walerga Assembly Center Marker

residing in the Tulelake center.

— Submitted March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.

Walerga Assembly Center Marker and Henry Taketa tablet to the right image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, July 4, 2019

5. Walerga Assembly Center Marker and Henry Taketa tablet to the right

A Second Marker at this Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, March 6, 2009

6. A Second Marker at this Site

This grove of cherry trees is dedicated to the memory of HENRY TAKETA In recognition of his leadership in the preservation of the history of the Japanese Americans April 1992

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 4,572 times since then and 114 times this year. Last updated on January 25, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1. submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 2. submitted on August 5, 2019, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 3. submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 4, 5. submitted on August 5, 2019, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 6. submitted on March 7, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.