Japanese Americans Queue for Transport to Santa Anita Assembly Center

The first 664 Japanese Americans to receive orders to relocate to the temporary facility, Santa Anita Assembly Center, gather under military escort at 2020 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Their belongings are stacked up against the curb. They were taken by bus to the train station under armed guard. vacuees were instructed to bring with them sufficient blankets, bed linen and towels; toilet articles, soap, comb and mirror; adequate clothing; knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls, cups; other small incidental property which can be carried easily. When they arrived, their baggage was searched. Japanese language books, magazines, and religious tracts were confiscated. Santa Anita was still under construction when they arrived, and some internees were housed in unclean horse stalls. After staying at the race track until the permanent detention camp was ready, they were moved to Manzanar Camp in Owens Valley, California. Santa Anita was in operation from March 27 - October 27, 1942.