National Register of Historic Places

Castroville Japanese Language School

Castroville, Monterey County, California
Listed
October 9, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95001127

About this property

The Castroville Japanese Language School, also known as the Castroville Nihon Gakko, is a historic building located at 11199 Geil St. in Castroville, California that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It was built in 1936 and served Japanese-American sharecropping farmer families of the area as a school, as a Buddhist temple, and as a community meeting hall. It was closed just six years later, in 1942, when the Japanese-Americans of the area were interned for the duration of World War II. According to Kunio A. Sumida, who nominated it for NRHP listing, the building "represents and symbolizes the denial of the constitutional rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution." The building is extremely simple and unremarkable, except perhaps for its hipped roof that may reflect Japanese temple architecture, so its importance is for its association with the Japanese-American community and what it represents to some. At the time of its NRHP nomination in 1995, it was somewhat weathered, but otherwise unchanged from its state in 1942. In a 2012 photo, it is apparent that the exterior of the building has been restored, and there is an interpretative display in front of the building.

Location

11199 Geil St.
Castroville, Monterey County, California
36.76510, -121.75108

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYEDUCATIONASIAN
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Castroville Japanese Language School

This page lists Castroville Japanese Language School. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Castroville Japanese Language School report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Boronda, Jose Eusebio, Adobe
Industrial
6 mi
Bontadelli, Peter J., House
Industrial
6.2 mi
Fort Ord Station Veterinary Hospital
Industrial
7.6 mi
Nesbitt, Sheriff William Joseph, House
Industrial
7.9 mi
Sargent, B. V., House
Industrial
7.9 mi

Nearby Battles

USS Savannah at Monterey
1846Mexican-American War
13.9 mi
Capture of Monterey California
1846Mexican-American War
13.9 mi
Capture of Monterey, California
1846Mexican-American War
13.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Castroville Japanese Language School listed on the National Register?

Castroville Japanese Language School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Castroville Japanese Language School?

Castroville Japanese Language School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Castroville Japanese Language School?

The period of significance for Castroville Japanese Language School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Castroville Japanese Language School?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Castroville Japanese Language School will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Monterey County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Monterey County.

Explore MontereyCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Castroville Japanese Language School will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report