Big Fresno Fairgrounds
Encyclopedia
The Big Fresno Fairgrounds is the site of the annual Big Fresno Fair and a convention center
complex capable of hosting convention
s, trade shows and banquet
s located in Fresno, California
.
track.
that represented 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 internment camps, such as those at Manzanar
and Tule Lake
in California, could be built in isolated 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. California Historical Landmark
#934 is a memorial dedicated to over 5,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry who were confined at the fairgrounds from May to October 1942. It can be found in front of Commerce Building next to the Chance Ave entrance.
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
complex capable of hosting convention
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
s, trade shows and banquet
Banquet
A banquet is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone....
s located in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.
Facilities
The complex includes eight major buildings, Table Mountain Rancheria Park and a horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track.
- Livestock Pavilion: 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²)
- Commerce Building: 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²), capacity 3,871
- Industry Commerce Building: 25000 sq ft (2,322.6 m²), capacity 3,571
- Junior Exhibit Building: 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²), capacity 2,800
- The Green House: 20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²)
- Industrial Education Building: 11000 sq ft (1,021.9 m²), capacity 1,571
- Paul Paul Theatre: 1 acre (0.404686 ha) amphitheater, capacity 5,000
- Gem & Minerals Building: 4760 sq ft (442.2 m²), capacity 680
Fresno Assembly Center
The fairground was the site of one of several temporary detention camps located throughout the WestWestern United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
that represented the first phase of the mass incarceration of 97,785 Californians of Japanese ancestry during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Pursuant to Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066
United States Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe certain areas as military zones...
signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
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 internment camps, such as those at Manzanar
Manzanar
Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California's Owens Valley between the towns of Lone Pine to the south and Independence to the north, it is...
and Tule Lake
Tule Lake
Tule Lake is an intermittent lake covering an area of , long and across, in northeastern Siskiyou County and northwestern Modoc County in California, along the border with Oregon.-Geography:Tule Lake is fed by the Lost River...
in California, could be built in isolated 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. California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#934 is a memorial dedicated to over 5,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry who were confined at the fairgrounds from May to October 1942. It can be found in front of Commerce Building next to the Chance Ave entrance.