Rotary Park (Japanese Monument in Rotary Park-Recognize the Japanese Immigrants Who Came to Winters in 1888)

The Winters City Council approved the installation of a Japanese monument in Rotary Park, as proposed by Woody Fridae and Floyd Shimomura on June 20. The monument is meant to commemorate the city's Japanese community that existed before World War II. The Historical Society of Winters presented the project, which features a black granite base with a ceramic tile top showing a 1930 Japantown photograph of the community gathered for a funeral. The monument will face the Winters Community Center, offering the same perspective as the historical photograph, with the trestle bridge visible in the background.

The inscription on the monument will recognize the Japanese immigrants who came to Winters in 1888 to create a better life for their families. The monument will also highlight the historical significance of the Japanese community, acknowledging their contributions as farmers, laborers, and horticulturists. The Historical Society successfully raised funds for the project and will handle the installation, as well as the cleanup and landscaping of the proposed site.

The idea for the monument originated from an exhibit called the Lost Japanese Community of Winters, hosted by the Historical Society from June 2021 to March 2022. The exhibit showcased the around 300 Japanese descendants who lived in Winters, many of whom did not return after the burning of Japantown on V-J Day due to forced internment during World War II. The monument aims to bring awareness to this forgotten part of the city's history and promote community unity and acceptance. The expected installation date for the monument is next spring.