1st historic marker commemorating Alameda's Japantown unveiled

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KGO) -- A historic moment in Alameda as new markers to commemorate the city's Japantown were unveiled Thursday.

ABC7 News was given a preview of what they will look like.

They will be found at the Alameda Marketplace on Park Street.

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Those markers tell the story of the city's blossoming Japantown before World War II, the businesses and the families who ran them.

They also tell how the community was uprooted and interned by the American government.

"Alameda was the first community in California to have their residents evacuated because of Exec. Order 9066, and as a result of that we have a grant where we are preserving a lot of those histories," Jane Chisaki, Alameda Free Library's director said.

The other markers will be installed in the coming months at the Marketplace.

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