Portland Buddhist Church

Portland Buddhist Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The building's exterior in 2008
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Location	312 NW Tenth Ave, Portland, Oregon
Coordinates	45°31′32″N 122°40′47″W
Built	1910; 114 years ago (1910)
Architectural style	Early Commercial
NRHP reference No.	03001476[1]
Added to NRHP	January 21, 2004[2]

The Portland Buddhist Church, located in northwest Portland, Oregon, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[2] The church was important to the Japanese-American community that once thrived in Northwest Portland.^[3]

History

Oregon Buddhist Church honoring the visit of Daika Sonyu Ohtani from Japan (1925)

Founded by Rev Shozui Wakabayashi of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Mission of North America in 1903, the Oregon Buddhist Temple was created to serve the growing Japanese American community in Portland. When the building on Tenth Street was completed in 1910, the congregation counted over 500 members.^[4][5]

The property held many of the community's belonging as they were incarcerated during World War II. Then Rinban Tansai Terakawa would be sent to Minidoka along with many of the congregation. Sadly, Terakawa would never return, passing away at the camp in 1944. Rev Hojun Sugimoto would return to the church and lead the community in its efforts to rebuild their lives.^[4]

The Portland Buddhist Church served the congregation for over 50 years until a new temple was built in Southeast Portland in 1966, and continues to serves the community today.^[4]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Northwest Portland, Oregon

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Oregon National Register List" (PDF). Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. June 6, 2011. p. 38. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
3. "Portland Buddhist Church". National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
4. "History of OBT". Oregon Buddhist Temple. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
5. Mowe, Sam (Winter 2021). "The Buddhist Traveler in Portland". Tricycle Magazine.

External links

• Media related to Portland Buddhist Church at Wikimedia Commons