The center was at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds and was occupied from May 10 to Oct. 17th, 1942. It held over 4,000 evacuees (Maximum population was 4,721).There is a historical marker there, but all the other structures are gone.
 The Oakland Tribune, May 7, 1942 |
 The Oakland Tribune, Sept. 18, 1942 |
 The Oakland Tribune, Oct. 1, 1942 |
Articles dealing with the movement of Japanese Americans to Stockton, and then out of the Stockton assembly center.
El Joaquin (Stockton Assembly Center)
Source: Onlive Archive of California.
I have only been able to find these three issues, and the ones that they have did not seem to scan real well. I've worked with the images in Paintshop Pro and made them a little easier to read.
Vol. 1 #2: June 3, 1942
Page 1: 82 seniors have graduated. There's a drawing and information on the Director of Service divisions. There's going to be a talent program, and there's an article that says the daily count is not a curfew.
Page 2: This is the Editorial Page. One is about the people who work on things like talent shows. One is on the blackout that Stockton did. Block proxies have been appointed. There's a note about a guy who wants to correspond with beautiful girls. There's a cartoon character named Little Poncho, who apparently delivers babies, and delivered his first.
Page 3: There's an article called Our Neighbors which is about things happening in the other camps. A study hall will be opened for high school students. The talent article from page 1 is continued. There's a cartoon about some guy eating in a messy manner. 5000 plants were donated to the center by the San Joaquin County Fair Association. There's an article on how much money the center store has made. There's a short column called Social Jottings, and a notice to a guy who needs to pick up a package.
Page 4: A lot of baseball news, a schedule of other activities, an an article on places to go in the camp.
Vol. 1 #3: June 6, 1942
Page 1: There's an article about 110 people heading out to work in the beet fields of Idaho. There's a drawing and a short article about the guy running the Supply Center at the camp. Diplomas have been given to graduates, and a summer school is starting. A shoe shop and a barber shop will soon open. There's also a memorial note about someone who died.
Page 2: This is the editorial page. The editorial and business staff are listed. There's an editorial on the commencement exercise. The Supply Dept. needs to have some picks and shovels returned to them. Any residents with stored cots need to turn them in. There's an article about a variety show that will be held. Movies will soon be shown. Two articles from page 1 are continued.
Page 3: There's an article on Sunday services, and a cartoon. There's an article called Teri-fic stir-tistics which is about individual people. There's also an article about women enrolled in the Red Cross Nursing Class.
Page 4: The sports page, with articles on judo, baseball, and volleyball, and activities schedules.
Vol. 3 #7, Sept. 10, 1942
Page 1: The main announcement is that the residents will be moved to the Rohwer internment center in Arkansas. There's an article about a government document on the type of land they will find there. A group of 70 evacuees will be the first to go there. 53 people are needed for the volunteer crew going on ahead.
Page 2: The article on the type of land is continued from page 1, and there's an article on the weather conditions there and at the present camp. An article notes there will be two government camps there. The first group exodus article from page 1 continues. There's an article on a football meeting the next day, and a cartoon that lists the members of the paper's staff.
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