La Jara Buddhist Temple Nominated for National Historic

La Jara Buddhist Temple Nominated for National Historic Designation as a Symbol of Japanese American Heritage in Colorado
By Justin Whitaker ..October 30,2025

From cpr.org


La Jara Buddhist Temple in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, a longstanding symbol of Japanese American religious and cultural heritage, has been nominated by History Colorado for inclusion in the United States National Register of Historic Places. The temple, built in 1936–37 and active until 1993, was among 75 sites recognized this year for their contributions to the state’s diverse communities.

Constructed during a period of agricultural expansion in the early 20th century, the temple served the growing Japanese American population that had settled across Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla counties. Many had arrived in the 1920s, drawn by opportunities to farm and sharecrop on newly developed lands. Bringing with them their Buddhist practice, they formed local religious associations known as Kyudokais in Alamosa, Blanca, and San Acacio.

As their community expanded, the need for a formal place of worship led to the commissioning of what became known as Alamosa–La Jara Buddhist Temple. According to local historical records, the project cost approximately US$4,000 and was financed through a combination of community donations, contributions from 133 non-Japanese residents, and an US$800 loan from the First National Bank of La Jara. The land was donated by local rancher and civic leader William A. Braiden, who accepted just US$1 in payment to fulfill legal requirements.

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The temple was completed and dedicated on 6 February 1937, in a ceremony attended by Buddhist organizations from across Colorado. The event featured the participation of Reverend Yoshitaka Tamai of Denver’s Tri-State Buddhist Temple, who later agreed to travel monthly to La Jara to lead services. For more than half a century, the temple served as a focal point of spiritual and social life for the Japanese American community, hosting weddings, funerals, and youth cultural and language classes.

The temple’s vitality was disrupted during the Second World War, when Japanese Americans across the US faced severe restrictions following Executive Order 9066. While La Jara’s residents were not forcibly relocated to internment camps, their activities were curtailed, and Rev. Tamai was only permitted to travel south for funeral rites. Services resumed after the war, but the community’s numbers steadily declined as younger generations assimilated with secular society or moved to urban centers.

By 1993, attendance had dwindled to just a handful of families, and the temple closed. The building, located on Poplar Street in La Jara, remains standing and has since been converted into a duplex residence. Despite this transformation, the structure continues to represent a vital link to the Japanese American legacy in Colorado’s San Luis Valley—a region long known for its confluence of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo histories.

History Colorado’s nomination of La Jara Buddhist Temple is part of the state’s “Colorado Heritage for All” initiative, launched after a 2020 audit revealed that only 4 per cent of listed properties reflected communities of color, women, or LGBTQ+ history. The new round of nominations aims to address that imbalance, with 20 per cent of sites this year representing Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. The additions are part of a plan “to identify 150 currently under-recognized spaces and places that tell the stories of communities of color, women, and LGBTQ+ Coloradans, and to add all of these sites to the State Register or National Register by the end of 2026.” (History Colorado)


From crestoneeagle.org
For historians and community advocates, the temple’s recognition offers an opportunity to preserve a neglected chapter of local history. Historian Brandon Gonzales of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, suggested that the story of the La Jara Buddhist temple is one of resilience, generosity, and cultural community, noting that its construction brought together Japanese and non-Japanese residents at a time of widespread racial division.

“The history of Japanese Americans in the San Luis Valley is one that should be celebrated not only during AAPI Heritage Month, but year-round” Gonzales wrote in 2024. “There are still Japanese American families in the Valley, and it is the job of the Valley’s younger generations to make sure these stories are not forgotten.” (The Crestone Eagle)

As Colorado prepares for its 150th anniversary and the US marks its 250th in 2026, the La Jara temple stands as a reminder of the contributions of Japanese Americans to the spiritual and agricultural fabric of the state—and of the importance of preserving these stories for future generations.
:- https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/l...ol-of-japanese-american-heritage-in-colorado/

 

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