Résumé

Principal, Ed Watanabe, Landscape Architect, Seattle, WA, 1954- . A late address (1995-1997, at least) for Watanabe's firm was 2720 22nd Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98144-5228.

College

Before 1942, Edward had attended college for two years.

Relocation

Edward Watanabe was born in Seattle, WA, and resided with his parents and three brothers and a sister at 412 7th Avenue, an area later obliterated by the early 1960s construction of US Interstate 5. They shared this house with the Fukuyama Family, who had five living there in addition to the seven Watanabes. Each family paid what was probably a high rent of $25 apiece. Edward lived in Seattle until age 22, when he was relocated to the Minidoka "Relocation Center" in ID, where other Japanese-Americans living in WA, OR, and AK, were housed from 1942-1945. Minidoka was located in a sparsely-populated section of south central ID, and contained 36 housing blocks, each comprised of 12 barracks units. The barracks were further sub-divided into six discrete living units. Also living at Minidoka, was the gardener and landscape designer Fujitaro Kubota (1879–1973), although it is not known whether he knew Watanabe there. Furniture designer and UW architecture graduate George Nakashima (1905–1990), one of the founders of the American Craft Furniture Movement, also was here between 1942-1943. After Minidoka, Edward was supposed to work in Spokane, WA, when he was released early on 05/12/1943. He then entered the US Army at Fort Douglas, UT, on 04/29/1944. He attended school at the Oregon State College in Corvallis, OR, in 1951, living there with his wife, Toyoko, with an address of "242a Mall."

Parents

Edward's father was Masahei Watanabe (born 06/01/1876 in Japan), who, according to the 1930 US Census, entered the US in 1896. Masahei worked, in 1930, as a grocery store salesman. Edward's mother, Chiyo, (born 09/05/1888 in Japan), a homemaker, came in 1914 and, like her husband, was still an alien in 1945. Masahei and Chiyo married c. 1916. Edwards brothers and sister were: Henry Takashi (born 08/18/1919 in WA), Mary Kimiye (born 03/02/1922 in WA) and Thomas Noboru (born 04/13/1928 in WA). The eldest brother was Hiroshi (born c. 1917 in WA).

Spouse

Watanabe married Toyoko Hasegawa (born 11/07/1922 in WA) in Seattle, WA, on 08/31/1946. She and her family lived in Puyallup, WA, before they were all sent to the Minidoka "Relocation Center" on 09/07/1942. Her mother was Tatsuo Hasegawa (born 06/20/1880 in Japan) and her sister Sueko (05/03/1917). Toyoko was released on 04/05/1943 to take a job in Glencoe, IL. Her sister was released on the same day to attend school in Cincinnati, OH. Tatsuo remained in ID until her release on 06/29/1945, when she moved to Chicago, IL, according to government records. (See "U.S., Final Accountability Rosters of Evacuees at Relocation Centers, 1942-1946 for Toyoko Hasegawa," Ancestry.com Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S., Final Accountability Rosters of Evacuees at Relocation Centers, 1942-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: Final accountability rosters of evacuees at relocation centers, 1944–1946. Microfilm publication M1965, 10 rolls. Records of the War Relocation Authority, Record Group 210. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Accessed 03/03/2014.)