Résumé

Landscape gardener, Spokane, WA, 1950. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1950, p. 744.)

Corporal, US Military, c. 1952.

Draftsman, Sanford Rossen, AIA, Architects, Southfield, MI, 1960. (See Royal Oak, Michigan, City Directory, 1960, p. 533.)

Draftsman/Designer, Minoru Yamasaki and Associates, Birmingham, MI. Like Nakata, Yamasaki was also an alumnus of the University of Washington. Nakata may have worked for Yamasaki c. 1961 or 1962.

Draftsman/Designer, Fred Bassetti and Company, Architects, Seattle, WA.

Designer, John Y. Sato and Associates, Architects, Seattle, WA.

Partner, [John I.] Mattson, [Allen J.] Kleinsasser and Nakata, Architects, Seattle, WA. The firm had an office at 714 North 34th Street in 1970. (See "Mattson, John I.," American Architects Directory, 1970, John Gane, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1970], p. 607.)

Partner, Kleinsasser Nakata Architects, Seattle, WA.

Principal, Smith Nakata Associates, Seattle, WA

College

Graduate, Lewis and Clark High School, Spokane, WA, 06/1947. Because of World War II, Lewis and Clark held two graduations for students in 1947, one in January and the other in June. The Lewis and Clark High Tiger Yearbook for 1947 indicated that Smith Nakata had transferred from Hunt High School, the school at Minidoka where young people matriculated during their three years at the Idaho camp. The yearbook listed a major of mathematics for Nakata.

B.Arch., University of Washington (UW), Seattle, WA, 1959. Smith was listed as being a student in 1954. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1954, p. 605.)

College Awards

Member, Phi Beta Kappa, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 11/1957. (See "Phi Beta Kappa Adds 7 at UW," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/23/1957, p. 14.) Nakata was elected to Phi Beta Kappa during his junior year. (See University of Washington Tyee Yearbook, 1958, p. 438.)

Recipient, Fulbright Scholarship, Japan, 1963-1964.

Relocation

Nakata was born in Portland, OR, the son of Atsuo and Yuka Nakata. The US Census of 1940, imdicated that the Nakatas lived in rural OR in 1935. Atsuo may have worked in an agricultural job or perhaps in a cannery. Five years later, they resided in a segregated neighborhood, largely composed of Japanese- and Chinese-American famiilies, at 128 NW 3rd Avenue in Portland.

On 04/26/1942, his family resided at 128 NW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 91, accessed 08/22/2021.) At this time, the US Government was planning the confinement of all Japanese-Americans in internment camps located away from the Pacific Coastline in CA, AZ, WY, ID, CO, UT and AR.

The Nakatas arrived at the Minidoka War Relocation Center near Jerome, ID, on 09/09/1942, and their internment lasted until 06/06/1945. (See 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., accessed 08/23/2021.) After the war, they remained in the ID vicinity, settling in Spokane, WA. Between 1945 and 02/19/1946, at least, Smith Nakata and his family dwelled at North 125 Bernard Street in Spokane. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 128, accessed 08/23/2021.)

In 1950, the Nakatas lived at West 1207 4th Avenue in Spokane, WA. At the time, Smith Nakata worked as a landscape gardener, likely working with his elder brother, Harry Hiroshi Nakata, whose family lived nearby at West 1104 5th Avenue. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1950, p. 744.)

Nakata joined the military during the Korean War. He flew aboard a US Air Force plane from Anchorage, AK, to Seattle, WA, in 11/1953. At this time, he continued to list his permanent address as West 1207 4th Avenue in Spokane, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes and Vessels Arriving at Anchorage, AK.; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 08/22/2021.) When he returned from his military service, he resumed living with his parents at West 1207 4th Avenue. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1954, p. 605.)

At the time of Smith's marriage to June Mihara in 1959, his family lived at the same 4th Avenue address. He and wife moved to MI by 1960, where he worked for at least two architectural firms in the Detroit area. The couple lived at 317 East 6th Street in Royal Oak, MI, in 1960. At this time, June worked as a laboratory technician at the Wake Pediatric Clinic in Royal Oak. (See Royal Oak, Michigan, City Directory, 1960, p. 533.)

Between 1993 and 2002, Nakata and his wife lived at 3152 Fuhrman Ave East.

His last residence was in the 98102 zip code of Seattle, WA.

Parents

His father was Atsuo Nakata (born 09/15/1888 in Okayama, Japan-d. 03/12/1968 in Spokane, WA). Dates for his birth varied from 1888 (from his World War II draft registration card) to 1889 (from the Social Security Death Index). As the former was printed in his own hand, that is being used as the correct date. Atsuo came to the US from Okayama, Japan, a prefecture in southern Japan. He arrived at the Port of Seattle at age 18 on the steamship Aki Maru on 11/16/1906. He settled in OR, to rejoin his father, K. Nakata, who resided in Portland. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Index to Aliens, Not Including Filipinos, East Indians, and Chinese, Arriving by Vessel or at the Land Border at Seattle, Washington; NAI Number: 2945984; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: A3691; Roll Number: 10, accessed 08/23/2021.)

According to government internment paperwork, during his 36 years in America between 1906 adn 1942, he worked in semiskilled packing, filling, labeling, marking, bottling and/or related occupations. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005., accessed 08/23/2021.) The 1940 US Census recorded his occupation as a worker in a fish cannery.

By 04/26/1942, Atsuo was unemployed, as Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast were being gathered together at "assembly centers" for relocation to wartime internment camps. (See US Government, Hational Archives.gov, "Japanese-American Internment During World War II," accessed 08/22/2021.) In 1945, about 12 families or individuals with the surname "Nakata" lived at Minidoka, some of whom may have been related to Atsuo and Smith. (See 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., accessed 08/23/2021.)

Right after the war, in 1945, Atsuo managed the Chinese Sing Kee Hand Laundry in Spokane, with Yuka, Harry and Mary working in the same business. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1945, p. 681.)

By 1950, Atsuo worked as a kitchen helper for Davenport, Incorporated, operators of Spokane's Davenport Hotel and Restaurant. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1950, p. 744.)

His mother, Yuka Nakata, (born 12/20/1897 in Japan-d. 03/31/1991 in Seattle, WA), raised three children, and worked as a server in a restaurant to add extra income in 1940. She likely worked with her husband in the Chinese Sing Kee Hand Laundry business in 1945, as well.

His siblings were Harry Hiroshi Nakata (born 01/01/1924 in Portland, OR-d. 2016 in Spokane, WA) and Mary Yoshiko Nakata (born 07/06/1926 in Portland, OR).

Spouse

He wed June Kazuko Mihara (born 06/07/1936 in Wapato, WA) on 06/20/1959 at a Methodist church in Spokane, WA. (See Spokane County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1880-Present - Smith S Nakata - June K Mihara, Spokane County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1880-Present, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 08/23/2021.) Smith's brother, Harry Nakata, and June's relative, Joan Mihara, served as witnesses. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: easpmcb22406, accessed 08/23/2021.)

June had been born in WA State, and her family lived in Wapato, WA, a town 13 miles southeast of Yakima, before 1942. Her mother, Sato Matsumoto Mihara (born 11/24/1900 in Japan-d. 02/04/1975 in Spokane, WA) and father, Shigeru Mihara (born 06/19/1890 in Japan-d. 06/01/1960 in Spokane, WA), arrived in the US from Japan in 1916 and 1908, respectively. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S., Index to Alien Case Files at the National Archives at Kansas City, 1944-2003 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 08/24/2021.) Both Shigeru and Sato worked on a farm in West Wapato, WA, as per the 1940 US Census. They had eight children, who likely all did some farm labor growing up. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: West Wapato, Yakima, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04373; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 39-109, accessed 08/24/2021.)

The US Government interned three branches of the Mihara Family at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center between 08/31/1942 and 10/30/1945 near Cody, WY. June's branch resided in Wapato, another lived in San Francisco, and the third in Mountain View, CA. (See 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., accessed 08/24/2021. After the war, they returned to WA, where they lived in Spokane.

June attended Central Valley High School, c. 1954, in Veradale, WA, where she was interested in home economics and science, according to the school yearbook. June worked as a clerk for Bausch and Lomb Optical in Opportunity, WA, during the summer of 1957 and lived with Joan Mihara. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1957, p. 386.) She attended the State College of Washington between 1956 and 1959, and became active in various student activities, including membership on the Junior Executive Council. (See "Junior Executive Council," State College of Washington Chinook Yearbook, 1957-1958, p. 315.) She graduated with a B.S. degree in bacteriology in 1959. (See "Graduating Seniors, Class of 1959," State College of Washington Chinook Yearbook, 1958-1959, p. 83.)

Children

One son, Renzo J. Nakata (born 01/20/1963), also an architect, worked in Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area and later in Southern California.

Biographical Notes

As noted on his World War II draft registration form, Nakata was listed as Japanese, standing 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing 135 pounds. His eyes were brown, hair brown and his skin described as light brown. The form listed a scar on his left knee as a distinguishing feature. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 128, accessed 08/23/2021.)

SSN: 725102002.