NAME:
Buddhist Temple of Salinas
Address:
14 California St., Salinas, CA 93901
Phone:
831-424-4105
Fax:
831-424-6525
Please go to Announcements, Events Calendar, Monthly Meetings, or call the
temple for specific dates and times.
Directions:
Located at 14 California St. in Salinas, CA, near the National Steinbeck
Center. It is between Market Way and Rossi Streets, behind the Gutierrez
Drive-In, across from California Produce and catty-corner to the Confucius
Church. On Market Way, turn right at Ralph's Auto Repair. Look for the
Bell on the left, across from the apartments.
Map:
Go to the Links to Images page for a link to MapQuest, where you may obtain
a map to the temple. Input the address, 14 California Street, Salinas, CA
93906 in the appropriate fields.
To serve the members of the temple and the Salinas community by practicing
the Jodo Shinshu principles.
History:
On March 9, 1924, the first step was taken to officially organize the
Buddhist Church of Salinas. (Later renamed Buddhist Temple of Salinas) a
group of Issei (1st Generation) men held a meeting at a temporary church
located on 36 Sausal Street (later renamed Market Street).
On October 12, 1924, the officers of the Church acquired three lots on 14
California Street as the permanent site for the Buddhist Temple.
Construction of the original Temple began in January 1926 and it was
completed in the late spring of the same year; on the 5th anniversary of the
Temple, construction of the Multipurpose Hall was completed.
During the height of the depression in 1937, to commemorate the 10th
anniversary of the Church, the bell tower was built to house the largest
bell (Bonsho) of its kind, imported from Japan. In 1976, the 50th
anniversary, the current Temple building was constructed and in 1995, the
70th anniversary, the current Multipurpose Hall was constructed.
