By The North American Post Staff
The restoration of the Hori Bathhouse, a family bath facility in the historic Neely Mansion site in Auburn, was completed and is being made ready for celebration. The Neely Mansion Association announced that they will have a dedication ceremony on June 25.
The old bathhouse was used by the Hori family who lived on the site from 1929 to 1936. This kind of bathhouse only exists here now, though many Nikkei farming families built similar structures around the Green River Valley community in the early 20th century.
The bathhouse’s restoration was begun last fall as one of Neely Mansion’s new legacy projects. The new building is 10′ by 16′ and divided into two rooms, one to wash and one to soak in, according to the Neely Mansion Association. The interior layout will be as it was in the 1930s to honor the site as a legacy of early immigration life.
The dedication ceremony will feature Japanese activities including taiko, obon dancing and origami. Neely Mansion is located near the Auburn-Black Diamond Road exit for Highway 18. More information can be found at www. neelymansion.org or (253) 833.9404.
