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Creation
The original Tanforan was a racetrack built in 1899. The racetrack hosted horse, car, motorcycle and dog races until 1909 when the state of California banned sports betting and the racetrack was closed -
Airfield
After its use as a racetrack, Tanforan was semi transformed into an airfield. During World War 1 it was turned into a training facility for pilots -
World War 2
During World War 2, Tanforan was used as an assembley center where the Bay Areas Japanese population were sent to be shipped to internment camps in the interior of the country. The assembly site closed and became an army barracks which housed the California Field Artillery Regiments. -
Shopping Mall
After the World War 2, Camp Tanforan Army Base was demolished and the mall was built on the old race track. The first stores opened October 7, 1970. -
Reconstruction
In 2005 the mall underwent reconstruction as the old design for the mall was dated and not up to modern standards. The reconstruction finished on October 7th, 2005, the malls 35th birthday. The reconstruction added the two floor Barnes and Nobles, the BJ's Chicago Brewhouse and the Century Theaters. -
Closure
On July 27, 2021 the city of San Mateo announced that the Tanforan mall would be "reimagined" as a campus for biotech research.