A Gathering Place in a Divided Time
Kurtzman Park
In segregated Pasco during WWII, Kurtzman Park was one of the few public spaces where Black residents, many of them Hanford workers, could gather with dignity and community.
A Symbol of Resilience Amid Restriction
As Hanford drew thousands of workers to the region, many Black laborers and their families were funneled into Pasco, where housing and services were segregated. Despite systemic barriers, the community built strength through churches, social clubs, and public spaces like Kurtzman Park.
Located near the east side of Pasco, Kurtzman became a cultural and recreational hub. Picnics, sports events, and neighborhood gatherings happened here, offering rare relief from the harsh realities of racial discrimination and limited access elsewhere in the region.
Today, the park stands as both a community asset and a testament to the Black residents of Pasco who helped build the Hanford Site while forging their own parallel version of the American wartime home front.