Boondocks Road
Boondocks Road (formerly Jap Road) is a 4.3-mile (6.9-kilometer) road in Fannett, Texas. History In the early 20th century, Japanese immigrant Yoshio Mayumi and his brother Yasuo settled in Fannett, purchasing 1734 acres (7 km2) of land. The two brought with them techniques for rice farming, which became the dominant agricultural activity of Jefferson County. According to local tradition, in 1905 area residents collaborated to build a road to the Mayumi farm, and named the road "Jap Road" in their honor. In 1924, Mayumi returned to Japan. Low rice prices and smaller harvests due to mismanaged land had rendered his farm unprofitable. The Immigration Act of 1924 and related anti-immigrant sentiment are also considered contributing factors to Mayumi's decision to leave the country. Controversy Although Jap Road was named to honor its Japanese residents, by the end of the 20th century its name had taken on a new meaning. During World War II, "Jap" went from being an abbreviation for "Japanese" to an ethnic slur. In 1993, advocacy groups, led by Beaumont teacher Sandra Nakata, began pressuring the Jefferson County commissioners to change the name. The county commissioners responded by stating that "Jap Road" was not an ethnic slur and