At the foot of the imposing
Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, lies the site called
"Manzanar". The
Manzanar area has been used by Paiute and Shoshone people for centuries.
American Indian archeological sites are important parts of the
Manzanar story.
Between approximately 1910
and 1935, an agricultural village here known as "Manzanar" was
a thriving pear and apple growing center.
As you stroll through the area today, you are likely to see
remnant trees of those early orchards.
Manzanar's best-known
history is one of it's most recent.
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which
Japanese-American citizens and Japanese aliens were interned during
World War II. Two months
after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed Executive
Order 9066 which called for all people of Japanese ancestry residing on
the west coast, most of whom were American citizens, to be placed in
relocation camps.
Construction of the camp,
originally used as a temporary detention center, began in March, 1942.
Soon Manzanar became the first permanent camp, remaining in
operation until the last resident left late in 1945.
At full operation, Manzanar
had a population of approximately 10,000 people.
The entire Manzanar
detention facility encompassed some 6,000 acres. The facility consisted of the detention camp, adjacent
agricultural use areas, a reservoir, airport, cemetery, and sewage treatment
plant. Of this area, a
rectangle of approximately 550 acres, containing the living area for the
internees and various administrative facilities, was enclosed by barbed
wire fences and secured by guard towers.
This is the area preserved in Manzanar National Historic Site. Few of the camp's buildings remain today.
After the camp was closed,
the wooden barracks and administration buildings were sold at auction
and removed from the site. Among
the visible remains is the camp auditorium, a large wood frame building.
In addition, the stonework shells of the pagoda-like police post
and sentry house and portions of other buildings in the administrative
complex remain, as do concrete foundations, and portions of the water
and sewer systems throughout the camp.
Significant collections of
photos, drawings, paintings, and artifacts associated with Manzanar have
been gathered over the years. Many
of these can be seen in the Eastern California
Museum, located five
miles north of the camp in Independence.
Manzanar War Relocation
Center has been identified as offering best opportunities among the ten
such camps for interpretation of the World War II relocation program.
Because
of this the National Park Service, in cooperation with local
organizations, is now working to increase protection and interpretation
of this site. A long range
plan for protection and visitor use will be initiated in the next few
months.
