Manzanar National Historic Site
One Camp, Ten Thousand Lives; One Camp, Ten Thousand Stories
In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II.
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. Located at the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps.
Today you may visit Manzanar and learn about the experience of the Japanese Americans at Manzanar and other eras of the site's history. Inside the Manzanar Visitor Center you will find extensive exhibits, a 22 minute film and a bookstore. Just adjacent to the Visitor Center is Block 14 with two reconstructed barracks and a mess hall with exhibits. You may drive a 3.2 mile auto tour and see remnants of orchards, eleven recently excavated rock gardens and ponds, building foundations, and the camp cemetery.
Manzanar's history offers compelling and relevant lessons for today. In addition to primary documents, historic photographs, and more than 60 oral histories, there are standards-based lesson plans for primary and secondary education.
Contact the Park›
Mailing Address:
Manzanar National Historic Site
P.O. Box 426
5001 Highway 395
Independence, CA 93526
Phone: (760) 878-2194 x3310
(Link: https://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm)