The California Internment Camp Where 10,000 Japanese-Americans Were Forcibly Relocated During World War II

Manzanar War Relocation Center, Independence CA

In the shadow of the Sierra Nevada, Manzanar War Relocation Center held thousands of Japanese Americans behind barbed wire during World War II.

Here’s the story.

It’s on what used to be Native American land

Before its dark chapter as a concentration camp, Manzanar was home to Owens Valley Paiute Native Americans, who cultivated the land for centuries until European settlers displaced them in the 1860s.

By the early 1900s, the area had become a small farming community named Manzanar – Spanish for “apple orchard.”

The executive order that created Manzanar

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, fear and racism on the West Coast reached a breaking point.

In February 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced removal of about 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes – most of them U.S. citizens.

They had just days or weeks to sell their businesses, homes, and belongings, often at huge losses.

It wasn’t the only concentration camp in the US

Manzanar became one of ten “War Relocation Centers” – concentration camps where Japanese Americans were incarcerated.

Located in California’s Owens Valley with the Sierra Nevada mountains as its backdrop, it operated from 1942 to 1945.

The camp sprawled across 6,200 acres, with 504 barracks organized into 36 blocks. Each block contained 14 barracks, a mess hall, laundry room, recreation hall, and shared bathroom facilities.

The first inmates arrived in March 1942.

Manzanar residents made the most of what they had

By July, the population had swelled to over 10,000 people.

They lived in bare military-style barracks surrounded by barbed wire and watched by armed guards in towers.

Despite these harsh conditions, people built communities – they created gardens, formed sports teams, ran newspapers, and opened schools. Many worked jobs for $12-19 a month, including growing food for the camp.

The harsh conditions in Manzanar

Families lived in single rooms measuring 20×25 feet, furnished only with cots, blankets, and a heating stove.

The barracks offered little protection from the extreme desert environment – temperatures soared above 100°F in summer and plunged below freezing in winter.

Dust and sand constantly filtered through poorly constructed walls.

The Camp Had Its Own Governance System

Manzanar had its own police force, fire department, and internal governance system.

The ultimate authority always remained with the War Relocation Authority administrators.

Eight guard towers equipped with machine guns were positioned around the perimeter fence, which was topped with barbed wire.

The War Relocation Authority formed a council of resident-elected block supervisors to help govern the camp and organize community activities, giving residents at least some voice in their daily lives.

Men Joined the Military While Families Remained Imprisoned

Many young men from Manzanar joined the U.S. military, serving in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team while their families remained locked up in the camp.

Despite being incarcerated, Japanese Americans at Manzanar actively supported the war effort, including operating a camouflage net factory within the camp.

The Manzanar Uprising Led to Two Deaths

On December 6, 1942, the “Manzanar Riot” (or “Manzanar Uprising”) erupted when tensions boiled over regarding poor conditions and suspected informants.

It began as a protest against suspected government informers and poor living conditions.

Military police killed two inmates and wounded nine others during the unrest.

The reparations received by Manzanar prisoners

Manzanar remained open until November 21, 1945, three months after World War II ended.

Upon release, inmates received $25 and a bus ticket. Many returned to find their homes and businesses had been sold or stolen during their absence.

It took until 1988 for the U.S. government to formally apologize and offer $20,000 in reparations to each surviving person who had been incarcerated.

Ansel Adams Documented Life at Manzanar

In 1943, famous photographer Ansel Adams came to Manzanar and created a powerful visual record that showed the humanity of the incarcerated Japanese Americans.

This work was quite different from his usual landscape photography, as he focused instead on capturing daily life in the camp.

Adams published a 112-page book called “Born Free and Equal” in 1944, featuring his photographs and writings about Manzanar.

When he donated these photos to the Library of Congress in 1965, he explained that his goal was to show how the incarcerated people “had overcome the sense of defeat and despair” by building for themselves a vital community.”

The Cemetery Monument Honors Those Who Died While Incarcerated

The Manzanar cemetery features a white obelisk monument with the Japanese inscription “慰霊塔” (Ireitō), which means “soul consoling tower.”

After years of debate about appropriate terminology, the term “concentration camp” was officially adopted in 1998 to describe Manzanar and similar sites, acknowledging the severity of what occurred there.

Annual Pilgrimages Honor Those Who Were Detained

The annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, which began in 1969, brings together former prisoners, their descendants, and others to honor those who were detained and to raise awareness about this historical injustice.

The 56th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage was held April 25-27, 2025, with the theme “Truth, Justice, and Democracy.”

The pilgrimage ceremony takes place at the Manzanar Cemetery and includes traditional Japanese taiko drumming, a procession of camp banners, interfaith service, and ondo dancing.

The event also features “Manzanar At Dusk,” which creates opportunities for survivors to engage in conversations across generations about the incarceration experience.

Manzanar Became a National Historic Site in 1992

In 1972, the site was designated as a California Historical Landmark.

After years of advocacy by former inmates and activists, Manzanar was declared a National Historic Site in 1992.

Today, the site features a reconstructed guard tower, two reconstructed barracks, and an award-winning interpretive center in the former high school auditorium.

Visiting Manzanar Historical Site in 2025

Manzanar National Historic Site is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with longer hours (until 5:30 PM) during summer. You’ll find it at 5001 Highway 395 in Independence, CA.

• It’s completely free to visit
• Rangers lead tours twice daily at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM
• You can drive the 3.2-mile self-guided tour route
• The visitor center and most grounds work for wheelchairs