Arizona internment camp links there are additional links below that include information, pictures and maps of the sites. Gila river relocation center photographs 19421945 gila. See more ideas about internment, river and camping. The gila river relocation center was located about 50 miles south of phoenix and 9 miles west of sacaton in pinal county, arizona. Masumi hayashi photography gila river relocation camp. War relocation authority wra on over 100,000 japaneseamericans who were relocated during world war ii.
The japanese american citizens league and the gila river indian community participate in. They remain arguably the most notorious example of wartime hysteria driving public policy decisions based on. Two internment facilities were established here, canal and butte camps. Pinal county on the gila river wwii japanese detention camp. The gila river butte camp officially closed on nov. The camps administrators were sympathetic to the evacuees plight and were lenient in giving them. Arizona holds ceremony to memorialize gila river wwii. Pdf wwii japanese internment camp maricopa az researchgate. Gila river internment center rivers, arizona world war. In the wake of the socalled manzanar riot of december 56, 1942, at the manzanar concentration camp in eastern california, the war relocation authority wra established a temporary isolation center for troublemakers at a recently shuttered civilian conservation corps ccc facility in southeastern utah at some remove from the miniscule colorado river town of moab.
An overview of world war ii japanese american relocation sites. The internment of american citizens and legal resident aliens of japanese ancestry was the product of a long history of antiasian sentiment in the united sates and illustrates the challenge in a democracy. World war ii japaneseamerican internment camp documents. Scope and contents the japaneseamerican internment camp materials includes documents created at japaneseamerican internment camps, administered by the war relocation authority wra during world war ii. For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the citing archival materials guide. Using the information about the gila river concentration camp, what. An exhibition of art from the poston internment camp in world war ii is currently on exhibit at the parker public library until february 19, 2009. A national monument was established in 2001 at the site by president bill clinton on january 17, as he invoked his authority under the antiquities act. Butte camp internees began to arrive at butte camp on august 21, 1942. Relocation authority, visit the gila river relocation center, where they were. The manzanar relocation center, inside a wwii internment camp.
The gila river war relocation center was an american concentration camp in arizona, one of several built by the war relocation authority wra during the. Roosevelts executive order 9066, all persons of japanese ancestry were excluded from the west coast of the united states. Incarceration camp was known as the rivers relocation center during its operation. This is the 15,000acre gila river relocation center, situated on land leased from the pima indian agency. Poston consisted of three camps and gila river had two. Jun 29, 2017 the first group of 82 japaneseamericans arrive at the manzanar internment camp carrying their belongings in suitcases and bags. The permit for the united states government to use the tribal land was reluctantly granted on october 7, 1942, two months after the internees were moved in. This was one of the large japanese american internment camps caused by e. This camp was known for its baseball team, the gila river eagles, its prolific produce that fed most of the camps, and for being visited by first. The camp road system and some of the rock gardens and ponds would be rehabilitated. The internment camp site was listed on the national register of historic places on july 10, 1979. It became the gila river war relocation center wrc run by the. This camp was known for its baseball team, the gila river eagles, its prolific produce that fed most of the camps, and for being visited by first lady eleanor roosevelt. Politicians are arguing over whether internment camps are concentration camps.
What we knew of anyone prior to relocation center existence was largely hearsay or limited information garnered here through the census sheets or employment. They also contain newsletters from the time of internment and statistics. Gila newscourier september 12, 1942 september 5, 1945. Published at the gila river relocation center by the war relocation authority. Jan 06, 2017 this is a video of the japanese internment camp memorial located in the gila river community. The 16,500acre site actually consisted of two separate camps, with the larger of the two, butte camp, located 312 miles west of canal camp. Gila river relocation camp, dog grave, 1997, panoramic photo collage. Music in japanese american concentration camps msu history. Most internment camps were far inland in arid, remote locations.
Overdraft from the gila river system has prompted the construction of the central arizona project, which delivers some 1,500,000 acre feet 1. Like detention centers and carceral sites today, relocation camps were far away from major metropolitan centers and mostly hidden from the public eye. A book signing for a diamond in the desert will be held from 1 to 4 p. Records relating to the internment of japanese americans. Japaneseamerican internment camp newspapers, 1942 to 1946.
Jan 30, 2017 arizona housed internment camps on both the colorado river and gila river indian reservations, but neither tribe wanted the war relocation authority to build on their land. The japanese american citizens league and the gila river indian community participate in an annual clean up of the monument. California, gila news courier of gila river camp, arizona, poston. Apr 24, 2015 arizonas japaneseamerican internment camp. World war ii and gila river war relocation camp heart of. The gila river war relocation center was an internment camp built by the war relocation authority wra for the internment of japanese americans during the second world war. This database contains information collected by the u. The soils of the former gila river relocation center are a function of the five soil. My story begins with the aftermath of sunday, december 7, 1941. Gila river relocation center gila river indian tribal land arizona. Yuma county colorado river site of former japanese detention camp near proving grounds. The site also links to numerous points of interest and suggestions for further study.
Note the gila river war relocation center in arizona, which was built on the gila river indian reservation, held issei and nisei internees until it was closed in 1945. During its operation, the gila river relocation center had been the fourth largest city in arizona, following phoenix, tucson, and the relocation center at poston. The gila river war relocation center was the only camp to have an active chapter of the japanese american citizens league. Gila river was among the 10 main internment camps set up under roosevelts order. Gila river indian community land was selected by the united states government as one of ten camp sites and construction was started without the permission of the community. The gila river indian community verbally agreed to not build or utilize the former camp sites unless they absolutely had to, and this promise has been maintained to this day. Gila newscourier rivers, arizona 1942 to 1945 3,928 granada pioneer amache, colo. Gila river internment center rivers, arizona historical. This site was completely removed in 1990 according to some reports. Army facilities where japanese americans were interned are also considered.
Gila river gila river relocation center gila river incarceration camp july 20, 1942 november 10, 1945 rivers, arizona rivers arizona located in a valley within the gila river indian reservation in pinal county, 50 miles south of phoenix, 3 miles north of the sacaton mountains. More than 120,000 americans of japanese ancestry were incarcerated in the following 10 camps scattered throughout western states. The goal of the study has been to provide information for the national landmark theme study called for in. Japanese internment camps were the sites of the forced relocation and incarceration of people of japanese ancestry in the western united states during the second world war and established in direct response to the pearl harbor attack. Rivers relocation center is one of the two camps located on american indian reservations, both of which were located in arizona. The river drains an arid watershed of nearly 60,000 square miles 160,000 km 2 that lies mainly within the u. Gila river war relocation center fortwiki historic u. Nov 16, 2015 the gila river indian community verbally agreed to not build or utilize the former camp sites unless they absolutely had to, and this promise has been maintained to this day.
One of the largest camp was dubbed the poston or colorado river relocation center and covered 71,000 acres of harsh desert 12 miles south of parker. Each of the 17 residential blocks included fifteen 20 by 100 barracks, a 40 by 100 mess hall, a mens latrine and shower building, a womens latrine and shower building, a laundry. Manzanar was the first of 10 centers established pursuant to executive order 9066, which authorized the secretary of war to exclude citizens and aliens from certain designated areas as a security measure against sabotage and espionage. The camp was located on the gila river indian reservation about 50 miles southeast of phoenix, near the town of rivers.
The total number of people detained, many of whom were stripped of. The gila river relocation center, was located at about 33 05 n latitude and 111. Life at gila river appeared to be the most relaxed of all the camps. Includes 40 photographs from the wra, taken at the colorado river relocation center and the gila river relocation center. The center is divided into two communities 3 12 miles part, the canal community of 5,000 residents six miles southwest of sacaton, and the butte community of. Eliot elisofonthe life picture collectiongetty images.
This order directed the removal of 110,000 japanese americans and their immigrant parents from the west coast of the usa. Library of congress, serial and government publications division. The gila river war relocation center was one of two concentration camps holding american citizens and legal residents of japanese ancestry during wwii. Over,000 were sent to the gila river internment center made up of canal and butte camps located on the gila river indian community land. The minidoka war relocation center was in operation from 194245 and one of ten camps at which japanese americans, both citizens and resident aliens, were interned during world war ii. The main focus is on the war relocation authoritys relocation centers, but department of justice and u. This website is subscription based, but access is freeofcharge from any nara research facility. Gila bulletin september 828, 1945 percent who answered question 28 of the loyalty questionnaire positively. Remains of gila river honor roll monument butte camp.
Gila river internment center rivers, arizona bapchule. The japanese internment camp monument has been damaged by gunshots to the pillars along with graffiti and litter. Pdf on jan 17, 2018, robert none weinheimer published wwii. The site is sacred to the tribe and access to the site is restricted. A history of relocation at the gila river relocation center. An overview of world war ii japanese american relocation. The survey of gila river will provide new information from a site.
Moableupp isolation centers detention facility densho. Evacuees were taken from washington, oregon, and california and placed in. I tell my story in the first person and i include much of the humor and conversation that was popular at that time. The gila river war relocation memorial is located at indian route 24, sacaton, az. The center, composed of two camps, was one of ten internment centers established during world war ii to incarcerate 110,000 persons of japanese ancestry, the majority being american.
Robert stone, then the acting manager of the gila river farms, provided me with information. The top local source for news and information, details. This collection houses eighteen snapshots of the gila river relocation camp taken between 1942 and 1945. Known more popularly as gila river, this concentration camp held over,000 inmates, most of whom were from california. Gila river war relocation center, phoenix tripadvisor. The center is divided into two communities 3 12 miles part, the canal community of 5,000 residents six miles southwest of sacaton, and the butte community of 10,000 persons, nine miles directly west of sacaton. Gila river internment center july 20, 1942 november 16, 1945 four and one half miles south of this location, remains what was the gila river internment center. The total number of people detained, many of whom were stripped of their assets and the right to work, reached. The first group of 82 japaneseamericans arrive at the manzanar internment camp carrying their belongings in suitcases and bags. This is a video of the japanese internment camp memorial located in the gila river community.
Jan 22, 2017 gila river was among the 10 main internment camps set up under roosevelts order. The upper gila river, including its entire length within new mexico, is a freeflowing one. Each of the 17 residential blocks included fifteen 20 by 100 barracks, a 40 by 100 mess hall, a mens latrine and shower building, a womens latrine and shower building, a laundry room, an ironing room, and a recreation building. The gila river war relocation center was an american concentration camp in arizona, one of several built by the war relocation authority wra during the second world war for the incarceration of japanese americans from the west coast and hawaii. A curator of art from japanese internment camps places this cane into the tradition of gaman the art of living with the unbearable. Different view of the gila river war relocation memorial located in a former american. In 1996, community members, scholars, and artists worked together to explore the experiences of japanese americans imprisoned in arizona. Vegetation included mesquite, creosote, and cactus. The gila river war relocation center was built in 1942 to imprison japanese americans during world war ii, which was part of the united states retaliation after pearl harbor. Japanese internment camp memorial gila river youtube. Not many arizonans know where the gila river japanese american internment camp was near exit 175 on the i10 on the gila river indian reservation, south of phoenix. Image 5 of gila newscourier rivers, arizona, october 7.
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