Day 102: Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Powell, Wyoming
📌APIA Every Day (102) - The Heart Mountain Relocation Center, situated in Wyoming, was one of ten camps that detained Japanese Americans from California, Washington, and Oregon during World War II. Construction commenced in June 1942, with the first detainees arriving in August of the same year. At its peak, it stood as the third-largest camp in Wyoming, sprawling across 46,000 acres primarily designated for farming.
Life in Heart Mountain was characterized by harsh conditions, influenced by the dry desert environment. Hastily constructed barracks provided little protection from the elements, compelling families to fashion makeshift insulation using newspapers and rags. Moreover, guard towers and barbed wire fences bordered the camp, subjecting detainees to round-the-clock surveillance. Amidst these challenging circumstances and the push for Japanese Americans to join the military, a draft resistance movement emerged. The Fair Play Committee, composed of Nisei men, advocated for the restoration of civil rights before compliance with the military draft. This dissent resulted resistance leaders and older men to receive sentences of three to four years in the maximum-security penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas; the rest were subjected to three-year sentences in the penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington. Among the Japanese Americans who were forcefully enlisted were members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated units in the U.S. military. Tragically, eleven soldiers from Heart Mountain lost their lives, while two were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Today, a few buildings still stand, including a hospital complex and administrative structures. The site also features a reconstruction of the Honor Roll memorial, paying tribute to those from the camp who served. Through these remnants and memorials, the tragic history of Heart Mountain is preserved, serving as a reminder of the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during World War II. The Heart Mountain Relocation Center was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: Heart Mountain Relocation Center
Heart Mountain Foundation: History
WYO History: A Brief History of Heart Mountain Relocation Center
University of Wyoming: Heart Mountain Relocation Center
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