Day 17 - Granada Relocation Center, Camp Amache, Colorado
📌APIA Every Day (17) - The Granada Relocation Center, also known as Camp Amache, was one of ten incarceration camps established in the United States during World War II to confine Japanese Americans and individuals of Japanese descent. Located near the town of Granada in Colorado, Camp Amache housed over 7,300 incarcerated individuals at its peak, with more than 10,000 people passing through its gates during the war. The site, covering approximately 10,500 acres, included barracks, mess halls, administrative facilities, and extensive agricultural lands. The majority of the internees, primarily hailing from California's central valleys, were seasoned farm workers, contributing to the camp's transformation into a productive agricultural center. Despite the challenging living conditions, internees formed tight-knit communities and demonstrated resilience, creating gardens, constructing koi ponds, and attempting to make their cramped living quarters as homelike as possible.
In March 2022, the Amache National Historic Site Act was signed into law, designating Amache as a new park in the National Park System. This recognition reflects the historical significance of Camp Amache and its role in the incarceration of Japanese Americans during a dark chapter in American history. The site, now maintained by the Friends of Amache in collaboration with various organizations, features a cemetery, a monument, building foundations, and other remnants of the camp, serving as a poignant reminder of the wartime experiences of Japanese American families who endured unjust incarceration. The establishment of the National Historic Site underscores the commitment to preserving the complex history of Camp Amache and honoring the resilience and contributions of those who faced adversity during this tumultuous period.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: Granada Relocation Center
Amache Preservation Society: Japanese American Imprisonment during World War II
Densho: Terminology (Incarceration vs Internment, etc.)
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