Manzanar National Historic Site in California’s Owens Valley preserves one of ten World War II incarceration camps where the U.S. government confined Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans after 1942. Against the dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Nevada, the site now documents this violation of civil liberties through exhibits, restored camp structures, and memorial spaces that honor more than 10,000 people who were incarcerated here during the war.
Location / State
Near Independence, Eastern Sierra, California
Why it matters
In 1942, more than 110,000 Japanese immigrants ineligible for citizenship and Japanese American citizens were forced from their homes and incarcerated at remote camps like Manzanar. Manzanar was the first purpose-built camp, and today it stands as one of the best-preserved sites interpreting wartime incarceration.
What to see today
Start at the Manzanar Visitor Center to see exhibits, oral histories, and artifacts that trace life in the camp from forced removal to resettlement after the war. Then drive or walk the self-guided tour road past reconstructed guard towers, barracks, the mess hall, cemetery monument, and Japanese gardens that incarcerees themselves built. Interpretive waysides, preserved orchards, and the stark desert landscape help you imagine what daily life was like for more than 10,000 people confined here between 1942 and 1945.
Ask a local
After visiting Manzanar, many locals point travelers toward the small town of Independence, a few miles north, for a reset-and-reflection stop. The Eastern California Museum in Independence offers additional exhibits on Owens Valley history and Japanese American incarceration. There are several nearby cafés and bakeries along U.S. 395 to grab a bite to eat.
Plan your visit
Manzanar National Historic Site is located along U.S. 395 in California’s Eastern Sierra, about 10 minutes south of Independence and 15 minutes north of Lone Pine. Most visitors spend 1–3 hours exploring the site, which includes a visitor center museum, a self-guided driving route, walking paths, reconstructed guard towers and barracks, gardens, and the cemetery monument.
The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset, and admission is free. The Manzanar Visitor Center is typically open Friday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though hours can change seasonally. Cell service can be spotty in the Owens Valley, and summer heat, wind, and winter snow are common, so bring water and check weather and road conditions before heading out.
For the latest visitor center hours, ranger programs, and alerts, check the National Park Service “Plan Your Visit” page before your trip.
USA 250 Most Treasured Views is a USA TODAY Network project exploring places across America with historical and cultural significance, created in celebration of the USA 250 initiative marking the nation’s 250th birthday.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Manzanar Historic Site tells story of WWII incarceration
Reporting by James Ward, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
