Greetings from Manzanar National Historic Site

Over the years, I have visited over 50 of the National Parks and numerous other NPS sites. I have found all of them to be beautiful, historic, inspiring. However, perhaps the one place that left me most affected was Manzanar National Historic site, one of the sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII. It wasn’t just the sense of injustice, that how could we do this to other Americans? What I was most affected by was the resilience of the people who had been uprooted from their homes and taken to this inhospitable place. I looked at the changes that they made in the shabby buildings that were meant to be the dormitories; at the gardens they planted; and at the community hall that they built on their own there–the one building on the site that has survived the test of time, while all others have crumbled. It now serves as the visitor center there. I was also very affected by the cards that you were given as you entered the VC. On each was the name of an actual resident there, so that you could experience in a small way what it was like to live there. The film shown in the theater should not be missed either.

Manzanar is located in the beautiful Owens Valley of California, remote and far from the cities of the state. Take Highway 395 south, out the “backdoor” of Yosemite. It’s out of the way, but you’ll be glad that you did.

Sincerely,
Mona

Manzanar National Historic Site

Manzanar preserves one of the sites where the U.S. government incarcerated innocent civilians during World War II.

State(s): California

Established: 1992

“The parks are essential to our heritage as Americans. The beauty and peace of nature nurture us. The historic sites remind us of who we are. They conserve for us always the land and the story of America. ”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

    This summer, my friends and I held our annual camping trip in New River Gorge National Park. As young adults, (some of us are still students) a lot of vacation spots are out of our price range, but public lands like national parks allow us to spend time together without…

  • Greetings from Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

    The Brown v Board of Education National Historical Site has been the homecoming of the 70th anniversary of the 1954 Supreme Court case that allowed equal access to schools to end segregation.

  • Greetings from Rocky Mountain National Park

    "8 Facts About the Rocky Mountains The Guidebook Won't Tell You." The title caught my eye as I scrolled through the article online. "The Park is a wildlife paradise," it proclaimed, painting a picture of a world where nature reigned supreme, untamed and thriving. Eager to experience this wild haven,…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now