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Manzanar
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Confinement and Ethnicity: An Overview of World War II Japanese American Relocation Sites by J. Burton, M. Farrell, F. Lord, and R. Lord |
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Chapter 8 (continued)
Manzanar Relocation Center
Security Features
As discussed above the sentry post and police post both remain at the relocation center entrance, as does the foundation of the police station, where the shootings of the "Manzanar Riot" occurred.
Remains of seven of the eight watch towers around the fenced perimeter are present. Nothing remains of the tower in the northeast corner of the relocation center; the location is now within a graded road. Although two other towers were located within the same road, pulled footings were found near their original locations. The pulled footings varied from 3 feet to 4 feet in total length, and a maximum of 2 feet in diameter. At the five remaining watch tower locations, foundations visible above ground consist of four 1-1/2-foot-by-1-1/2-foot concrete footing blocks with steel straps, spaced 11 feet apart (Figure 8.75).
 Figure 8.75. Watch tower foundation blocks. |
 Figure 8.76. Inscription near the southwest watch tower. |
Near the watch tower footing blocks in the southwest corner of the central area there is a rock and concrete penstock inscribed with a first name, initials, a date, and the epithet "jap camp" (Figure 8.76). In addition, "Summers 1942" is formed by pebbles that were pressed into the wet concrete of the penstock. Charlie Summers was the local contractor that built the relocation center watch towers. Not much remains at the three gate house locations, once located at roads to the outlying farm fields and the relocation center landfill. At the gate house on the north perimeter there is a small rock concentration, and at the gate house on the west perimeter, there are some rocks and asphalt. There are no apparent remains of the gate house on the south side of the relocation center.
Portions of the existing barbed wire fences on the west, north, and possibly east sides of the central area appear to be from the relocation center (Figure 8.77). These fence sections are constructed of either 4-inch by 4-inch or 4-inch by 6-inch wooden posts (both nominal and actual), placed approximately 16 feet apart. These posts are distinguished from those in typical range fences in the area by their material, height (extending over 5 feet high), and patterns of nail holes. Nail holes indicate these posts originally held five wire strands at about 12-inch intervals starting at 12 inches above the ground. The top and bottom strands have been removed.
 Figure 8.77. Original section of the perimeter security fence along U.S. Highway 395. |
 Figure 8.78. Concrete slab founation in the Manzanar military police compound. |
At the military police compound the locations of all 13 known buildings, except the evacuee-constructed entry post, can be discerned. Barracks locations are defined by level areas, some with a few concrete footing blocks. The officer's quarters location has a rock-lined walkway and a small yard. The guard house (military personnel jail), latrine, and first aid buildings are evident by concentrations of wire nails, concrete chunks, and other structural debris. Most of the sizable rocks at the site have traces of white paint on them. At the location of the military police motor repair shop there is a terraced area with six large concrete foundation blocks with embedded iron bars. Artifacts in the vicinity include a small electric motor core, over 25 metal bushings, and an electrical porcelain knob. A 20-foot-by-25-foot concrete slab east of the motor repair shop location is inscribed with three sets of initials (Figure 8.78). No building is shown on WRA blueprints at this location, however the slab is visible on a 1944 aerial photograph. Another enigmatic feature, located south of the barracks area, is a 1-foot-wide concrete perimeter foundation, outlining an area 7-1/2 feet by 9-1/2 feet in size.
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Last Modified: Fri, Sep 1 2000 07:08:48 pm PDT
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