Closure edit

Relocation to Amache (Colorado) edit

 
The first arrivals at the Granada Relocation Center register for housing.

The advanced group of 212 Japanese Americans that were transferred on August 25th were sent to help set up the new camp located in Amache, Colorado, also known as the Granada War Relocation Center. There were groups of 500 planned to be sent out every single day, but they soon realized that they would need more time, because the camp was not ready to hold that many people.[1] The pace slowed to a group of roughly 500 every other day, then they took a 5 day break and sent the last three groups out, with the last group being sent out on September 15th. The relocation center closed in 1945 once it had reached the amount of around 10,000 people who had gone in and out of the center. [2]

After the War & Closure of Amache edit

After the closure of Amache, those who were put in those camps were finally free. In 1945, those locked up were allowed to go home but some were confused to either go back home to Japan or stay in California. After they were released 80,000 of those locked up were given apologies and $20,000 to each of them. [3]

Preservation & Remembrance edit

Merced Assembly Center Memorial edit

The Merced Assembly Center Memorial is located at the Merced County Fairgrounds and was built in 1942. The 2008 Fair Board was hesitant to place the Memorial, but once the space was granted, there was fundraising which led to the Memorial being open to the public in 2010.[4] The Memorial consists of the names from the lives that were at the internment camps. There is a statue of families waiting with their luggage in front of the wall and there is also a reflection pool behind it. There are several plaques scattered around with more information about The Merced Assembly Center and what the Memorial stands for.

Historical Markers edit

 
The historical marker that is located at the Merced Assembly Center.

This historical marker was placed in 1982 to honor the history behind the assembly centers.[5] This marker, located at the Merced Assembly Center is marker number 934. This is one of ten historical markers that are placed to honor other detention centers that held those who were interned to these camps.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Merced (detention facility) | Densho Encyclopedia". encyclopedia.densho.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  2. ^ "Granada Relocation Center, CO (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  3. ^ yongli (2017-01-30). "Granada War Relocation Center (Amache)". coloradoencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  4. ^ "Merced's Japan Internment Memorial now 10 Years Old". Merced County Events. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  5. ^ "Merced Assembly Center Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  6. ^ "Related Historical Markers". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.