Manzanar National Historic Site

QUICKLINKS:

In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II.

		Layers of History This land has been a War Relocation Center, an apple farming community, a cattle ranch, and home of the Owens Valley Paiute. Together, these occupations illustrate Manzanar's long history of recurring human settlement, inhabitation, and displacement. more...

		Oral History Ever since the U.S. Army enclosed one square mile of land here with barbed wire in 1942, people have debated how to accurately describe Manzanar. Every person whose life was affected by Manzanar has his or her own story, in his or her own words. more...

Park Volunteer and former internee Saburo Sasaki talking to visitors. NPS Photo.

Volunteers

Volunteers help the National Park Service meet our national mission. They have made immeasurable contributions in every division within Manzanar National Historic Site. You can too.
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		Teacher Guides and Lesson Plans Explore the vast potential of learning at Manzanar. These teaching materials were designed to inspire teachers to utilize Manzanar National Historic Site in teaching history, language arts, math, and art while meeting numerous state teaching standards. more...

Write to

Manzanar National Historic Site
P.O. Box 426
Independence, CA 93526

E-mail Us

Phone

Visitor Information
(760) 878-2194 ext. 2710

Headquarters
(760) 878-2194

Fax

(760) 878-2949

Climate

Manzanar is located in the Owens Valley at 4,000' elevation, at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada. We get little precipitation but we do have four distinct seasons. Summer temperatures can soar over 100 degrees. Winter highs are usually in the 40's. Nighttime temperatures year round are 30 to 40 degrees less than daytime highs. High winds are common in any season.

Manzanar National Historic Site

Manzanar National Historic Site Information