Near Ralston in Park County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)

Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

1. Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Marker

Captions: (top left) Relocation Camp in 1944; (bottom left) Typical Barracks Scene; (top right) Honor Roll and Flagpole, 1944; (bottom right) Honor Roll in 1944.

Inscription.

Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial. . History . After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, many parts of the West Coast were declared military defense zones. The government ordered the removal of all persons of Japanese ancestry and the War Relocation Authority was established in March 1942 to house them in inland camps. The Heart Mountain Relocation center was one of ten temporary camps constructed to confine over 110,000 men, women and children forced to leave their homes in California, Oregon, Washington and part of Arizona. It was the only camp located in Wyoming. Construction on the center began in June 1942 and the first internees arrived in August of that year. At the peak of its population, the Heart Mountain Center, which covered over 740 acres, contained nearly 11,000 people housed in 450 barracks. Although surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards, the internees kept the camp functioning as a small city with its own public works, grade schools, a high school, hospital and newspaper. At the time it was the third largest city in Wyoming. The camp was closed in November 1945, the buildings removed and the land, made arable by irrigation ditches completed by the internees, was opened up for homesteading. A portion of the Heart Mountain Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December19. 1985. The area listed includes the immediate vicinity of this Honor Roll and structures located to the east. , Honor Roll . This monument was erected by the internees at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in August 1944 to honor those from the camp who served in the United States armed forces in World War II. The photographs to the right and below show the Honor roll as it was in 1944. Although the elements have erased the names of those listed, the structure still remains as it was originally. In 1978 the Honor Roll was preserved as a memorial not only to those Japanese-Americans who served in the military, but also to recognize the sacrifices of those who were interned here throughout the war. In 1985 a plaque was erected memorializing those people from Heart Mountain who gave their lives in World War II.

History
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, many parts of the West Coast were declared military defense zones. The government ordered the removal of all persons of Japanese ancestry and the War Relocation Authority was established in March 1942 to house them in inland camps. The Heart Mountain Relocation center was one of ten temporary camps constructed to confine over 110,000 men, women and children forced to leave their homes in California, Oregon, Washington and part of Arizona. It was the only camp located in Wyoming. Construction on the center began in June 1942 and the first internees arrived in August of that year. At the peak of its population, the Heart Mountain Center, which covered over 740 acres, contained nearly 11,000 people housed in 450 barracks. Although surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards, the internees kept the camp functioning as a small city with its own public works, grade schools, a high school, hospital and newspaper. At the time it was the third largest city in Wyoming.
The camp was closed in November 1945, the buildings removed and the land, made arable by irrigation ditches completed by the internees, was opened up for homesteading.
A portion of the Heart Mountain Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December19.

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1985. The area listed includes the immediate vicinity of this Honor Roll and structures located to the east.

Honor Roll
This monument was erected by the internees at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in August 1944 to honor those from the camp who served in the United States armed forces in World War II. The photographs to the right and below show the Honor roll as it was in 1944. Although the elements have erased the names of those listed, the structure still remains as it was originally.
In 1978 the Honor Roll was preserved as a memorial not only to those Japanese-Americans who served in the military, but also to recognize the sacrifices of those who were interned here throughout the war.
In 1985 a plaque was erected memorializing those people from Heart Mountain who gave their lives in World War II.

Erected by Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • War, World II.

Location. 44° 40.227′ N, 108° 56.985′ W. Marker is near Ralston, Wyoming, in Park County. Marker can be reached from Road 19 near Lane 15, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1474 Road 19, Ralston WY 82440, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers.

Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Park and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

2. Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Park and Marker

This marker is on the far right.

At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Heart Mountain World War II Memorial (here, next to this marker); Norman Y. Mineta (here, next to this marker); Daniel K. Inouye (a few steps from this marker); Heart Mountain Relocation Center Honor Roll and Flag Pole (a few steps from this marker); Heart Mountain, Wyoming - Fall 1943 (within shouting distance of this marker); Barracks Living Area: (within shouting distance of this marker); Relocation Center Support Facilities (within shouting distance of this marker); Heart Mountain High School: (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ralston.

More about this memorial. Heart Mountain Relocation Camp is located off of the Powell Highway (U.S. Highway 14A) about 6 miles south of Ralston. This marker is located in Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Park.

Also see . . . A Brief History of Heart Mountain Relocation Center - WyoHistory. During World War II, people of Japanese descent from Oregon, Washington and California were incarcerated at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Park County, Wyo., as the result of an executive order of President Franklin Roosevelt. Residents were at the camp from Aug. 12, 1942 to Nov. 10, 1945, two months after the
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

3. Heart Mountain Relocation Center
has been designated a
National Historic Landmark
Between 1942 and 1945, guard towers and barbed wire fences on this site confined a community of nearly 11,000 forcibly unrooted people of Japanese ancestry, most of whom were American citizens. All were victims of racial prejudice wartime hysteria, and failed political leadership.
This site possesses national significance in illustrating the history of the United States of America
2006
National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior
end of the war with Japan. When the camp was at its largest, it held more than 10,000 people, making it the third largest town in the state. - See more at: http://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/brief-history-heart-mountain-relocation-center#sthash.7YdNbYGa.dpuf (Submitted on December 2, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Additional keywords. Japanese American internment

Heart Mountain Relocation Center image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

4. Heart Mountain Relocation Center

The National Register of Historic Places
Wyoming Place 226

Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

5. Heart Mountain Relocation Center Memorial Park

1942 - 1945
This Memorial is dedicated to those people interned here during World War II, to their sons and daughters who served our country, and to those who gave their lives in that service.
1977
Erected through interests of these Hear Mountain organizations: The Extension Club, The Homesteaders' Association, and the Irrigation District, The Powell Bicentennial Commission, The Park County Commissioners and The Historical Societies of Park County and Wyoming.
Heart Mountain Relocation Center Site Plan

Heart Mountain Relocation Center barracks image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, September 14, 2015

6. Heart Mountain Relocation Center barracks

Heart Mountain Relocation Center and Heart Mountain image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Washington State University Libraries

7. Heart Mountain Relocation Center and Heart Mountain

Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 566 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on December 2, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.