Hello to Manzanar: An Internment Camp Experience

I release this original Above Top Secret Report, for public information! I give ATS exclusive rights to this production.

Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when her family was uprooted from their home and sent to live at the Manzanar internment camp -- with 10,000 other Japanese Americans. The book she wrote about it, entitled "FareWell to Manzanar" Instantly became a popular hit amongst America, because it enlightened them to the fact that the internment actually took place, not to mention that the book also enlightened Americans as to what took place there. I remember this book, because when I went to school I was required to read it and do a book report on it... along with another book entitled "The Diary of Anne Frank".

Today, Manzanar is a historic point of interest tourists can go and visit to get a feel of what it was like to be interned at Manzanar. There is a large gymnasium that pretty much is all that remains standing at Manzanar that has been turned into a make shift museum where folks can learn about the site, and why it was created.
The Manzanar Historic Marker is located 7 miles North of a small town known as Lone Pine in NorthEastern California, off of route 395 in the Owen's Valley.

Regional notes: The Owen's Valley in of itself is a location of mystery and wonder, as the Geology of the area will attest to. I've enjoyed traveling to this beautiful part of our planet since the age of 8, as Mammoth Lakes Ski Resort is also located at the head of the Owen's Valley, and is one of my favorite ski locales.

Being a Geology major too, I've visited many sites around the Owen's Valley which offers a weekend warrior the excitement and thrill of gem and mineral collecting above and beyond most places in the Western States... Where one can find samples of Obsidion from several local lava flows, Turquoise, rare Quartz crystals, Apatite, pure Titanium spar locked in Quartz, Gold, Silver, Copper, Malachite, Garnet, Beryl, Fire Opals, Petrified Wood, Agates, Jaspers, and other fascinating stones. The highest point within the Continental United States is also located at Lone Pine, known As Mt. Whitney. And how many here remember all of those black and white cowboy movies, Like the Lone Ranger? They filmed them all here - at Lone Pine!

Several medium size volcanoes ring both the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain range and the ajacent White mountain range which form the Owen's Valley, Most of
which are all extinct with the exception of one, which is located within an ajoining valley to the Owen's Valley and is located also within the Mammoth Lakes region, known as Long Valley - a series of volcanic formations built into the Sierra Mountain Range that form a Caldera system 26 miles in total area who's activities rival the Yellow Stone Caldera system in the intensity of eruptive actions that this region has spawned. These Volcanoes stand at roughly 13,000 ft. and are an awesome spectacle to behold! One of the best places to be able to view these volcanoes is known as Convict Lake, a beautiful location with the lake resting at the foot of these super massive volcanoes.

The region has several hot springs and hydrothermal vents that provide super hot hydrothermal electricity plants in the area the energies used by the people in the region to light up thier lives and power thier facilities. Interestingly, the location of the Long Valley is where the Geologic formation known as the Colorado Plataeu begins, the same formation that houses Yellow Stone's Caldera, and several other active volcanoes, such as Mt. St. helens, and Lassen peak.

This last weekend I decided to go and once again visit the Owen's Valley with my wife, and we stayed in Lone Pine, a "Back to Mayberry" type of town where the Piute - Soshone Indian tribes also possess tribal rights to the territories the town exists in, and are a peaceful lot who will shake your hand and welcome you to thier little neck of the woods. The other outlying towns of Inependance and Big Pine are the same way.

My wife and I started our Journey from Lone Pine to go visit the Long Valley when while travelling North upon U.S. 395 We noticed all of this road work being done to the highway to rebuild the structure of it so that the roads in and out of the historic Marker known as Manzanar could be easily accessable! It even included turn lanes onto these access streets, which weren't there before. I knew what Manzanar was, and immediately I began to wonder... So we took the turn, and went in to pay Manzanar a visit. There was the usual tourist groups there, at the gymnasium, and the foundations of the old internment camp's barracks remained empty - with the exception of four brand new facilities, one of which was currently under construction! Here are the photos to provide the proof...

Image 1: Roadwork and sign announcing Manzanar.

As this image reveals, we are on the road heading in to Manzanar on southern approach. As you can plainly see, road work is being done on the road, just off of U.S. 395. Work is also being done to improve the highway itself too, as the Granite Construction Company water truck (next to the Manzanar sign) sitting on the side of the highway will attest to. If you will notice in this picture, in front of us in the distance the "Road Closed" barricades and several cones can be seen that blocks the northern approach exit off due to construction.




Image 2: Manzanar's Front Gate.

This is just a shot to prove where we are. It reveals the standing Gymnasium, the only structure that has ever stood at Manzanar I've seen since I was a kid.




Image 3: Manzanar Gymnasium - and now 2 ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES!

These new structures are Barracks! Why are they being built? WHY?!




Image 4: Manzanar Construction.

Here is another Barracks structure being built. An all-terrain forkLift and a stack of Drywall is seen next to it.




Image 5: Proof of where these structures are being built.

The tourist information panel for the Manzanar Internment camp complex sits in the foreground, in the background two of these barracks structures can be seen.




Image 6: Proof of where these structures are being built.

The tourist information panel for the Manzanar Internment camp complex sits in the foreground, in the background two of these barracks structures can be seen.




Image 7: Manzanar, with one of it's gun towers.

This picture reveals a gun tower, and two of the completed barracks in the background.




Image 8: Southern approach to Manzanar under construction.

This shows the approaches being worked on, via Obama bucks, for improvement.




So far, 4 Barracks structures are completed, sitting atop what used to be concrete foundations of the Barracks that existed in 1942.

WHY are they rebuilding Manzanar?!.... I think that the honest soul knows the answer to this, and here is your proof ATS. Manzanar, again, is rising from the ashes of the past, to live once again as an internment camp! I only hope that this truth in reporting will wake up those that needed more proof to do so!

reply to post by Megiddodiddo


That's some fantastic work friend!

Thanks for sharing with us, I will add my comments a little later once I've researched the topic a little more.

So far though this is awesome!

~Keeper

Fun fact:

George Tekae (sp)

sulu from star trek was held there ..

~meathead

Agreed! This information should literally blast the doors off of this conspiracy! the " IN YOUR FACE" rebuilding of a previously established American Internment Camp!

Nobody has reported it until now... This will surely raise the bar on America's awareness of the problem of America's upcomming internment!!

[edit to add]

I misspelled the town of INDEPENDANCE in the OP, to clarify what "inependance" really is lol...

[edit on 7/21/2010 by Megiddodiddo]

i'm actually rather amazed that this article isn't finding more interest. is it how I entitled it? lol... this is something you'd think american's would go nuts over to discover... very odd indeed...

i have been thee in the beginning of my tenth grade year for a field trip. I have to admit i find the place okay. the fun part though is hearing exciting story about a formor prisoner of manzanar

Originally posted by Mike Stivic
Fun fact:

George Tekae (sp)

sulu from star trek was held there ..

~meathead

I really wonder... if this information got to George Takei, what his reaction to this would be... I think I'll try to locate a contact for him and give him the scoop on this.

This is real, and i bet you that his input on this subject would disclose much!

[edit on 7/21/2010 by Megiddodiddo]

I don't think they would be rebuilding it to use as an internment camp.

Seems like they are just rebuilding parts of it so that visitors can get more of a feel for what it was like to be there back in the day.

I've emailed both George Takei and Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston at the contact information I could find for them inviting them to get involved in this...

They should find this topic very interesting!

Originally posted by SerialLurker
I don't think they would be rebuilding it to use as an internment camp.

Seems like they are just rebuilding parts of it so that visitors can get more of a feel for what it was like to be there back in the day.

If I had positive feelings on this rebuilding effort on the innocense of this Internment Camp's reconstruction I wouldn't have posted this report.

They are building Barracks, possibly a low level security encampment for reeducation of mild cases of dissent on the establishment of the

State of New Columbia

.

Do your research if you want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes!

Even the route of egress from North and South approaches are being revamped! I guess the proof in the pudding is when the fences go up, which you and I both know will come last lol...

the key to understanding it all is said to follow the money...

CALIFORNIA IS BROKE, WHY WOULD THEY WASTE MONEY BUILDING A TOURIST ATTRACTION?!

Helllooooooooo..... ==

[edit on 7/21/2010 by Megiddodiddo]

Just after WW2 some of the Barracks were moved to the Naval Ordnance Test Station China Lake and used for housing on base and later use by clubs and other organizations on base till they were finely torn down in the early 1990s.

What they are building now is a recreation of the original barracks.
one is as used in 1942 and the other will be as used in 1945.

www.nps.gov...

2 post

[edit on 22-7-2010 by ANNED]

Excellent find my friend... Just makes you wonder!

S&F

reply to post by ANNED


Thanks for the link ANNED! this indeed provides some usefull information about what the National Park Services has been up to regarding possitive educational restoration of a blight on American history.

As a side note, just for Sh8ts and giggles - how many here feel this is a cover up explanation of what the real intentions for Manzanar are?

==

No offense ANNED, your information is right on the money, I just find it SO GODDANG APPROPRIATE for the U.S. government to use Taxpayer dollars to fund such an asignine project as something like this while the U.S. Government totters on the brink of Financial Collapse!

I counter the government's so called innocense with a theory of my own:

the U.S. is preparing Barracks to house Americans.... That sounds like reality!

lol, now while I could kick myself fo not investigating this further (such as look for FEMA connections lol), I wont, because it's only obvious that this construction effort serves a two fold purpose...

Which, if your information about them moving the original Barracks to the China Peak Naval Weapons testing and Research facility (also located in the Owen's Valley) is true, now makes that location suspect too!

lol, Maybe I'll go skiing at China Peak this year, just to take a look around... ==

[edit on 7/21/2010 by Megiddodiddo]

Very good write up... I also read Farewell to Manzanar and was heartbroken when I read it and even more heartbroken to learn my country is doing it all over again in other countries. High school sucked it made me loose all faith in my country, I was taught had such a glorious history.

my feeling on this is the same as you Megiddodiddo why in the world would Ca build something as redundant as a re-creation of barracks from a time when the Gov. treated Japanese like Germany treated their Jewish guests in WW2. that desert is good for one thing Desert racing.
it just doesnt make sense Ca is broke the schools are about to collapse if they cant pay teachers why pay for this do they think it will be the next Universal studios and become a huge tourist attraction I think NOT... why not just leave the originals there. why take the original barracks away?
from what I remember of the book those barracks were Phuct when the Japs. where there holes in the floor dust storm blowing in dirt through broken windows and boards. there is no way they tore those turds down and reused them...

our glorious leaders have a plan and they are Rushing to get it going...

[edit on 7/21/2010 by -W1LL]

I feel your pain W1LL, I've had my own bout of pain to discover the same things about my glorious country as you.

It's rather interesting to note the lack of interest this post has generated. THIS IS AN ATS EXCLUSIVE... about an internment camp that is being refurbished.

I really wonder what people think Manzanar is... don't they see the word INTERNMENT in the title of the thread? lol... I should have added FEMA in there or something lol!

I do think the gun tower is a little suspicious. But I wouldnt jump to the immediate conclusion that they are resurrecting this internment camp due to 2 small barracks. Now, if it were 5-20 then that might be a little something. I think its just historic preservation. I have a degree in historic preservation and believe me, state budget sets aside a certain amount of money each year to go towards it- regardless of how broke the state is. Historic preservation is huge for tourism of the state.

Why not check back in another 6 months and see what has developed?

reply to post by xynephadyn


Hi - thanks for your input.

Actually, the gun tower was built - according to the Department of National Parks - in 2005.

And it's 4 buildings - not two - that have been built so far. All of the remaining foundation are swept clean - I feel they intend on building more, as FEMA gears up for REX 84.

It's my educated opinion, based on first hand observation, that this is just the beginning phases of a renewal of the Manzanar Internment Camp.

My photos reveal all 4 buildings by the way. Finally...

This project isn't funded by the State of California, it's funded by the United States National Parks Service - A FEDERAL ENTITY!

==

[edit on 7/22/2010 by Megiddodiddo]

reply to post by Megiddodiddo


Ah. Well I am a firm believer in the Fema Camps, so if this is true, its really really sick. Thanks for posting the pictures!

reply to post by xynephadyn


INDEED! This is truly sick! It's an "in your face" Renewal of the Manzanar Internment camp in response to REX 84. I mean, look at all of the unsuspecting tourists who are just looking around - and right at the future internment campus construction going on right in their faces - lol... ignorance!

I'm hoping that Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and George Takei recieve the info I sent them on this - if they found out about this they'd most likely go ballistic - just the sort of fire power needed to blow this secret wide open!

I've also emailed this information to Frontline, and the Washington Post - along with the info on REX 84. Let's hope they join in on this too!

Every red blooded American who understands the importance of the Manzanar Internment Camp should become aware of this! There should be a red flag that springs up in thier minds as to the real underlying reason why Manzanar is being rebuilt!!!

[edit on 7/22/2010 by Megiddodiddo]