Heart Mountain Relocation Center

I have a small list of things I would like to do/redo before we move.  One of those things was to visit the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center.  The original Camp opened in August 1942 and imprisoned more than 14,000 people during its three-year existence. The last internees left the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in November, 1945.

 

 Through photographs, artifacts, oral histories, and interactive exhibits, we experienced life at Heart Mountain through the eyes of those Japanese and Japanese Americans that were confined here during WWII. The center does a beautiful job of commemorating the resilience of the Japanese people, but it is impossible to not be emotionally overwhelmed at their unjust treatment.

 We then went up the hill where they have a self guided walking tour where you can see the location of things such as the swimming hole, high school, hospital and original barracks.

{View of Heart Mountain in the back}

 The center is housed in buildings meant to replicate the original barracks which are barren and depressing from the outside, while inviting and rich in history on the inside.  I am so so glad we got to take the girls here and hope that it will forever leave an imprint on their heart.