Amache NHS

Commemorating a dark chapter in American history, the Amache National Historic Site in southeastern Colorado was one of 10 incarceration sites for Japanese Americans during World War II. From 1942-45, over 10,000 people of Japanese descent - most US citizens - were detained here under the War Relocation Authority established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In all, more than 120,000 people were yanked from their homes and moved into government-run camps while America was at war with Japan. Many endured harsh and overcrowded conditions, despite military propaganda that portrayed the camps as benign. Today, the original foundations of Amache are visible on the landscape. The site also has a cemetery and several reconstructed buildings from the camp era.