The WWII Idaho Camp Where Japanese Americans Were Forced to Build Their Own Prison

Minidoka National Historic Site, Idaho

In the high desert of southern Idaho, Minidoka National Historic Site preserves the remains of a World War II concentration camp.

From 1942 to 1945, more than 13,000 Japanese Americans lived behind barbed wire at this remote location.

The camp stretched across 950 acres of sagebrush-covered land in Jerome County. Prisoners came from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, forced from their homes after Pearl Harbor.

Executive Order 9066 Forces Mass Incarceration

President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. This document authorized the military to remove Japanese Americans from the West Coast.

General John DeWitt implemented the order by creating exclusion zones along the Pacific Coast. Military authorities posted notices giving families just days or weeks to prepare.

More than 120,000 people sold homes, businesses, and possessions at huge losses. They registered at control centers, received identification tags, and boarded trains with only what they could carry.

Two-thirds were American citizens. None received trials or hearings. The government classified all people of Japanese ancestry as security threats based solely on race.

Construction of a Desert Prison Camp

The Morrison-Knudsen Company began building Minidoka in June 1942. Three thousand workers constructed a virtual city on the Snake River Plain, working day and night to meet deadlines.

The 33,000-acre site sat 20 miles northeast of Twin Falls. Its remote location met War Relocation Authority requirements: public land, access to water, and distance from population centers.

When the first prisoners arrived on August 10, 1942, they found unfinished facilities. No running water or sewage system existed. The dusty landscape contained only partial buildings and construction equipment.

Many prisoners immediately joined work crews, helping build their own prison camp.

Arrival from the Pacific Northwest

The first train carrying 212 prisoners from Puyallup, Washington arrived at Minidoka on August 10, 1942. More followed at a rate of 500 per day throughout August and September.

Trains traveled with window blinds closed. Most passengers had no idea where they were until stepping onto Idaho soil. Seattle residents came first, followed by Portland families and a smaller group from Alaska.

By mid-September, 8,381 people filled the camp. The population reached its peak of 9,397 in March 1943.

For urban families accustomed to mild coastal climates, the harsh desert environment created immediate shock and despair.

Harsh Living Conditions in the High Desert

Summer temperatures at Minidoka reached 115 degrees. Winter brought bitter cold, dropping to 30 below zero. Dust storms blinded residents in dry weather, while rain turned the entire camp to mud.

Each barrack measured 20 by 120 feet, divided into six rooms for six families. Walls consisted of thin wooden frames covered with tar paper. No insulation protected against heat or cold.

Coal-burning stoves provided the only heat. Each block shared communal bathrooms and laundry facilities, meaning long walks in freezing weather.

For the first five months, residents used outdoor pit latrines. This created sanitation problems until the sewage system finally began operating in January 1943.

Creating Community Behind Barbed Wire

Minidoka contained 36 residential blocks, each housing about 250 people. Administrators arranged the camp in a sweeping arc following the North Side Canal.

Despite harsh conditions, residents created a functioning community. They built schools, churches, and recreational facilities. The Minidoka Irrigator newspaper began publishing in September 1942, providing news and announcements.

Children attended Hunt High School, which opened in November 1942 with 1,225 students. Adults formed clubs, sports teams, and musical groups.

The camp included stores, barber shops, a beauty salon, and repair services. Residents planted gardens, formed baseball teams, and held dances to maintain normalcy amid confinement.

Agricultural Labor Beyond Camp Boundaries

The Idaho sugar beet industry faced a labor crisis in 1942. Farmers desperately needed workers to harvest crops essential to the war effort.

Camp administrators granted work leave to prisoners willing to labor in nearby fields. In 1943, approximately 2,400 Minidoka residents harvested crops throughout southern Idaho.

These workers sometimes toiled alongside German prisoners of war housed in separate camps. Japanese American labor helped Idaho double its agricultural production during wartime.

Local newspapers credited Minidoka workers with saving the regional beet crop.

The Honor Roll and Military Service

In January 1943, President Roosevelt authorized formation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, allowing Japanese Americans to serve in combat. From Minidoka, 844 men enlisted or were drafted.

On October 17, 1943, camp residents dedicated an Honor Roll listing every Minidoka serviceman. Artists Kamekichi Tokita and Kenjiro Nomura designed and painted the wooden panel.

The 442nd became the most decorated unit for its size in American military history. They fought primarily in Europe, earning thousands of medals including 21 Medals of Honor.

Minidoka had the highest military participation rate of any incarceration camp. Yet when soldiers died in battle, their imprisoned families could not attend funerals.

The Camp Closure and Property Dispersal

As the war ended, authorities began closing Minidoka. The population dropped to 6,950 by late 1944. The camp officially closed on October 28, 1945.

The government transferred the property to the Bureau of Reclamation on February 10, 1946. Officials divided the land into small farms, distributing parcels to veterans through a lottery system.

In 1947, 43 veterans received farmland. Each lottery winner acquired two barracks buildings with their property. Another 46 homesteads were distributed in 1949.

Most camp structures were dismantled, sold, or given away. Farmers plowed under foundations, planted crops, and erased visible signs of the camp’s existence.

The Path to Historic Preservation

For decades, little marked what happened at Minidoka. Former prisoners rarely spoke about their experiences, and the site faded from public awareness.

The first recognition came on July 10, 1979, when the camp was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. No significant preservation occurred for another two decades.

On January 17, 2001, President Bill Clinton designated Minidoka as a National Monument, making it the 385th unit of the National Park Service.

In 2006, President George W. Bush signed legislation providing $38 million to preserve Japanese American confinement sites. Minidoka was redesignated as a National Historic Site in 2008, expanding its boundaries.

Remaining Structures and Site Restoration

Few original structures survived the post-war years. Farmers demolished buildings, recycled materials, and cultivated the land where barracks once stood.

Today, visitors see the remains of the entrance area and guard station. A portion of the Japanese-style rock garden created by prisoners has been restored near the entrance.

A historic warehouse has been converted into the visitor center. Block 22 contains a restored barrack and mess hall showing typical living conditions.

The Friends of Minidoka organization recreated the Honor Roll in 2011 using a National Park Service grant.

Visiting Minidoka National Historic Site

Minidoka National Historic Site is located at 1428 Hunt Road in Jerome, Idaho. The visitor center opens Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during summer months.

A 1.6-mile trail loops through the historic area with 27 interpretive panels explaining various aspects of camp life.
Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• This Idaho Town Offers Dark Skies, Wild Beauty & Pure Mountain Solitude Just 3 Hours From Boise
• Pioneer Wagons Once Feared This Idaho Landmark Where Oregon Trail Travelers Braced for Ambush
• Idaho’s Secret Paradise Has Pristine River Valleys, Untouched Wilderness, and Native American Heritage