Japanese American Relocation Center-Amache, Granada, CO
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Dec 7, 1941 FDR issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced relocation of Japanese-Americans that were living on the west coast.. Amache was one of 10 relocation centers spread across the US and was located on the west side of Granada, Colorado- very small town in the SE corner of Colorado near the Kansas border. At it's height, Amache housed over 7,000 of the 120,000, mostly US citizens, that were sent to assembly centers and eventually transferred to relocation centers.
Although it was the smallest relocation center, 7,000 people concentrated in the tiny town of Granada made it the 10th largest city in Colorado. The camp was built on private land - 10,000 acres -most of it seized by imminent domain. 600 of those acres were used for buildings and the rest was agricultural. The camp was expected to be self sufficient. Few of the internees had been farmers before the war broke out yet they managed to work all that acreage and produce 4 million lbs of vegetables! Which was shared with other camps.
There isn't much there anymore. It reminded me of St. Thomas - the city buried by Lake Mead - in that what you see is the foundations of buildings. But at Amache a few of the structures have been rebuilt - the water tower, a guard tower and one of the housing units which you can go in and imagine what living there would have been like.
I stumbled on this piece of history so I wasn't prepared. If you go you might check out these websites first. Also download the driving tour:
Amache Internment Camp survivor Bob Fuchigami,First hand account of an Internee
Website run by
Driving tour map and podcast download
Amache Museum, 105 E Goff Ave, Granada, CO.
Open 5 days a week in the summer, otherwise by appointment . It sounds like they have some artifacts but is primarily a research center.
A list of the 10 Japanese American Relocation Center locations.
Colorado Experience: Amache (full length)
In the wake of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, roughly 110,000 Japanese Americans were relocated to internment camps across the United States as part of Executive Order 9066. Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, going against popular anti-Japanese sentiment, fought to bring a camp to Colorado, where he felt its internees would be safe from harm. In August 1942, the Granada Relocation Center, more commonly known as Amache, received its first evacuees, mostly arriving by train from the California Coast. At its peak, Amache held 7,567 internees---making it the tenth largest city in Colorado. This episode of Colorado Experience brings you the story of Amache through the eyes of those who lived it, offering a seldom-seen chapter in America's wartime history.
For more episodes, please visit rmpbs.org/coloradoexperience
Amache Internment Camp survivor Bob Fuchigami
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, many Americans feared Japanese-Americans. We just looked like the enemy, said Bob Fuchigami, who was only 11 years old when the attack happened. Fuchigami was one of more than 7,000 people who were forcibly moved to the Granada Relocation Center in Colorado from 1942 to 1945. His life and understanding of his home country, the United States, changed forever. This is his story.
Video by Lindsay Pierce, The Denver Post
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Amache Japanese Internment Camp
Japanese Relocation camp.was nicely maintained by the local historical society.
WWII Japanese Internment at Amache
WWII Japanese Internment Camp Amache, Granada, CO 1942-1945.
Camp Amache
Granada Relocation Center where over 7000 Japanese (who were mostly American citizens) were imprisoned from 1942 to 1945. Located near Granada Colorado.
Camp Amache
This was the May 21, 2011 pilgrimage to Camp Amache Japanese concentration camp in Granada, Colorado, Sponsored by the Japanese Association of Colorado, The Friends of Amache and The Amache Club.
During World War II, the U.S. government forced 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry from their homes and businesses and moved them to 10 internment, relocation (concentration) camps in 7 states, including Camp Amache in southeast Colorado.
The camp opened in August 1942 and had a maximum population of 7,318 persons. Each person was only allowed to bring one bag, therefore, many people were forced to sell what they could or give away their possessions before being forced out. This also included pets.
Former Colorado State Representative Dennis Apuan established the Dennis Apuan Asian Pacific American Historical and Cultural Collection Fund of the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation in December 2010 in order to build a meaningful library collection to enlighten the wider community and expand our experiences in Asian Pacific American history and culture.
To make an online contribution to the Asian Pacific American Collection of the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation, please visit
Donations are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.
An extended version of this video is available for a small donation by contacting:
witness4peace@hotmail.com
The memorial ceremony included George Kuwamura (MC), Hoji & Oshoko by Reverend Carol O'Dowd, Blessing by Reverend Paul Murphy-Geiss, Presentation from Vicki Taniwaki and Taiko drums by Mirai Daiko.
The opening song is Amache Tears was composed and performed by Mark Lewis on a traditional Japanese flute called a Shakuhachi.
Colorado Experience: Amache (abridged)
In the wake of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, roughly 110,000 Japanese Americans were relocated to internment camps across the United States as part of Executive Order 9066. Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, going against popular anti-Japanese sentiment, fought to bring a camp to Colorado, where he felt its internees would be safe from harm. In August 1942, the Granada Relocation Center, more commonly known as Amache, received its first evacuees, mostly arriving by train from the California Coast. At its peak, Amache held 7,567 internees---making it the tenth largest city in Colorado. This episode of Colorado Experience brings you the story of Amache through the eyes of those who lived it, offering a seldom-seen chapter in America's wartime history.
For more episodes, please visit rmpbs.org/coloradoexperience
Colorado Experience: Amache Sneak Peek
In the wake of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, roughly 110,000 Japanese- Americans were relocated to internment camps across the United States as part of Executive Order 9066. This episode of Colorado Experience brings you the story of Amache through the eyes of those who lived it, offering a seldom-seen chapter in America's wartime history.
For more news on the brand new series, Colorado Experience, visit
Granda War Relocation Center
About 70 years ago, life was very different for Japanese-Americans in our country. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II, an executive order was issued to send Japanese-Americans living in the United States into internment camps that includes 7,000 sent to the relocation center in Granada in southeastern Colorado.
Camp Amache - The Story of an American Tragedy
The story of Camp Amache is a story of survival of more than 7,000 people who lost everything and were unjustly interned bu the United States Government. In spite of these circumstances, they remained loyal to the government of the United States of America.
Camp Amache
A video postcard of a World War II Japanese relocation camp
Colorado Experience: Amache Sneak Peek
While American troops were fighting abroad in World War II, over 7500 Japanese-Americans found themselves interned in the Granada War Relocation Center.
Premieres Thursday, March 28 at 7PM.
For more information: rmpbs.org/coloradoexperience
Camp Amache
A tour of graveyard at Camp Amache
Santa Fe Trail Camp Amache
Japanese American relocation camp. Located on highway 385 near the town of Granada.
Amache, Granada Relocation Center, was a Japanese Internment Camp during World War 2 located in southeast Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. It is now a .
- It's a part of New Mexican history that few are aware of and no one talked about at the time. According to the Department of .
Japanese Internment Camp archeological dig
Camp Amache in southeast Colorado was the 10th largest city in the state during World War II. 7,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned there from 1942-1945. The University of Denver conducted an archeological dig there this summer.
ViewFinder: Calling Tokyo - KVIE
Discover the story of a group of Japanese-Americans who as American civilians served during WWII, even as their families and friends were incarcerated in concentration camps. Examine how they assisted the war efforts of Britain and the US through language translation work and short wave radio broadcasting to Japan.
The Smell of Grapes on the Other Side of the Fence - Bob Fuchigami
Bob Fuchigami was a teenager when he was imprisoned in the Merced Assembly Center, California, and the Amache (Granada) concentration camp, Colorado, during World War II. In this clip, Bob describes seeing and smelling the vineyard just beyond the fence at Merced.
This clip is an excerpt from Bob Fuchigami's oral history interview conducted May 14, 2008, by the Manzanar National Historic Site. To see the complete interview segment, visit the Densho Digital Repository (
For more information:
Merced Assembly Center:
Amache (Granada) concentration camp:
Beyond the Barbed Wire -- Manzanar Alternative Break
Colorado State University volunteers trekked to Manzanar, Calif. over Spring Break 2009 to help with the National Park's restoration efforts. Full story at (I actually suggest reading the story BEFORE watching the video)
Working with the African American Community to Fight Segregation - Joe Ishikawa
Joe Ishikawa was sent to the Granada (Amache) concentration camp, Colorado, during World War II. After the war, he left camp to attend the University of Nebraska, then worked as a curator in the university's art museum and for the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. In this clip, he recalls an incident in which he worked with community groups to desegregate a public swimming pool.
This clip is an excerpt from Joe Ishikawa's Densho oral history interview conducted January 10, 2008. To see the complete interview segment, visit the Densho Digital Repository (ddr.densho.org/interviews/ddr-densho-1000-205-25/).