This is Minidoka: An Archeological Survey of Minidoka Internment National Monument, Idaho

Summary

In May and July 2001 the Western Archeological and Conservation Center of the National Park Service conducted archeological investigations at the Minidoka Internment National Monument, in Idaho. The Monument was designated in January 2001 to provide opportunities for public education and interpretation of the internment of Japanese Aruericans during World War II. The Monument comprises a small part of the Minidoka Relocation Center, one of ten major facilities at which Japanese American citizens and Japanese immigrants were interned. The archaeological investigations included survey, feature recording and mapping, and photography, to provide information about the kinds of structural remains and artifacts still present from that period.

Over 200 features were recorded within the Monument. Although the remains of two building at the entrance are the most prominent relocation-era features at the Monument, other structural remains are also abundant. Foundation slabs mark the locations of warehouses, and footings for many other administrative buildings are still in place. Within a 2 1/4-acre Bureau of Reclamation parcel within the Monument boundary are two relocation-era buildings: one is half a garage, and the other a lavatory. The evacuee-built root cellar is partially within the Monument, partially on

private land. Landscaping features created by the evacuees include gardens, pathways, trees, and stepping stones. Remnants of roads, utilities, and the perimeter security fence are also present, as is one of the two evacuee-constructed swimming pools.

All the relocation-center-era features are considered eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, as is one trash dump that consists mostly of cans prepared for recycling. Most of the randomly scattered artifacts, in contrast, are not likely eligible for the Register. To preserve the significant physical remains documented in the archeological survey and enhance their interpretive potential for the public, four general classes of activities are recommended: (1) cleanup of modern trash, accumulated sediments, and vegetation, and protection from modern

intrusions; (2) limited archeological testing to better define and expose critical features; (3) stabilization and reconstruction of significant structures; and (4) long-term protection of associated features outside the Monument boundaries through land acquisition, special designation, or cooperative agreements with owners of adjacent land.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Minidoka Internment National Monument, Idaho   •
• WACC documents 2000-2009   •
• Idaho

Keywords

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1940 to 1941

Spatial Coverage

File Information