Living conditions

All of the camps were constructed according to the War Department's specifications, which included barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and armed guards around the perimeter. The camps were organized in "blocks" consisting of twelve to fourteen barracks, a mess hall, communal showers and toilets, laundry facilities, and a recreation hall. Each barracks was divided into four or six rooms with each room housing one family, no matter how large, and there was no running water. The furnishings that Japanese Americans found on their arrival were canvas cots, a potbellied stove, and a single bare light bulb. The thin walls offered little protection from the harsh weather, which ranged from 110 degrees in the summer to 25 degrees below zero on winter nights. The flimsy construction allowed no privacy and made normal family life difficult. Camp inmates improved their own living conditions by creating interior walls and partitions, constructing furniture from scrap lumber, and planting gardens.

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Living conditions (1751)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp, Community analysts, Manzanar Children's Village

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1751 items
Letter from George Ito to Lea Perry, May 18, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-5)
doc Letter from George Ito to Lea Perry, May 18, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-5)
Letter from George Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-003
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, February 5, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-68)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, February 5, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-68)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9066. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-066
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, October 1, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-91)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, October 1, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-91)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9089. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-089
[Pig pens] (ddr-csujad-56-183)
img [Pig pens] (ddr-csujad-56-183)
Group of pigs in a maze of pigpens at camp. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-050
It's a homer! (ddr-csujad-56-154)
img It's a homer! (ddr-csujad-56-154)
Photo of a baseball game at camp. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-021
[Arkansas river bridge] (ddr-csujad-56-231)
img [Arkansas river bridge] (ddr-csujad-56-231)
Bridge over the Arkansas River near Camp Amache. Page 17 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-040
Letter from Lea Perry to George Ito, July 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-3)
doc Letter from Lea Perry to George Ito, July 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-3)
Letter from Lea Perry to George Ito. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9001. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-001
Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, May 22, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-7)
doc Letter from Lea Perry to Kazuo Ito, May 22, 1942 (ddr-csujad-56-7)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_0260. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-005
[Picnic by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-142)
img [Picnic by the river] (ddr-csujad-56-142)
Photo of incarcerees on blankets by the river. Large group of elderly women in the foreground. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-009
[Produce display] (ddr-csujad-56-164)
img [Produce display] (ddr-csujad-56-164)
Display of produce with pieces of paper placed on them. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-031
Letter from Frank Ito to Joe and Lea Perry, May 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-80)
doc Letter from Frank Ito to Joe and Lea Perry, May 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-80)
Letter from Frank Ito to Joe and Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9078. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-078
Granada Station (ddr-csujad-56-178)
img Granada Station (ddr-csujad-56-178)
Train from the assembly center arriving at Camp Amache, inscribed with a note "End of the long train trip". Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-045
Interview with George Hamamoto, (audio) (ddr-csujad-56-1)
av Interview with George Hamamoto, (audio) (ddr-csujad-56-1)
Sonoma County resident George Hamamoto was interviewed on June 20, 1978, by a Sonoma State University student for the North Bay Ethnic Archive Project. He discusses growing up in Sebastopol, the family grocery store, removal to Assembly Center in Merced, then incarceration at Granada (Amache) camp. Discusses organization and administration of camp, and return to Napa …
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, September 17, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-52)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, September 17, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-52)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9050. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-050
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, January 5, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-100)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, January 5, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-100)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9098. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-098
[Chicken coops] (ddr-csujad-56-155)
img [Chicken coops] (ddr-csujad-56-155)
Photo of several chicken coops and chickens meandering around. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-022
[Personnel housing] (ddr-csujad-56-193)
img [Personnel housing] (ddr-csujad-56-193)
Living quarters with desert plants in foreground. Page 2 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book One. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-002
[Japanese American soldier] (ddr-csujad-56-181)
img [Japanese American soldier] (ddr-csujad-56-181)
Picture of Japanese American incarceree and soldier standing in front of Amache Honor Roll four-sided board. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-048
[Pyramid] (ddr-csujad-56-243)
img [Pyramid] (ddr-csujad-56-243)
Haruo Kawase, Fred and another young man from Camp Amache pose for the camera. Page 29 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-052
Letter from Johnny written by Kazuo to Lea Perry, July 12, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-118)
doc Letter from Johnny written by Kazuo to Lea Perry, July 12, 1945 (ddr-csujad-56-118)
Letter from Johnny written by Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-116
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, October 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-92)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, October 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-92)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9090. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-090
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, April 16, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-77)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, April 16, 1944 (ddr-csujad-56-77)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9075. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-075
[Surgery] (ddr-csujad-56-137)
img [Surgery] (ddr-csujad-56-137)
Surgical procedure in progress. Photo provided by Tak Kameoka. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-02-004
[News room] (ddr-csujad-56-220)
img [News room] (ddr-csujad-56-220)
Camp newspaper headquarters with man walking past and other incarcerees working on newspaper. Page 6 of Kawase Family Photo Album, Book Two. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-029
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, June 21, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-49)
doc Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry, June 21, 1943 (ddr-csujad-56-49)
Letter from Kazuo Ito to Lea Perry. The original letters are housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and were borrowed for digitization courtesy of the JACL, December 2014. Transcript is found in item: ssu_nbea_9047. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-01-047
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