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)

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1751 items

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (June 8, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-94)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (June 8, 1942). Envelope is postmarked June 11, 1942 and addressed from Lillian Nishioka from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-94/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Mollie Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (July 7, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-97)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Sadae (Lillian) Nishioka (July 7, 1942). Envelope is postmarked July 9, 1942 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-97/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 27, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-110)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (December 27, 1943). Envelope is postmarked December 31, 1943 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-110/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Yuri Shimokochi (December 28, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-57)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Yuri Shimokochi (December 28, 1942). Envelope is postmarked December 29, 1942 from the Heart Mountain Incarceration Camp in Cody, Wyoming.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-57/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (June 28, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-28)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (June 28, 1942). Envelope is postmarked June 29, 1942 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-28/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (November 27, 1943) (ddr-janm-1-108)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Chiyeko Akahoshi (November 27, 1943). Envelope is postmarked November 29, 1943 from the Manzanar Incarceration Camp in Manzanar, California.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-108/

doc Letter (with envelope) to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (June 2, 1942) (ddr-janm-1-30)

Handwritten letter to Molly Wilson from Mary Murakami (June 2, 1942). Envelope is postmarked June 4, 1942 from the Poston (Colorado River) Incarceration Camp in Parker, Arizona.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-janm-1-30/

doc Telegram from Loyd Jensen to Project Director (ddr-densho-258-206)

Loyd Jensen sends a telegram to the Project Director at Minidoka Concentration Camp inquiring into the health of the Ichikawa family after Tatsuya Ichikawa requested temporary parole.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-206/

doc Letter from Tatsuya Ichikawa to Loyd H. Jenson (ddr-densho-258-204)

Tatsuya Ichikawa writes to Loyd H. Jensen the Officer in Charge of the Sante Fe Department of Justice Internment Camp. Ichikawa requests to be given temporary parole so he could travel to Minidoka concentration camp to help his family. His two youngest children were hospitalized. A post-it note written by Satoru Ichikawa attached to the letter …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-204/

img Ichikawa family and friends (ddr-densho-258-203)

A photograph was taken by Jack Yamaguchi of the Ichikawa family on the steps of their barracks, Block 13-1-E, at Minidoka Concentration Camp. Back row from left to right: Satoru Ichikawa, Mr. Hino, Etsuko Ichikawa, Yasashi Ichikawa, Shinya Ichikawa, Unidentified boy, Noriko Ichikawa, Yahachi Suzuki Front Row left to right: Akira Ichikawa, Hiroko Ichikawa

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-203/

doc Co-Op News, Vol II. No. 4 (September 16, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-14)

Selected article titles: "24 Co-Op Workers to Transfer to Tule Lake" (p. 1), "Operating Statement for July Released" (p. 1), "Photo Studio to Close, Move to 2-12-EF" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-14/

doc Co-Op News, Vol II. No. 1 (September 2, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-12)

Selected article titles: "V.P. to Act as Chairman" (p. 1), "Rate of Rebate Set 15.14% for 2nd Quarter" (p. 1), "Wool Yarns Expected Soon at Dry Goods Store" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-12/

doc Co-Op News, Vol I. No. 12 (August 19, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-10)

Selected article titles: "Ice Shortage Due to Army Demand Affects Co-Op" (p. 1), "Wanted: Sales Clerks to Replace Tule Lake Transferees" (p. 1), "Salt Lake Tribune: Block Managers Aid in Distribution" (p. 1), "Withdrawls from Bank can be Made at Any Time" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-10/

doc Co-Op News, Vol I. No. 10 (August 5, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-8)

Selected article titles: "Transferees to Receive Rebates at Same Time as Other Members" (p. 1), ""WPB Rule Cuts Deliveries of Salt Lake Tribune" (p. 1), "Policy on Exchange of Dry Goods Stated" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-8/

doc Co-Op News, Vol I. No. 8 (July 22, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-6)

Selected article titles: "Equity Certificates For First Quarter to be Distributed Soon" (p. 1), "Construction on Ice House Started Tuesday" (p. 1), "Picture Taking Resumed" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-6/

doc Co-Op News, Vol I. No. 13 (August 26, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-11)

Selected article titles: "Uchida Leaves Co-Op Chairman of the Board" (p. 1), "Announcements" (p. 1), "To the Members" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-11/

doc Co-Op News, Vol 1. No. 4 (June 17, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-4)

Selected article titles: "Result of Buying Trip: Tatsuno, Fujita Return" (p. 1), "Announcement Soon on Photo Studio Opening" (p. 1), "Who Owns the Co-Op?" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-4/

doc Co-Op News, Vol I. No. 3 (June 10, 1943) (ddr-densho-288-3)

Selected article titles: "$1,000 Fund for Topaz School Children" (p. 1), "Questions and Answers" (p. 1), "Merchandise is Scarce - Reports Tatsuno from Chicago" (p. 1).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-288-3/

doc A Tule Lake Interlude (ddr-densho-291-1)

This collection of poems and stories related to life in Tule Lake was published on concentration camp's first anniversary.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-291-1/

img Aerial view of Tule Lake with Abalone Hill in the distance (ddr-densho-296-25)

Caption on reverse: "1942 camp."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-296-25/

img Group of Issei and Nisei in front of barrack (ddr-densho-310-2)

Ichikawa family in front of their barrack at Minidoka concentration camp. Also pictured are family friends, Yahachi Suzuki and Mr. Hino. (Front Row, left to right) Akira Ichikawa, Hiroko Ichikawa (Back Row, left to right) Satoru Ichikawa, Mr. Hino, Etsuko Ichikawa, Yasashi Ichikawa, Shinya Ichikawa (In Yasahi's arms), Kazuya Ichikawa, Noriko Ichikawa, Yahachi Suzuki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-310-2/