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 (277)
Concentration camps (1771)
Living conditions (1870)

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1870 items

doc Letter to Tomoye and Henri Takahashi from Ben Murato (ddr-densho-410-51)

Describing inspection of packages arriving in camp, mocking the psychological impact of incarceration

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-51/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-408)

Ideas about what needs to be done at the house in San Francisco, how to pick up their property.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-408/

doc Card from Tomoye to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-128)

Telling him about Martha (Pinkie)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-128/

doc Letter from Helen Takahashi to Henri Takahashi; Letter from Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi to Henri Takahashi. In same envelope (ddr-densho-410-413)

Letter 1: Helen plans to come to San Francisco to visit him after Easter, sent cards to the Yabuki family. Letter 2: Rice is scarce in the camps now, most being sent overseas as part of the lend-lease program, some have had no rice for weeks, encourages Henri to get a job soon as they will …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-413/

doc Letter from Tomoye to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-190)

Glad he got a job, but sorry it isn't a pleasant place to work, glad he will be able to come in July when baby is born, news of people leaving camp.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-190/

doc Letter from Marian Stiffen to Tommie (Tomoye Takahashi), letter from Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-404)

Two letters together in same envelope. Letter one related to finding housing in San Francisco. The second with news of life in camp, plans for leaving, and details about the house in San Francisco. Envelope dated February 23, 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-404/

doc Card from Tomoye to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-188)

Will need someone to help when the baby is born, a friend's baby died after a fall in camp, needs money.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-188/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-416)

Asks about other properties to buy in San Francisco, questions about how things are there, news of Pinkie, cold weather at camp and how the pregnancy is going

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-416/

doc Card from Tomoye to Helen Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-130)

Thanking her for package

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-130/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-401)

Asking for Henri to send various items such as corn chips, cigars, material. News of other incarcerees leaving

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-401/

img Class photo of nursery school at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-7)

Written on back: August 1943 Nursery school in Hunt Idaho. Teachers Miss Takahashi / Miss Ota / Miss Tanaka / Mrs. Hanamura / Eddie Masaru Hirota, Norma Kayoko Hirota. Dickie Yoshihiro Hirota

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-7/

img Five children outside barracks at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-1)

Written on back: Sept 1944 in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-1/

img Class photo at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-8)

Written on back: "Story Hour" at Hunt Idaho / Norma Kayoko Hirota 5 years old / April 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-8/

img Woman sitting with five children on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-6)

Inscription on front: Sept 1944

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-6/

img Boy sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-3)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-3/

img Class photo of nursery school at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-9)

Dickie, Eddie and Norma identified on photo front. Written on back: Nursery school in Hunt Idaho. Eddie Masaru Hirota 5 years / Norma Kayoko Hirota 4 / Dickie Yoshihiro Hirota 3 / Teachers (from left) Miss Takahashi / Miss Ota / Miss Tanaka / Mrs. Hanamura / August 1943

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-9/

img Woman with baby and boy on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-2)

Inscription on front: Sept 1944 Fredie / Billy 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-2/

img Woman holding baby, sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-4)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-4/

img Boy sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-5)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-5/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 5, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-8)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities, religion, and logging Social and recreational activities|id:63. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-8/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 21, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-10)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities, Thanksgiving, and teachers. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-10/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, July 12, 1943 and an Independence Program (ddr-densho-432-16)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Missoula, MT. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-16/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 9, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-9)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of interactions with the Arkansas community. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-9/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, January 11, 1943 (ddr-densho-432-11)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities and holidays. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-11/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, October 23, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-7)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the food, environment, church, and school. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-7/