This Thursday and Friday, the National Park Service will hold listening sessions in Los Angeles and San Francisco to take public comments about its grand program for preserving World War II-era Japanese Internment sites.
I know it’s not technically hiking news, but I had the opportunity to visit Manzanar National Historic Site this year on the way home from some hiking and camping in Yosemite and the Sierras, and was thoroughly impressed. The visitors’ center was one of the most modern and well thought-out exhibits I’ve ever seen in a Park Service property, and the lessons from that time period were artfully communicated.
Plus, there’s TONS of amazing hiking nearby, so it’s an easy add-on to great outdoor experiences in the Sierras.
If you’d like to put in some public comments on how the NPS is doing with these sites, head to the following locations:
LOS ANGELES – Thursday, December 3, 6-8 PM
Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
244 S. San Pedro St., Suite 505
Phone: 925-943-1531 ex. 122
SAN FRANCISCO – Friday, December 4, 6-8 PM
Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California
1840 Sutter St., Suite 201
Phone: 925-943-1531 ex. 122
Manzanar image courtesy of Floyd B. Bariscale.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
A friend of mine had this on their agenda, along with some other hikes, she said this was amazing and truly moving.
Gregg, it is absolutely worth a stop if you’re in the area. The NPS really did a top-notch job with this site.
I’ll definitely make it up there, especially if it is open year round. I think it is along the way to Mammoth, those mountains look familiar-ish. My friend was going to Death Valley and Mono Lake but Manzanar was on their list.
I was looking for info on what was open in the ANF after the Station fire and found a page where guys were talking about the “Vetter fire lookout post” and that it was lost. They were sharing stories and photos of Vetter, and this guy had worked there and in his photostream he had some staggeringly beautiful images of Manzanar.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/muzzlehatch/4017036198/in/photostream/
Yes! Muzzlehatch is a Flickr buddy of mine, and a great photographer. I went up to Vetter a few times hoping to run into him, but haven’t managed to cross paths so far.
And also yes, Manzanar is on the way to all of those destinations. You and your friend should definitely check it out.