Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Granada Relocation Center Records, 1943-1945
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Granada Relocation Center
- Title
- Granada Relocation Center Records
- Dates
- 1943-1945 (inclusive)19431945
- Quantity
- 2 microfilm reels
- Collection Number
- 4171 (Accession No. 4171-001)
- Summary
- Records of a council responsible for governance of community life at the Granada Relocation Center in southeastern Colorado, where thousands of Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users. This collection is also available onlline through Colorado College Special Collections.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Granada Relocation Center, located in southeastern Colorado, was named after the nearby town of Granada. It was also given the name Amache, Colorado (after Amache, the daughter of a Cheyenne chief), and was often referred to in the press as a town of this name.
The camp officially opened on August 27, 1942, with the arrival of Japanese Americans from the Merced (Calif.) Assembly Center. On September 19, 1942, groups began arriving from the Santa Anita Assembly Center, and by September 30 occupation was complete. The camp had a capacity of 8,000 and at its peak held approximately 7,600 inmates. Of these, about two-thirds were U.S. citizens. About half -- primarily those from the Merced Assembly Center -- were from rural areas, while those from the Santa Anita Assembly Center were primarily from the urban Los Angeles area.
The camp covered 10,400 acres of prairie land, 3,592 feet above sea level, with one square mile of buildings. Most of the buildings were military-style barracks. The residential area was divided into thirty blocks, each containing a mess hall, recreation hall, block office, laundry facilities, shower room, and toilets. Each block housed about 250 people in twelve barracks. The barracks measured 120-by-20 feet and were divided into six apartments. These rooms ranged from 16-by-20 feet to 24-by-20 feet and contained a closet, coal stove, cots, mattresses, and quilts. The camp also contained several schools, a hospital, and a police department. Agriculture was the principal industry; vegetable and grain crops, along with livestock, were raised on two ranches, the Koen Ranch and the XY Ranch.
The inmates themselves were responsible for much of the community's government. The Block Managers Assembly, creator of these records, served as the community council and consisted of an elected representative from each block. 1 The Assembly was responsible for making laws and regulations to govern community life and for appointing members to the judicial and arbitration commissions, which settled criminal and civil cases, respectively. The thirty blocks were also divided into five districts. One block manager was selected from each district to serve on the Assembly's executive committee.
Amache Consumer Enterprises, a major subgroup of the Block Managers Assembly records, was the consumer's cooperative for the Granada camp. Incorporated on January 25, 1943 and supervised by a nine-member board of directors, it included the following enterprises: "clothing store, variety store, shoe store, shoe repair shop, cleaning and pressing agency, barber shop, beauty parlor, canteen, watch repairing, and optometry supplies." 2 Amache Consumer Enterprises was liquidated in August, 1945.
This information was obtained from the Ruth L. Parker Papers, MS no. 0221. Special Collections Department, Tutt Library, Colorado College.
- 1. Issei, however, were prohibited by the U.S. government from serving in this capacity.
- 2. Ruth L. Parker Papers.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists of micorfilm copies of .75 cubic ft. of material accumulated by Yatsutoshi Yoshizawa in the course of his duties as a member of the Block Managers Assembly and several of the Assembly's committees. The original records are held at Colorado College Special Collections (Ms 0295), where they have digitized the collection and made it available online.
The bulk of these records are minutes of the Block Managers Assembly. These minutes, along with other records, document primarily the day-to-day management of the camp rather than the broad administrative policies set by the War Relocation Authority. Typical issues addressed include community activities, maintenance, supplies, etc. Also included, however, are responses to major issues and policies, such as searches of living quarters, meetings with the Spanish Consul (the representative of Japanese nationals during the war), and, especially, concerns regarding relocation outside the camp. These concerns are particularly well-documented by the Granada Community Analysis reports (Reports, roll 2, frames 242-346). These two items present detailed analyses of inmate attitudes and concerns about leaving the camp, and include statistical data and graphs as well as text.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
The Amache Recreation Association, Granada Relocation Center, Mess Committee, and Yoshizawa, Yatsutoshi subgroups were refilmed after frame numbers had already been entered on the inventory. Hence there is a slight discrepancy between the frame numbers listed on the inventory that was filmed and the frame numbers listed on the paper copy of the inventory. The frame numbers on the paper copy (and on the copy displayed below) are correct.
Materials Omitted from Microfilm: Items not filmed generally fall into two categories--duplicates and materials of questionable research value. In a few cases, however, items were filmed that appear to be duplicates but actually contain slight variations. Other unfilmed materials are from the following series and/or subgroups:
- Lists: Two lists of supplies.
- Notes: This entire series, consisting of notes for minutes, the typed versions of which appear in the Minutes series, and miscellaneous notes, mostly lists of work done on a particular day.
- Forms: All entirely blank.
- Miscellaneous: A packing list, property shipment form, agenda for a farewell program for an administrator, notice of work assignment, application for leave, request for workers, request for separation of workers, and a daily time report.
- Amache Recreation Association: The Notes and Miscellaneous series, consisting of notes for minutes, miscellaneous notes, and a signout sheet for softball equipment.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Granada Relocation Center Block Managers Assembly RecordsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
1/2-5 | Constitution and By-laws |
1943? |
1/6-31 | General Correspondence |
1944-1945 |
1/32-92 | Memoranda |
1943-1945 |
Minutes |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
1/93-2/190 | Granada Relocation Center. Block Managers Assembly
|
1943-1945 |
Granada Relocation Center. Block Managers Assembly
Duplicates, not filmed.
|
1943-1945 | |
Reel/Frame | ||
2/192-204 | Meetings with Spanish Consul |
1943-1944 |
Other Bodies |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/206-211 | Granada Relocation Center. Advisory School Board
|
1944 |
2/212-213 | Amache Community Council |
1945 |
2/214-216 | Granada Relocation Center. Coordinating Advisory
Committee |
1945 |
2/217-218 | Granada Relocation Center. Business Committee
|
1945 |
2/219-220 | Representatives of Blocks 12K and 11K |
1945 |
2/221 | Ireito Construction |
1945 |
Reel/Frame | ||
2/222 | Announcements |
1944, 1945? |
Reports |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/231-241 | Agriculture Section -- Monthly Reports |
1945 |
2/242-312 | "Granada Community Analysis Report No. 2" |
1943 |
2/242-312 | "Granada Community Analysis Report No. 2" |
1943 |
2/347-349 | "Report on Trip to Iowa" |
ca. 1945 |
Daily Time Reports and Other Reports of Hours Worked
Not filmed.
|
1945 | |
Financial Records |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/352-356 | Amache Mid-Summer Carnival |
1945 |
2/357-359 | Miscellaneous |
ca. 1943-1945 |
Questionnaire |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/361-362 | Questionnaire for Evacuees after Resettlement
|
n.d. |
Agenda |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/363-366 | Subjects for Discussion with Dillon S. Myer and
Resolution Expressing Appreciation to Myer |
1943, n.d. |
Schedules |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/367-369 | Volunteer Tofu Manufacture |
ca. 1944-1945 |
2/370 | Schedule for Checking Crating |
ca. 1945? |
2/371 | Movie Schedule |
1944? |
Lists |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/373-383 | Scholarship Recipients |
ca. 1945 |
2/384-389 | Block Managers Assembly -- Committees |
1945, n.d. |
2/390-392 | Block managers -- Names and Addresses |
1943-1945 |
2/393-405 | Block Managers Assembly -- Roll Call Sheets
|
1943-1945 |
2/406-419 | Miscellaneous Some items not filmed.
|
1944-1945 |
Notes |
||
Notes for Minutes Not filmed.
|
1945 | |
Miscellaneous Not filmed.
|
ca. 1943-1945 | |
Forms Not filmed.
|
1943-1945 | |
Subject Series |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/422-425 | Block managers |
n.d. |
2/426-427 | Employment |
1943-1945 |
Granada Relocation Center |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/428-435 | Districts |
n.d. |
2/428-435 | Population Data |
1944-1945 |
2/428-435 | Fixtures |
n.d. |
2/428-435 | Maps and Diagrams |
n.d. |
Reel/Frame | ||
2/436-437 | Granada Residents Directory |
ca. 1945 |
2/438-439 | Odori--Permit for Public Assembly |
1945 |
Newsletters |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/441-447 | Fragments, Possibly from Introductory Newsletter for
New Residents |
n.d. |
Photographs |
||
Reel/Frame | ||
2/448 | Memorial to soldiers from Granada killed in World War
II |
ca. 1945 |
Miscellaneous Not filmed.
|
1943-1945 |
Amache Consumer EnterprisesReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
2/454-459 | Minutes -- Liquidating Committee |
1945 |
2/460-471 | Financial Records |
1945 |
Amache Doctors Koen KwaiReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
2/474-475 | Memorandum |
1945 |
2/476-477 | List Officers and Committee Members |
1944 |
2/478-493 | Financial Statements |
1944-1945 |
Amache Recreation AssociationReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
2/495-498 | General Correspondence |
1944-1945 |
2/499-511 | Minutes |
1945 |
2/510-533 | Financial Statements |
1944-1945 |
Notes Not filmed.
|
1945, n.d. | |
Miscellaneous Not filmed.
|
1945 |
Granada Relocation Center. Mess CommitteeReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
2/541-558 | Notes |
1945 |
Yoshizawa, YatsutoshiReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Reel/Frame | ||
2/559-565 | Outgoing Letters |
1945 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Concentration camp inmates--Colorado--Granada
- Concentration camps--Colorado--Granada
- Concentration camps--Colorado--Granada--Management
- Consumer cooperatives--Colorado--Granada
- Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Colorado--Granada
- World War, 1939-1945--Japanese Americans
Personal Names
- Yoshizawa, Yatsutoshi
Corporate Names
- Amache Consumer Enterprises
- Granada Relocation Center--Management
- Granada Relocation Center. Block Managers Assembly--Archives