Granada Relocation Center Records, 1943-1945

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.