History Colorado

A young girl arrives at the Grananda Relocation Center in Amache, Colorado.

Japanese Relocation

The Aftermath of Amache

Once Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps, they were not allowed to leave without special permission. If they did leave, they needed to carry travel permits and tags.

A Life in Paperwork

The Granada Relocation Center, also known as Amache, was one of ten internment camps for Japanese Americans built during World War II and the only one in Colorado.

The Granada Relocation Center

Here is the sequence of events from the Granada Relocation Center’s opening in 1942 to its closing in 1945, and the events that occurred after.

 Amache Timeline

Explore Ralph Carr’s desk to find out more about his life.

Stand for Justice

Executive Order 9066 was signed in 1942 by United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt and authorized the internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry and Japanese immigrants.

Democratic Principles in Conflict 

The federal government tore down or relocated the buildings that once made up the Amache-Granada Relocation Center, which at its peak housed 7,318 people.
The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Restoration and preservation efforts, along with archaeological research, have been ongoing since 2007.

The Amache-Granada Relocation Center: A  Historic Landmark

Ralph Carr was the Governor of Colorado from 1939 to 1943.

The Ralph Carr Story

By April of 1945, WWII was winding down. Hitler died on April 30, and victory in europe was formally declared on May 9. Amache officially closed in October, 1945, though Public Proclamation No. 21 was officially issued on January 2, 1945, allowing Japanese Americans to return home.
But where was home?
People had left homes, businesses, and farms behind. Now they were given very short notice that they had to leave Amache. They were given $25 and a train or bus ticket. Some people returned to California and the west coast and tried to rebuild their previous lives. They often returned to face more prejudice. Others, invited to stay in Colorado by Governor Ralph Carr, started over again in the only western state that welcomed them.

After the War: Leaving Amache

Objects can tell us a lot about a story from the past. Take a look at a few items that might have been brought to Amache from the perspective of a family who lived there. What do they tell us about daily life at Amache? 

Taking Personal Objects to Amache

Become acquainted with several democratic principles and consider the degree to which Coloradans throughout our history have accepted and demonstrated these principles. This list of principles is not complete. These simply represent a sample of key principles. As you review the definition of each principle, think about examples that show up in your own life.
During World War II, many of these principles came into conflict with one another when people of Japanese ancestry were removed from their homes and forced to live in Internment Camps. Think about these principles as you learn more about Japanese Internment through the story of Amache in Colorado.    

Democratic Principles: An Introduction

Circle the objects that the father would have taken to Amache, star the objects that the mother would have taken, and put a square around the objects the children would have taken. What do you think some of these items could be used for? What would you take from your home if you suddenly had to move? How do these objects connect to Japanese-American culture?

Packing for Amache

The federal government tore down or relocated the buildings that once made up the Amache-Granada Relocation Center, which at its peak housed 7,318 people. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Restoration and preservation efforts, along with archaeological research, have been ongoing since 2007.

The Amache-Granada Relocation Center: A Historic Landmark

During World War II, 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps—including one in Colorado called "Amache." Explore the story of Amache through the lens of democratic principles and discover how they came into conflict in this historic case study.

Additional Resources, Books, Articles, and Photos

Teacher Resources, Colorado Biographies, and Secondary Level Books on Japanese Internment and Relocation

Japanese American Internment in Colorado Teacher Online Resources and Curriculum

Power of Words Handbook A Guide to Language about Japanese Americans in World War II

Letter from the Amache Historical Society 

1. Understand the nature of historical knowledge as a process of inquiry that examines and analyzes how history is viewed, constructed, and interpreted.

1. d. Identify and describe how major political and cultural groups have affected the development of the region.

2. Analyze historical time periods and patterns of continuity and change, through multiple perspectives, within and among cultures and societies.

2. c. Describe both past and present interactions among the people and cultures

3.  Apply geographic representations and perspectives to analyze human movement, spatial patterns, systems, and the connections and

4. Examine the characteristics of places and regions, and the changing nature among geographic and human interactions.

4. c. Analyze how people use geographic factors in creating settlements and have adapted to and modified the local physical environment.

Japanese Internment in Colorado

Civics and Government

Social Studies

U.S. History

World History

This photo, dated October 15, 1945, shows the last internee to leave Amache.

Shuichi Yamamoto, last Amache evacuee to leave the Granada Project Relocation Center, says "Goodbye" to Project Director James G. Lindley, as War Relocation Authority camp is officially closed October 15, 1945. Mr. Yamamoto, 65 years of age, is returning to his former home in Marysville, California.

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Shuichi Yamamoto leaves Amache

Amache residents get off the truck at the Granada Relocation Center to board a train back to California.

Last of the residents of the Amache Relocation Center awaiting the arrival of the train for the journey to the west coast or to new homes elsewhere in the country. A total of nearly 15,000 evacuees were inducted into the Granada Project, Amache, Colorado, since August 27, 1942, when the first group arrived from the Merced Assembly Center to prepare the camp for those to follow. The Relocation Center, as its name implies, was a temporary residence for those of Japanese ancestry who were transferred from their homes along the west coast under a war emergency measure of 1942. Many of the evacuees during the past three years were able to resettle and find new homes in the Middle West and eastern states. From September 1, 1945, to the closing date of October 15, 3,105 persons have gone back to their former homes or have relocated elsewhere. The last to leave the center a group of 126, left on two special coaches for Sacramento and nearby towns. At the peak of its population, Amache had 7,567 residents. 412 births were recorded and 107 deaths during the three years of its existence.

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Residents Leave Amache

 Last of the residents of the Amache Relocation Center waiting to board the train which will carry them from Granada to their former homes on the west coast.

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Train at Amache

An elderly woman enjoys an ice cream cone at Amache while waiting for the truck to the railroad station.

Here, an elderly couple enjoy an ice cream cone while waiting for the trucks which will carry them to the railway station at Granada. Scenes at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad depot, Granada, Colorado, as 170 evacuees from the Amache Center entrain for their former homes in California, October 6, 1945. Four special coaches and one Pullman, reserved for the aged, invalids and mothers with small infants, were provided for the returnees. In addition to center departees, passengers on the special included servicemen on furlough and other family members, already located, who returned to help relatives pack, then accompanied them back to California. Two more special trains are scheduled for the Amache Center, the last special coaches on October 15, when the remaining residents (about 85) will start westward for Sacramento and nearby points. This will mark the closing date of the Granada Project, the first of the War Relocation Authority centers to be closed.

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An elderly couple enjoys ice cream

The last internees at the Amache Relocation Center, at one time numbering over 7,000, board the train at Granada for the journey to the west coast or to start a new life elsewhere.

Last of the residents of the Amache Relocation Center, at one time numbering 8,000, board the train at Granada for the journey to the west coast or to new homes elsewhere in the country.

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Residents leave Amache

A child waits with luggage for the train to California.

Children guard the family possessions while awaiting the arrival of the train which will carry them from Granada to their former homes on the west coast. A total of nearly 15,000 evacuees were inducted into the Granada Project, Amache, Colorado, since August 27, 1942, when the first group arrived from the Merced Assembly Center to prepare the camp for those to follow. The Relocation Center, as its name implies, was a temporary residence for those of Japanese ancestry who were transferred from their homes along the west coast under a war emergency measure of 1942. Many of the evacuees during the past three years were able to resettle and find new homes in the Middle West and eastern states. From September 1, 1945, to the closing date of October 15, 3,105 persons have gone back to their former homes or have relocated elsewhere. The last to leave the center a group of 126, left on two special coaches for Sacramento and nearby towns. At the peak of its population, Amache had 7,567 residents. 412 births were recorded and 107 deaths during the three years of its existence.

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Children wait for the train

Freight was placed in the High School gymnasium prior to being shipped back to California.

Evacuee freight stored in high school gymnasium prior to being shipped to their homes on the west coast. 

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Amache Freight

Last of the residents of the Amache Relocation Center board the train at Granada for the journey to the west coast or to new homes elsewhere in the country. A total of nearly 15,000 evacuees were inducted into the Granada Project, Amache, Colorado, since August 27, 1942, when the first group arrived from the Merced Assembly Center to prepare the camp for those to follow. The Relocation Center, as its name implies, was a temporary residence for those of Japanese ancestry who were transferred from their homes along the west coast under a war emergency measure of 1942. Many of the evacuees during the past three years were able to resettle and find new homes in the Middle West and eastern states. From September 1, 1945, to the closing date of October 15, 3,105 persons have gone back to their former homes or have relocated elsewhere. The last to leave the center a group of 126, left on two special coaches for Sacramento and nearby towns. At the peak of its population, Amache had 7,567 residents. 412 births were recorded and 107 deaths during the three years of its existence.

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Residents board the train

Two little girls are shown descending from one of the trucks on arrival at the Granada station where they will entrain for the west coast. Scenes at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad depot, Granada, Colorado, as 170 evacuees from the Amache Center entrain for their former homes in California, October 6, 1945. Four special coaches and one Pullman, reserved for the aged, invalids and mothers with small infants, were provided for the returnees. In addition to center departees, passengers on the special included servicemen on furlough and other family members, already located, who returned to help relatives pack, then accompanied them back to California. Two more special trains are scheduled for the Amache Center, the last special coaches on October 15, when the remaining residents (about 85) will start westward for Sacramento and nearby points. This will mark the closing date of the Granada Project, the first of the War Relocation Authority centers to be closed.

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Japanese Internment in Colorado

After the War: Leaving Amache

Background Knowledge

Amache Closes