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When Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, the United States government decided to gather all Japanese throughout the U.S. and put them in concentration camps - where freedom was taken from them.
Several thousand acres of land were purchased out in Millard County. This is west and north of Delta -Delta being the only nearby down with shopping areas and etc., service stations, hospitals and etc.
By September of 1942 a good part of the camp was built. The location - way out on barren ground by itself - was settled with tall mountains surrounding it, and one of the mountains was called Topaz Mountain. So that's how this concentration camp got its name - the mountain was north-west about 20 or so miles away.
It was sad to think of these people - imprisoned you might say - ripped from their homes, places of business, and out in a barren land of nowhere. Their living quarters so scanty and meager - long lumber barracks, partitioned walls inside didn't even go clear up to the ceiling. There was no privacy to speak of.
And high barbed wire fences closed it in and guards on duty always shot at anyone trying to escape. One Japanese was shot and killed tyring to escape - another sad tragedy. Some of the Japanese were so uncontrollable they were moved from Topaz to a concentration camp in California. So, the population was reduced to 8,778.
Ushered into our area by train, they were allowed to go into Delta to shop and etc. They were closely watched going and coming.
I had the experience of having five Japanese at my home Monday through Friday, as with war on, our young men called in service had left Delta desolate for farm help. We had large acres to care for, you know, no modern machinery much in 1942, so these five men had my two upstairs bedrooms. We formed a good friendship. I cooked for them three meals a day. They worked hard on the farm. They were very clean and bathed every evening.
These people created a new life. They had their own Post Office, their own hospital of 128 beds, their own eye and dental clinics, own fire department, own newspaper, own government offices and buildings.
They created their own schools:
3 preschool nurseries
2 elementary schools
1 high school
1 adult education school
They were proud of their schools of art, music, sewing, and classes in "Americanness."
They set up recreational programs - basketball, baseball, bridge tournaments, ping pong, hunting arrowheads, rock gardens, making artificial flowers, a theater, and a public library with both English and Japanese books. Once a week, they had a record concert.
Let me tell you, a meteorite found out in the mountains by two Japanese is now in the Smithsonian Institute in New York, the ninth largest in the world.
They had various religions and had five churches. Some were Buddhist, Seventh Day Adventist, and LDS churches.
Once a year, a handful of Japanese returned and held a reunion. They stood on the spot they once had to call home. I've been to their reunion as my singing group has performed there. I've stood on that spacious barren ground with steadfast hills still surrounding that once-lived spot. I've watched the tears roll from their eyes. I've seen the trembling lips that have spoken softly and emotionally as one another traded thoughts of those years of 1942-1945.
Heartbreakingly, the majority of those imprisoned here were Japanese-American citizens -500 of their boys in armed services, serving our country.
The war ended. They wrote to us and mailed us some gifts. I still appreciate and cherish my chopsticks in the black ebony box.
January 9, 2000
Interview with Jonathan
Several thousand acres of land were purchased out in Millard County. This is west and north of Delta -Delta being the only nearby down with shopping areas and etc., service stations, hospitals and etc.
By September of 1942 a good part of the camp was built. The location - way out on barren ground by itself - was settled with tall mountains surrounding it, and one of the mountains was called Topaz Mountain. So that's how this concentration camp got its name - the mountain was north-west about 20 or so miles away.
It was sad to think of these people - imprisoned you might say - ripped from their homes, places of business, and out in a barren land of nowhere. Their living quarters so scanty and meager - long lumber barracks, partitioned walls inside didn't even go clear up to the ceiling. There was no privacy to speak of.
And high barbed wire fences closed it in and guards on duty always shot at anyone trying to escape. One Japanese was shot and killed tyring to escape - another sad tragedy. Some of the Japanese were so uncontrollable they were moved from Topaz to a concentration camp in California. So, the population was reduced to 8,778.
Ushered into our area by train, they were allowed to go into Delta to shop and etc. They were closely watched going and coming.
I had the experience of having five Japanese at my home Monday through Friday, as with war on, our young men called in service had left Delta desolate for farm help. We had large acres to care for, you know, no modern machinery much in 1942, so these five men had my two upstairs bedrooms. We formed a good friendship. I cooked for them three meals a day. They worked hard on the farm. They were very clean and bathed every evening.
These people created a new life. They had their own Post Office, their own hospital of 128 beds, their own eye and dental clinics, own fire department, own newspaper, own government offices and buildings.
They created their own schools:
3 preschool nurseries
2 elementary schools
1 high school
1 adult education school
They were proud of their schools of art, music, sewing, and classes in "Americanness."
They set up recreational programs - basketball, baseball, bridge tournaments, ping pong, hunting arrowheads, rock gardens, making artificial flowers, a theater, and a public library with both English and Japanese books. Once a week, they had a record concert.
Let me tell you, a meteorite found out in the mountains by two Japanese is now in the Smithsonian Institute in New York, the ninth largest in the world.
They had various religions and had five churches. Some were Buddhist, Seventh Day Adventist, and LDS churches.
Once a year, a handful of Japanese returned and held a reunion. They stood on the spot they once had to call home. I've been to their reunion as my singing group has performed there. I've stood on that spacious barren ground with steadfast hills still surrounding that once-lived spot. I've watched the tears roll from their eyes. I've seen the trembling lips that have spoken softly and emotionally as one another traded thoughts of those years of 1942-1945.
Heartbreakingly, the majority of those imprisoned here were Japanese-American citizens -500 of their boys in armed services, serving our country.
The war ended. They wrote to us and mailed us some gifts. I still appreciate and cherish my chopsticks in the black ebony box.
January 9, 2000
Interview with Jonathan
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