This Day In Wyoming History: Heart Mountain Internment Camp Near Cody WY

Many of us are familiar with some of the events that happened at the beginning and during World War II. Unfortunately, Japanese Internment Camps were part of it.

The year was 1942 and the president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was on this day, Feb. 19, of the year 1942, that he signed Executive Order 9066. This particular order would authorize the removal of all and any people in and around military facilities "as deemed necessary or desirable."

This order was the genesis of many would be internment camps across the country to include the Heart Mountain Camp, near Cody, Wyoming.

The camp brought residents from Pomona and Santa Anita, California and would eventually hold about 13,997 Japanese Americans before closing on November 10, 1945.

Also, about 85 young men were sentenced and imprisoned at the camp for Selective Service violations. On the other hand, about 800 Japanese American men joined the U.S. Military right from Heart Mountain in the service of our country.

Today, there is a Heart Mountain Interpretive Center in Powell, Wyoming where people can go to learn more about what happened there so many years ago. If you go, you'll find pictures, artifacts and other facts about the forced relocation of these Japanese men, women and children.