Old Photos From the Los Angeles Times
by Scott Harrison
May 11, 2012
June 6, 1943: Los Angeles--Times staff photographer George
Watson and staff representative Chester G. Hanson take a tour of the Poston War
Relocation Center.
Starting on June 8, 1943, The Times published a five-part
series on the Poston camp. Hanson reported in Part 1: "The Japanese Relocation Center at Poston is situated 16
miles south of Parker, Ariz., in the heart of the Colorado River Indian
Reservation. The reservation borders the Colorado River for some miles."
"The first of the evacuees arrived from various parts of
California on May 8, 1942. A little more than a year ago Poston, which got its
name from an Arizona pioneer, was nothing but a portion of the reservation land
overgrown with mesquite and other desert brush. Today it is a city of 15,916
men, women and children … crude in many aspects but still a city. It has, also,
its agricultural phase."
"The project was laid out to accommodate 20,000 persons. At
its peak it had 18,000. The majority of these Japanese came from Southern
California areas–but many came from Central and Northern California points. The
land set aside for the project covers about 70,000 acres."
"Eight photos by Watson – a full photo page – were published
June 8, 1943, accompanying the first installment of the Poston series. Three
additional photos were published with the remainder of the series. This photo
gallery includes both published and unpublished images all taken by George
Watson during his tour."
To view some of the photos, visit our other site, "Pictures" (top left side of screen), or click on this link: Poston in Pictures
Source:
http://framework.latimes.com/2012/05/11/japanese-internment-poston/#/25
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