One of the darkest times of U.S. and Wyoming History was the internment of thousands of Americans of Japanese heritage in detention camps during World War II. Today, the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp area, between Cody and Powell in Northwestern Wyoming is beautifully stark missing the many buildings which characterized the area during it's time as a detention camp. Only a few buildings and simple memorial mark the camp's location.
The "Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation" is a non-profit organization which has been raising funds to buy the old camp land and to build a modern visitors center. The Foundation's slogan is: "A commitment to truth, to remembering for all time, and to healing."
In late 2000, the Foundation received a $500,000 grant which will go towards building the museum and visitor center. In early 2001, the Foundation was still raising money to purchase camp land which has been used for agricultural purposes since the end of World War II.
To do our part to increase awareness in the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, The Wyoming Companion designated the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation web site our "Best of the West" site for January, 2001, and we also provide the links below to other Heart Mountain related sites.
Contributions to the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation to help their efforts can be made to:
Heart Mountain, Wyoming Foundation
PO Box 547
Powell, Wyoming 82435-0547
