PROJECT CLOE
Confinement in the Land of Enchanment (CLOE)/ Story Map
To ensure sustainability, the project completed web pages that document the history of the New Mexico confinement sites, experiences of detainees, and the effects of the camps on the surrounding New Mexican communities. The web pages is hosted by the New Mexico Office of the State Historian, which is the official history website of the state. The website content and design were developed through collaboration between the State Historian and the project planning board and includes audio video, interactive maps and timelines, and historic photos.
link to more -> Confinement in Land of Enchantment: Japanese Americans in New Mexico during World War II (arcgis.com)
Public Outreach Booklet
A professionally published public outreach booklet that includes historical context, brief camp histories, and stories of internees, and community experiences at and near the New Mexico camps has been produced. It includes historic photographs, excerpts from oral histories, and other new research. The outreach publication has been distributed to elementary and high schools and public libraries across the state. These were provided free of charge to schools and museums in New Mexico. The program was funded in large part, by grants from the National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Program. Copies from additional printings are available for purchase from JACL NM.
Historical Markers
Although Santa Fe already has a memorial marker in place, the team installed more visible directional signs to help reach a wider audience. Historic markers for Camp Lordsburg, Ft. Stanton, Old Raton Ranch (Baca Camp) have been developed and installed. Because the Camp Lordsburg site is located on private property, the new markers have been placed at City Hall and Hidalgo County / Lordsburg Museum. The Ft. Stanton marker is place on the Fort property. The Old Raton Ranch / Baca Camp marker is placed at turnoff from Highway 380.
Traveling Exhibit
A traveling exhibit has been designed and prepared to present the information collected the earlier phases. It was prepared by Central New Mexico Community College history faculty and construction / carpentry skills department. The exhibit has been shown in Ft. Stanton, Lordsburg, and Santa Fe. Community forums were also held.
CLOE Travel Exhibit Title Page
Roster of Prisoners
A prisoner roster with over 6000 men has been completed from information provided by the National Archives. It contains individual names, birthplaces, hometowns, locations of pickup, id number, prison sites, etc. It was complied by JACLNM volunteers with funding by the National JACL Legacy Fund.
Link
PROJECT SITES
Camp Lordsburg
Plans for Camp Lordsburg began in January 1942. The camp was operated by US Army as Internment camp for Japanese Americans until November 1943. It held over 1500 prisoners, primarily from Alaska, Hawaii, western coastal states. It then operated as prisoner of war camp to 1945. The camp was located 6 miles east of town, 2100 acres, 280 buildings.
Santa Fe
Plans for Camp Lordsburg began in January 1942. The camp was operated by US Army as Internment camp for Japanese Americans until November 1943. It held over 1500 prisoners, primarily from Alaska, Hawaii, western coastal states. It then operated as prisoner of war camp to 1945. The camp was located 6 miles east of town, 2100 acres, 280 buildings.
Fort Stanton
In March 1945, less than 70 men were moved from Santa Fe to Fort Stanton Japanese Segregation Camp. Fort was an existing site, built in 1850s. Japanese American prisoners were previously in Tule Lake, then Santa Fe internment camps. Deportation after end of the war was provided as an option.
Old Raton Ranch/ Baca Camp
In late January 1942, over 30 residents of Clovis NM, were uprooted from their houses and sent to an isolated little known abandoned CCC site, Baca Camp. The site was 15 acres, No government money was spent on camp repairs. Prisoners held almost a year, then moved generally to WRA camps in Arizona and Utah.
Other Resources
CLOE Presentation
JACL Players Presentation
Link
Santa Fe Symposium / Pilgrimage
Santa Fe Popup Exhibit
CLOE Generational Legacies Front Page