Tule Lake was the largest Japanese American incarceration camp, holding approximately 18,789 incarcerees at its most populous. At first, most Japanese Americans detained in Tule Lake were from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Throughout the war, Japanese Americans transfered between the ten camps and other incarceration centers. In fall 1943, Tule Lake was transformed into a Segregation Center, and thousands of people moved to or from the site. In total, 29,840 people were incarcerated at Tule Lake.
Each individual held at Tule Lake has their own unique story. In addition to those incarcerated there, Tule Lake Segregation Center touched the lives of the WRA officials and staff, the Army soldier guards, local residents, and the survivors' children and communities for generations.
