Frequently Asked Questions

When will the park be officially established?

The Amache National Historic Site Act, signed into law on March 18, 2022, authorizes the park to be established once a sufficient quantity of lands or interests in lands have been acquired. Following designation, the National Park Service will begin working with the Town of Granada (sole landowner) to discuss land acquisition. The acquisition process is anticipated to take approximately two years, pending authorization of acquisition funding to establish legal land descriptions, required environmental site assessments, and agreements on maintaining the town's water system. 

What does it mean to be authorized but not established? 

Congress authorizes the establishment of new national park units. A park's authorizing legislation can call for the establishment of a new unit of the national park system immediately upon enactment OR it can require that certain conditions be met (e.g., sufficient lands are acquired, certain agreements are in place) before a new park can be established as a unit of the national park system.  

Until a park is formally established as a unit of the National Park System, the National Park Service’s role is largely limited to pursuing the work necessary to accomplish that important milestone. This involves a lot of “behind the scenes” efforts to complete the required agreements and land acquisition called for in the legislation.    

During that time, NPS park managers reach out to the wider community to introduce the National Park Service and, when resources are available, undertake baseline evaluations and offer limited public programs. 

When will the park open to the public?

The site is currently open to the public with limited hours and services. The site is managed by the Amache Preservation Society, a local non-profit which also operates the Amache Museum in the Town of Granada. In cooperation with the Town, the Amache Preservation Society will continue to manage the site until the National Park Service acquires the land. As the National Park Service completes the necessary land acquisitions to be established, we will work with our partners to develop a comprehensive operational plan. 

The Amache Museum, located a mile from the site within the Town of Granada at 205 East Goff Avenue, is typically open five days per week in the summer. During the school year, it is open upon request Monday through Saturday. No commercial tours are available at this time. Please contact the Amache Preservation Society by email at [e-mail] to schedule a visit to the museum, or guided tour of the site. Additional visitor information is available on the Amache Preservation Society’s website. 

How have Amache stakeholders been involved in the designation process?

Many stakeholders, including former incarcerees and their descendants, and the site’s current stewards, the Amache Preservation Society, were instrumental in obtaining the initial National Historic Landmark designation and advocating for the site to become part of the National Park System. The National Park Service will continue to work closely with the many stakeholders dedicated to the preservation of Amache, and to care for the history and memories of those who were once incarcerated at this site.  

As caretakers of our nation’s history, the National Park Service will continue working closely with the multiple stakeholders dedicated to the preservation of Amache, and those directly impacted by the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, to preserve and interpret this significant historic site to the public.  

How will key stakeholders continue to be involved with Amache?

The National Park Service acknowledges the invaluable work of key stakeholders and the Amache Preservation Society in preserving Amache and expanding scholarship and public awareness of its history. In the transition to National Park Service management, collaboration with key stakeholders and Japanese American communities is of primary importance. Accordingly, the National Park Service intends to engage in conversations early on to explore opportunities for partnerships and cooperative management. 

How does Amache’s designation affect the ongoing Special Resource Study?

As directed by the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act (P.L. 116-9) of 2019, the National Park Service has been working on a Special Resource Study (SRS) of Amache to evaluate its potential for inclusion in the National Park System. The National Park Service will complete the SRS following the site’s designation as the study will provide valuable information about the site to National Park Service management, as well as other members of the public interested in learning more about Amache. 

What facilities/services and features are available at the site?

The site is currently open to the public with limited hours and services. For the foreseeable future, the site will continue to be managed by the Amache Preservation Society (APS) in cooperation with the town of Granada. As the NPS completes the necessary land acquisitions to be established, we will work with our partners to develop a comprehensive operational plan. APS student volunteers currently provide interpretive tours of the site and operate a museum in Granada that features exhibits and collections of items culturally significant to Amache.  

Currently, the Amache site consists of a historic cemetery, a monument, historic concrete building foundations and an intact road network, and several reconstructed and restored structures from the World War II camp-era including a barrack, a recreation hall, a guard tower, and a water tank. There are also interpretive panels and directional signs to assist visitors when they visit the site. Additional visitor information is available on the Amache Preservation Society’s website. 

Will the site be staffed by the National Park Service? 

For the foreseeable future, the site will continue to be managed by the Amache Preservation Society (APS) in cooperation with the town of Granada. As the NPS completes the necessary land acquisitions to be established, we will work with our partners to develop a comprehensive operational plan. APS student volunteers currently provide interpretive tours of the site and operate a museum in Granada that features exhibits and collections of items culturally significant to Amache.  

How will the National Park Service manage and develop Amache?

Management of Amache will be informed by comprehensive planning. 

The first planning document to be developed within the first several years following designation is a foundation document. Foundation documents establish a shared understanding of what is most important about a park by defining its purpose, significance, primary interpretive themes, fundamental resources and values, in addition to evaluating and prioritizing future planning and data needs. The foundation document establishes guidance to help inform management decisions and other park planning needs.  

Building on the foundation document, a future comprehensive planning process will provide more detailed guidance on key aspects of long-term management such as measures for resource protection, desired visitor experiences, and types and levels of development that are appropriate at Amache.  

Planning processes for Amache will engage Japanese American communities, key stakeholders, the local Granada community, and the general public.  

 

If you are interested in learning more about the park, or have any questions related to park planning, please feel free to contact us.