Recreation

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Boy Scout at Heart MountainOutside of school, religious establishments, the movie theaters, sporting events, scouting, arts and crafts lessons, and cultural activities provided residents with respite from the monotony of camp life. In particular, scouting was very popular with youth, many of whom had participated in the organization before incarceration.

Although camp administration refused to sponsor Japanese activities, the residents established cultural clubs and organized celebrations such as the Obon festival.

 In the winter, ice skating was popular and during the warmer months swimming in the pond helped to cool down and provide an escape from the reality of being confined to camp.

Image at right: Boy Scout at Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming, 1943.
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Dressed up for the Bon Odori dance in 1944.


A library was established at the internment camp. Read the article (PDF).

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Ice skating at Heart Mountain.

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A sumo wrestling bout at the camp.


Scouting was popular at the camp. Read the article (PDF) in the Heart Mountain Sentinel.
 		  
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Festivities for the Bon Odori dance.

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Heart Mountain Relocation Center Christmas party, presentation of gifts, December 25, 1943.

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Children ice skating at Heart Mountain Relocation Camp,1943.

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Football game between the "Jack Rabbits" and the "All-Stars," 1943.

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Children swimming at Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming, 1943.

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Lining up for the Boy Scout Parade. 

Image Credits

All Estelle Ishigo drawings are from 1942-1945 at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, courtesy of the American Heritage Center. See more in the AHC's Estelle Ishigo digital collection. Photographs from the digital collections at the AHC. Newspaper images are from Wyoming Newspapers.

Copyright notice: Digitized collection materials are accessible for educational and personal research purposes.
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