Manzanar | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 36°44′24″N 118°04′50″W / 36.74000°N 118.08056°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Inyo County |
Elevation | 3,727 ft (1,136 m) |
Manzanar (Spanish for "apple orchard") was a town in Inyo County, California, founded by water engineer and land developer George Chaffey.[1] Most notably, Manzanar is known for its role in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
It was situated on the former narrow-gauge railway line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 9 miles (14 km) north of Lone Pine,[2] at an elevation of 3,727 feet (1,136.0 m).[1]
A post office operated at Manzanar from 1911 to 1914.[2] Manzanar was a shipping point for the surrounding apple orchards before the diversion of water through the Los Angeles Aqueduct from the Owens Valley to Los Angeles.[2]
During World War II, the area was the location of the Manzanar War Relocation Center, where people of Japanese ancestry were held.[3]