By 1944 the population of Manzanar had dwindled to six thousand, its residents gone to war or to work, and security was eased. Soldiers no longer manned the guard towers, though the searchlights were left on at night to assuage anti-Japanese locals. The last few hundred internees left in November 1945. During World War II, no Japanese American was ever accused of sabotage.
When You Go
Manzanar National Historic Site is located on U.S. 395. The 814-acre site is open to the public free of charge every day from dawn until dusk; no reservations are required. In the summer (April 1–October 31), the Interpretive Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; winter hours (November 1–March 31) are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where to Stay
The nearest towns are Lone Pine (11 miles south) and Independence (six miles north). Lone Pine is a tourist stop with many motels. I found the Best Western Frontier Motel, 1008 South Main Street, to be an excellent choice (760-876-5571; bestwestern.com); doubles from $76. The Dow Villa Motel, 310 South Main Street, hosted movie stars like John Wayne and Gene Autry when they filmed Western movies nearby (800-824-9317; dowvillamotel.com); rooms $92 and up. Independence's Winnedumah Hotel, 211 North Edwards Street, is a bed-and-breakfast built in the 1920s (760-878-2040; winnedumah.com); doubles from $75.
What Else to See
Lone Pine is the gateway to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Film buffs may want to travel to the nearby Alabama Hills, where 300 movies—mostly westerns—have been filmed.
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this tells tells alot of details about the internement camps.