New At Manzanar NHS: New (And Old) Plaques Now At Visitors Center – Photos

That Manzanar is a National Historic Site is a fact many already know. But long before Manzanar became a unit of the National Park Service on March 3, 1992, the site had already been named as a National Historic Landmark (February 4, 1985), and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1976.

Many also know that Manzanar became a California Registered Historical Landmark in January 1972, with the familiar State historic plaque having been installed at the front of the sentry post at Manzanar’s historic entrance the following year.

But did you also know that Manzanar is also one of the City of Los Angeles’ Historic-Cultural Monuments?

Indeed, Manzanar, which was owned by the City of Los Angeles (under the control of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), was leased to the United States Government during World War II for the Manzanar concentration camp.

Not long after California named the site as an historical landmark, the City of Los Angeles followed suit, naming Manzanar as Historic-Cultural Monument 160 on September 15, 1976.

That fact remained obscured for many years, even after Los Angeles City Council member Tom Labonge presented the site with a plaque during the 2004 Grand Opening of the Manzanar Visitor’s Center.

But on February 13, 2014, the National Park Service took a step towards making sure every visitor is aware of this when they mounted the City plaque at the Visitors Center entrance.

While they were at it, they also moved the State historic landmark plaque from the side of the road at the historic entrance to the flag pole in front of the Visitors Center.

You can check out photos of it all below.

LEAD PHOTO: Did you know that the City of Los Angeles named Manzanar as one of their Historic-Cultural Landmarks back in 1976? Photo: Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee.

Moving The California Registered Historical Landmark Plaque

Photos courtesy National Park Service. Click on any photo to view a larger image, and to scroll/click through the gallery.

National Park Service staff begin the process of moving the California Registered Historical Landmark plaque, which was placed on the south side of the historic entrance road after it was removed from the front of the sentry post.

Putting the finishing touches on placing the California Registered Historical Landmark plaque in its new spot in front of the Visitors Center.

Staff lowers the California Registered Historical Landmark plaque into its new home.

Using a skiploader, National Park Service staff haul the California Registered Historical Landmark plaque to the Visitors Center via the frontage road to the immediate east of the site.

Using a skiploader, National Park Service staff haul the California Registered Historical Landmark plaque to the Visitors Center via the frontage road to the immediate east of the site.

Photos of California Registered Historical Landmark, City of Los Angeles Historical-Cultural Monument, and Manzanar Advisory Commission Plaques

Photos © 2014 Manzanar Committee. All rights reserved. Click on any photo to view a larger image, and to scroll/click through the gallery.

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