The sentry towers are always silhouetted in the distance. It is not enough that they are not being used - to the residents they stand waiting for the day the they will be used. The eight sentry towers are ever present as a symbol of their confinement....no other single factor has had a serious effect on the residents; morale as the erection of the guard tower. - War Relocation Authority, 1943

Eight guard towers stood along the camp's perimeter as symbols of prejudice, war hysteria, and imprisonment. Never completed or staffed, the towers served as constant reminders of the loss of freedom to the 13,000 Japanese Nikkei who lived at Minidoka from 1942 to 1945. No physical trace of the towers remain, though their presence is forever etched in the minds of the incarcerates and passed onto succeeding generations through historic photographs, artwork, and writings.
The guard tower that stands before you was reconstructed in March of 2014 by students in Boise State University's Department of Construction Management program. Using historical images as their guide, they replicated the design and scale of the original towers. Former incarcerates participated in the dedication ceremony at the June Pilgrimage.
With the return of the physical structure to the site, a looming presence has also been returned -



offering visitors a glimpse into the psychological elements of incarceration.
The Minidoka Guard Tower Reconstruction Project was supported in part by the Preservation of Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program, administered by the National Park Service.,.
Primary Contributors: Axiom Engineering, Boise, ID; BSU Dept. of Construction Mgmt.; Cole Architects, Boise, ID; Friends of Minidoka; Idaho Sand & Gravel, Twin Falls, ID; Material Testing, Boise, ID ProCore, California
Additional Contributors: The Dimond Family; Edge Construction Supply, Boise, ID; Franklin Building Supply, Boise, ID; Gary D. Jones Construction, Burley, ID; Kowallis & Richards Inc., Boise, ID; Mike Malcom, Tates Rents, Boise, ID

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  

Minidoka Relocation Center
Soothing Waters
On Guard
Minidoka National Historic Site
A Question of Loyalty
Honor Roll
Running a Camp
Censored Mail
Supporting the Camp
Swimming Hole

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.