Three valuable historic structures at the Minidoka National Historic Site are set to undergo stabilization and restoration according to an announcement made by the Minidoka National Historic Site and Friends of Minidoka late last month.
With funding through the Great American Outdoor Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund, the National Park Service will be rehabilitating the historic barrack, mess hall and root cellar.
A skilled team from the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center will perform the restoration work. Through the Great American Outdoors Act, HPTC has formed multiple geographically based teams composed of trades specialists to complete historic restoration and preservation projects efficiently across the country.
Stabilizing and restoring the site’s historic resources is the first phase of the process. After the restoration, interpretation will be developed to tell the stories of the more than 13,000 Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated at Minidoka during World War II.
These improvements will allow visitors to step inside history, helping them better understand the lived experience of Japanese Americans incarcerated at Minidoka.
In addition to the restoration projects, a new maintenance facility will be constructed at Minidoka that will house a carpentry shop, equipment repair bays, offices and park staff workspaces.
Special acknowledgement is given to the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, Minidoka NHS Superintendent and South Idaho Parks’ Wade Vagias and the South Idaho Parks staff.
For updates and additional information, visit www.minidoka.org.
