Report on Minidoka Relocation Project, Idaho, August 1, 1942

REPORT ON MINANDOKA RELOCATION PROJECT, IDAHO ~~

august 1, 1942 oO | |

+ | Permission was obtained from Mr. Harry Stafford, Project Directory |

to visit the Minandoka ;roject on August 1, lute, Mr, Stafford's offiee

`is lecated in Eden, Idaho, Personnel on the project at this time, with |

whom we visited, was George Townsend, Director of Commmnity Services,

Wir. Pomeroy, Director of Sducation, Mr. Joe Bacea, Project Imginecrs

hy og Thas project is lecated on the north side of the Smake River, bore = a

---@ering the north Twin Forks Canal. It is approximately eight miles by

- poad from Eden, a small, 4gas-station agricultural commmity which is BR ~~

turn twelv. wiles from Twin Falls, Idaho, a city of approximately 1',00R

| In the distance to the south is . mountain eaneee however the surrounde = =~

ing territory is comparatively flut with low, rolling plaims. This pare =

- tiewlar projeet area is about 30 miles southesst of Sun Valiey, Idaho. A ei

The area of the project is 90,000 acres, covered with sagebrush amd = g0x00A7#= = |

rabbits, with a soil foundation of lava dust. However, directly seross .. ss

_ the canal on the edge of the project are green fields and in the distamce 0x00A7

a number of large farming areas, with trees, can be seen, These areg OF

course, maintained only by virtue of irrigation, A ong the Crops now |

paised in this adjoiming rea are potatoes, white navy beams, sugarbeets,

alfaifa, and to a lesser degree onions, lettuce, wheat, oats, corn, and 3

a number of individual home truck gardens. The weather in the winter time |

has gotten as cold as 25 degrees below zero Fahrenheit with som: wind but

comparatively little snowfalle~ seldom more than two feet. In the summer

time the temperature ranges upward to 100 degrees in the middle of the

afternoon, However, almost without f.iil, it cocls in the evening' amd at

| night often blankets are needed to sleep comfortably. In general through=

~ gut the year the relative humidity is very low, : : a

2 The object of the project is to reclaim or to put in use EHX as ~~"

| large a proportion of this 90,000 acres as the initiative and ability = |

- of the colonists will permit by means of ivrigation. It was noted that ee |

general the crops of the adjoining area were very plentiful and the plant - fo

~ were exceedingly strong and healthy. There is every Indication tht Ah

identical scil amd water conditions a very productive project can be ae

established on this site, | | :

y . Phe present state of the project construction indicates that some -

' apeas will be ready for cecupation in two to three weeks. The plans show Ae

- @ gemeral crescent-shaped area composed of several sections im which the

' pudidings are arranged so that the widest portion is only two blocks = 4

= fhe buildings include a 200=bed hospital, administration area, ==

a military police area, school, theatre, clinic, library, and recreationd eo

areas, also the possible develo;ment of adjoining areas for small garden

plotse at present there is a thick layer of dust in pleees that have not |

been sprinkled and packed down, Thes condition should be considered teme

`porary for as scon as adequate water and planting is dene the dust proble

would be negligible. Imasmich as the canal running edjecent to the city

is quite wide and the water flows through it like a swifteflowing riverg

plans are made for a wovem wire fence along the eunal in order that the

children may be proteeted from drowning. (The velocity of this stream is

sufficient to completely discourage all thoughts of swimming im it at = |

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her Lk: "The `ae is `aia "a in blocks, sank block eee om iz.

Se Meashaees fer residence, six on each side of a kitchen, and a fours

'eenth building in which there are facilities for launivy, showers, -

amd Llavateries., The last two buildings have a smooth cement floor,

whereas the resident buildings have floors of standard fir f flocring,

wet Jaid in units, The kitchen contains three standard army stovesy

@ darge pamtry area, and washtubs for dishes. The tables are == |

ss. essentially the ten-man picnic table type. The laundry"lavatory

pudldiang contains on one whole side laundry tub facilities while the

- * other side is broken into two parts, one for men and one for WOMEN.

Qhese two halves of the building are joined in an H fashion with and .

. . gemtral heating unity. The -- side me broken up into- a "number fae

` of smaller compartments. foe , : cS

ee The hones are situated in Jone buildings `aktuell in the above oe

ss paragraph, each building containing six homes of varying size, Lars Se

Sila as: (15x20 feet, others ranging up to 25x20 feet. The wails are .

(of $/8's inch asbestos insulating boards having a smoothy aceamy white

fimish, The. ceilings are also conposed of this material and are

eo `approximately seven fect high. The outside of the buildings is covered

| with black tar papers Those buildings not sufficiently insuleted will |

ss sibe further sealed as the need demands, These buildings ave built from -

- the ground up and are not prefabricated, with the exception of winow

- @ases, etc, Each home wil: contain an iron barrelz~shaped stove of a

standard country styles Two adjoining apartments open into a single a

hallway with an outide door which system further aids in heat insulas -

tiem, eather keeping the heat in or keeping the heat out. It was also _

peted that. sewer and water pipes were being buried in the oe toa

een depth to as: ure their not. belng arasens

pee aa eneral the workmanship on the project Was Of 4 sound and ' of

ae permanent nature and many of the workmen seemed tc be taking an

_ acenttual interest in doing a good job, Although no effort was made to

_ sound out the commmity there was little or no evidence to indicate

vem peetetese - + fast. some secned to have, a eile form of es

| curiosity.

Toe and Betty cent Goodman