Pilgrimages to former World War II concentration camps for those of Japanese descent were started in the late 1960s. It took nearly a quarter century for former prisoners and their descendants to question why they had been imprisoned and begin searching for answers.

The first formal pilgrimage to the Granada Relocation Center – known as Camp Amache - in Prowers County was one of the official events commemorating the state of Colorado’s centennial from 1975-76, which coincided with the United States bicentennial celebration. After pilgrims arrived at Amache, they cleaned the cemetery site. Since then, the annual Pilgrimage has taken place on the weekend before Memorial Day weekend for the past 50 years. While it was originally limited to only Saturday, in recent years it has grown to a longer event.

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This year, the full Amache Pilgrimage will take place from the afternoon of Friday, May 15, to midday Sunday, May 17, with events hosted by Amache Alliance, the University of Denver Amache Project, National Parks Conservation Association, Colorado Preservation Inc., and the Sand Creek Massacre Foundation. Pilgrims will need to cover costs of transportation and meals outside of the Pilgrimage potluck.

For those arriving by Friday, Nation Park Service staff will be available at the reconstructed barrack in block 12H starting at 2:00 p.m. There will also be an optional dinner cook-out at Granada High School (a fee will be charged) followed by presentations and a social. Note there are few options for food in Granada. The Amache Museum will be open Friday and Saturday until 5:00 p.m., except during the ceremony at the cemetery and luncheon Saturday.

Saturday before the Pilgrimage ceremony at the Amache site, there will be free time to visit the site or Amache Museum or sign up for a tour of specific blocks. Most blocks look similar and have only foundations remaining, but the location of individual family units within barracks can be identified. Searches for a family’s barrack and block information is available on the Interactive Directory Map. After lunch, there will be additional time to visit the Amache Museum, as well as opportunities for additional family block tours or informal activities at the Granada Community Center.

In the evening, there will be a casual Mexican buffet dinner by Shorty’s Cafe at the historic Newman’s Drugs building in Granada (a fee will be charged). Join other Amache survivors and community members for a time of sharing food and stories. Newman’s Drug Store was where Amache families went to shop, and have ice cream or a soda. Next door was the Granada Fish Market started by Frank Tsuchiya. Using his Los Angeles connections, he brought in sashimi grade fish to Granada and sold Japanese food hard to come by in camp such as soy sauce and noodles. Wrap-up the evening socializing at the Granada Community Center.

The Amache Museum and site will be open all weekend.

Full Amache Pilgrimage Draft Schedule of Events

Friday, May 15, Amache National Historic Site

• 9 AM      Volunteers meet at the Granada Community Center for assignments. 103 S. Main Street, Granada, CO. 81041.
• 2 PM      Registration opens at Granada High School.
• 2:30-4:30 PM  NPS rangers will be present to answer questions at the Reconstructed Barrack in Block 12H.
• 4:30-6 PM          Cook-out dinner hosted by Granada High School, 201 S Hoisington St., Granada, CO. $10 cash or check only. Pre-registration required.
• 6-7:30 PM          Evening program at Granada High School Auditorium,
• 201 S Hoisington St., Granada, CO.
• 7:30 PM               Social with Celebration cake, Granada High School gym.

Saturday, May 16, Amache NHS

• 9 AM      Registration opens at Granada High School.
• 9-10 AM               NPS rangers available at the Reconstructed Barrack in Block 12H.
• 9-10 AM               Guided Tours of Family Blocks 6G, 7E, 7K, 8G, 9E, 10E, 10H, 12E, 12K, 10G. Meet at Amache Site Entrance. Pre-registration required, select one block to visit.
• 10 AM  Shuttle from Granada High School to Amache Cemetery for those not participating in tours. There is plenty of paved parking at the High School.
• 11 AM  CORE EVENT: Pilgrimage Memorial Ceremony at the Amache Cemetery. Shuttle will return to Granada High School after the ceremony.
• 12:30 PM            CORE EVENT: Pilgrimage Potluck Lunch at Granada High School. Please allow Denver bus participants to get their food first.
• 2-3 PM Guided Tours of Family Blocks 6E, 7F, 7H, 8E, 8K, 9K, 11G, 11H, 12H, 12F. Meet at Amache Site Entrance. Pre-registration required, select one block to visit.
• 2-5 PM NPS rangers available at the Reconstructed Barrack in Block 12H.
• 3-4 PM Guided Tours of Family Blocks 6F, 6H, 7G, 8F, 9H, 9L, 11E, 11F, 11K, 12G. Meet at Amache Site Entrance. Pre-registration required, select one block to visit.
• 3-8 PM Social gathering, informal activities, and films at the Granada Community Center – air conditioned. 103 S. Main St., Granada, CO 81041.
• 4-5 PM Intergenerational discussions at the Granada Community Center. Please note the informal activities and films will be closed during this time but will reopen during dinner.
• 5-6:30 PM          1st Seating, Dinner by Shorty’s Cafe at the historic Newman’s Drugs building, 24 N. Main St., Granada, CO 81041. $20, cash or check only. Pre-registration required, limited to 100 people.
• 6:30-8 PM          2nd Seating, Dinner by Shorty’s Cafe at the historic Newman’s Drugs building, 24 N. Main St., Granada, CO 81041. $20, cash or check only. Pre-registration required, limited to 100 people.

Sunday, May 17, Sand Creek Massacre NHS

• 9 AM      Meet at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site entrance for a remembrance program and guided tour. Note: The site is approximately 1 hour northwest of Amache or northeast of Lamar. There are no food/beverage concessions available, the Denver Airport is a little over 3 hours away

Click here to register, or visit https://amache.org/pilgrimage/#FullPilgrimage for more information.