Japanese Settlement

The Yoshida family in Alamosa, circa 1930s. Along with many residents in the San Luis Valley, Japanese Americans enjoyed visiting Medano Creek and the dunes.

Courtesy Bessie Konishi

Japanese settlement in the San Luis Valley historically occurred in three waves. In the early 20^th century, Japanese railroad laborers came to work on the rapidly expanding train system, and some stayed. In the 1920s, a second wave brought Japanese farmers to the valley, where they purchased relatively inexpensive farmland. They worked diligently to develop the land into prosperous farms producing fresh vegetables that were transported by truck and train to markets throughout the US.

It wasn’t just land that brought them here to settle. Japanese Americans had endured prejudice and mistreatment on the west coast, but found the people of the San Luis Valley to be generally more welcoming.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor only intensified resentment against Japanese Americans. Many were placed in incarceration camps from 1942-1945 and monitored to prevent potential attack from within the US. Some were given the option of relocating to remote rural areas, where they were thought to be less of a possible threat. They just needed to have existing family to sponsor them to relocate and avoid the incarceration camps. With many Japanese Americans already in the San Luis Valley, more came to join them in a third wave of settlement. Though overall it was a kinder environment here than California at that time, the US government still placed restrictions on Japanese Americans, not permitting them to assemble in larger groups, and limiting travel.

 

Bessie Konishi (left), standing in front of the dunes with a daughter and
granddaughter, has lived in the San Luis Valley all her life. Her parents settled
here in the early 20th century. This photo was taken after she gave a presentation
at Great Sand Dunes.

NPS/Patrick Myers

After World War 2, Japanese Americans were again fully integrated in the communities of the San Luis Valley. Some of their descendants still live here today. For over a century, they have contributed to the economic, intellectual, and cultural vitality of this region.

Watch a video on Japanese settlement in the San Luis Valley. The production of this video was sponsored by the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area and the National Park Service.