Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial

Duration:

28 minutes, 36 seconds

Bearing the Unbearable tells the story of the forced removal of Japanese Americans from their home on Bainbridge Island during World War II and their subsequent incarceration in Manzanar and Minidoka concentration camps, innocent of any crime and suspect only because of their ethnicity. Told in the words of Bainbridge Islanders who survived the camps, the film explores the experience of incarceration and the unconstitutional suspension of these islanders' civil rights.

 

Let It Not Happen Again

Paul Dunn

 

Quick Links

• Request a Tour
• Traveling to Bainbridge Island
• Download the NPS App
• Junior Ranger Program

Let it Not Happen Again

The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial honors the first Japanese Americans to be excluded, forcibly removed from their community, and incarcerated during World War II.

At the memorial, visitors can reflect and learn about this site’s maxim of Nidoto Nai Yoni (Let It Not Happen Again).

A self-guided walking tour is available on the NPS App under Klondike Gold Rush Seattle Unit. This audio tour takes visitors through the memorial while listening to oral histories directly from survivors.

 

 

Areas of Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial

Park Ranger Station

The temporary on-site trailer is generally staffed during the weekends, with the exception of winter, by staff when available. Inside, visitors can find informational pamphlets, Junior Ranger booklets, the National Park Service stamp, and additional interpretive materials about the impact of EO 9066 on Bainbridge Islanders. The station remains locked when the park ranger is out roaming the memorial grounds.

To reach a Ranger call: 206-713-8407
Passport Stamp Available Here
Request a tour

Pavilion

Crafted by the Timber Framers Guild in 2006, the pavilion was constructed using traditional Japanese woodworking methods, including hand planing and the use of no metal fasteners. Inside, visitors will find informational panels that explain the history of Japanese Americans on Bainbridge Island and the importance of community allyship before, during, and after the exclusion.

Memorial Wall

A ”Story Wall,” constructed of native cedar and granite, is a focal point of the Memorial. The Wall follows the exact path that the Japanese Americans walked on March 30, 1942, as they were forcibly removed from their homes and exiled to incarceration sites during WWII. The Wall tells the story of Japanese Americans of Bainbridge Island through terra cotta artworks that capture and depict quotes from survivor oral histories. The Wall spans 276 feet, one foot for each of the 276 residents who were excluded from the island. The names and ages of all 276 residents are memorialized on the Story Wall. The Wall and surrounding landscape create an environment for learning, rememberance, and reflection.

Departure Deck

The Departure Deck sits at the exact location of the former Eagledale Ferry Dock, from which Japanese Americans departed at the start of their forced removal to Manzanar. An interpretive public art installation evokes the feelings of fear and uncertainty that the Japanese Americans experienced as they departed for an unknown destination and an indeterminate amount of time. The artwork consist of steel sculptures created by Vaughan, Washington artists Anna Brones and Luc Revel, and a gate created using the shou sugi ban woodburning technique by long-time memorial advocate John Buday.

Pritchard Park

Connected to the memorial is Pritchard Park a 50-acre beachfront park with a small trail system and a view of the Seattle Skyline and Mount Rainier. This area is great for watching the ferries, searching for wildlife, or enjoying a beach picnic after visiting the memorial.

 

 

Junior Ranger Program

Download the Bainbridge Island Junior Ranger Booklet on our Junior Ranger page to learn more about the Japanese American community of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and how this history inspires their mission: Nidoto Nai Yoni - Let It Not Happen Again.

 

 

Partners

• Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association
• Bainbridge History Museum
• Bainbridge Island Parks & Recreation District
• Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community
• Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Seattle