Manzanar National Historic Site News Release s2

National Park Service Manzanar PO Box 426 U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Site 5001 Highway 395 Independence, CA 93526

760 878-2194 phone 760 878-2949 fax

Manzanar National Historic Site News Release For Immediate Release: July 2, 2014 Contact: Jeff Burton Phone: 760-878-2194 x3305

2014 PUBLIC HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS AT MANZANAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

The public is cordially invited to help make a concrete contribution at Manzanar National Historic Site this summer. Under the direction of National Park Service archeologists Jeff Burton and Laura Ng, two different volunteer historic preservation workshops will be offered:

August 15 - 17: In the historic administration and staff housing area, volunteers will be resetting missing stones, painting stones, and removing brush and sand from landscape features. Volunteers will be digging with shovels and small hand tools, cutting and loading brush, using wheelbarrows, collecting rocks to reconstruct landscape features, and occasionally screening sediments to retrieve artifacts.

August 29 - September 2: Volunteers will be working at Merritt Park, the largest Japanese garden at Manzanar. Most of the work will involve lining the large garden ponds with colored concrete, volunteers will be digging with shovels and small hand tools, mixing concrete, using wheelbarrows, and placing and smoothing concrete. Other work will include brush clearing, resetting boulders, installing road barriers, restoring a wood post planter, and uncovering and possibly restoring a “Dutch” oven.

The Park Service will be able to accommodate up to 25 volunteers per day. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old and be able to work outdoors. It will be hot and most of the work is physically demanding, but there will be a variety of tasks each day, to suit a variety of interests and energy levels. Previous experience is helpful, but all that is needed is an interest in history and a willingness to be spattered with paint and concrete.

Volunteers must sign up in advance and may work any number of days or hours, but a full day or multiple days are preferred. Work will be conducted regardless of weather, so please come prepared, bring water, lunch, sunscreen, a hat, and work gloves. We will meet each day at 6:30AM in the visitor center parking lot and work until 2:30PM. To sign up email [email protected] or call 760-878-2194 x3303

Manzanar National Historic Site is located at 5001 Hwy. 395, six miles south of Independence, California. For more information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/manz or call 760-878-2194.

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A T M The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. -- END –

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A T M The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.