About Heart Mountain
Heart Mountain is the site of the largest subaerial landside in Earth’s history. An enormous block of older rock slid over younger layers. Don’t worry, though, that occurred some 50 million years ago.
Named by the Crow Indians, Heart Mountain rises to a summit elevation of 8,123 feet. There’s a spectacular view from the top, accessed by a hiking trail. The hike is 8 miles round trip, and fairly strenuous on the upper end.
Depending on the direction of the view, Heart Mountain looks like a heart, although it takes a little imagination to make the association. From the Cody side, the mountain looks like a reclining face with a nose, chin and even a wart on the chin.
On February 19, 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. It authorized the military to designate “military zones.” With that, the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp was built. It was built on 46,000 acres of dusty federal land. Those incarcerated lived in a fenced area that covered 740 acres. It was ringed with barbed wire and guarded by nine guard towers. There were 650 buildings and structures, included 450 barracks.
At its peak, 10,767 people were confined at Heart Mountain. Over the course of three years it existed as a Ware Relocation Authority facility, from August 1942 to November 1945.
The tarpaper barracks were divided into apartments, some single rooms and others slightly larger to accommodate families of up to six. They were furnished only with a stove for heat, a light fixture in the center of the room, an army cot and two blankets for each person. Each block had a mess hall, unpartitioned toilet and shower facilities and a laundry area.
The mass exclusion ended in January 1945. They promised the incarcerated $25 and a train ticket to anywhere in the U.S. The last trainload of incarcerees left Heart Mountain on November 10, 1945.
Visit the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center to learn more. Click here to go to the center’s website.