SUPPORTED BY THE POSTON COMMUNITY ALLIANCE
Help Preserve Our Unique Poston Site
$3297
/ $100,000
The idea for the Poston Memorial Monument was conceived in 1989 and the dialogue with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) was established. Ray Takata, FAIA, was aske to prepare a monument in observance of the 50th year of evacuation and internment.
Plans were drawn up and on July 28, 1992, site preparation with Ted Kobata (photo) in charge. Construction was completed and the monument was dedicated on October 6, 1992 .
The Poston Memorial Monument was built in the summer of 1992 mainly through volunteer efforts by members and friends of the Poston Memorial Monument Committee. Donations from survivors and decedents of survivors from the three Poston Camps financed the project. The Colorado River Indian Tribal Council granted use of one acre of land on which the monument and kiosk are built. The monument is on Mohave Road in Poston AZ and is a short distance from the site of the original Camp I. The designers of the monument, Ray Takata and Stephan Hamamoto, say that the single 30 foot concrete pillar of the monument symbolizes "unity of spirit". The hexagonal base represents a Japanese stone lantern. The 12 small pillars situated around the monument make it a working sundial. The monument was finished off with trees and landscaping materials also donated by Camp I detainees and there families.
In 1995 the committee members and volunteers returned to the site to add a kiosk to the monument. The kiosks' bronze plates detail the history of the Poston Internment Camps and CRIT. It is also built to represent a Japanese stone lantern.