Tule Lake National Monument

Visitor Center Completion

National Historic Landmark
2006
National Monument
2008
 
Park Size
1,391 acres
 
Annual Visitors
2,700
 
Park Fee
none
 
Superintendent
Chris Mengel
 
Location
Modoc and Siskiyou Counties, CA

Tule Lake National Monument preserves and protects the history of the Tule Lake Segregation Center, where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. Of the 10 War Relocation Authority centers, Tule Lake had the largest population, was the only one to become a maximum-security site, and was the most militarized.

Previously, access to the park was only by ranger-guided tour, and the park rented a 10’ x 10’ office at the local fairgrounds. Major upgrades have been made to a building at the park site to be used as its first real visitor center.  The Fund for People in Parks provided a grant for the last upgrades needed to open the building: an accessible ramp and deck to allow visitors of all mobilities to enter the visitor center, as well as paint, gutters, and other finishing touches needed to open.

The new visitor center opened in June 2022! This upgrade has greatly improved the visitor experience by allowing visitors on the grounds, expanding educational exhibits, and increasing the visibility of the park by being located on a major highway adjacent to the turn-off to nearby Lava Beds National Monument. 

The park was able to save some money on construction materials, so they added a National Park Service entrance sign next to the highway and an outdoor exhibit representing the 10 incarceration camps, fabricated by youth from the local FFA. 
 
Project Cost:  $125,960                                                                   Project Completed: 2024
     National Park Service: $82,360
​     The Fund for People in Parks: $44,600

It has made a lasting impact on our park and our visitors. Because of this project, we were able to move out of a rented 10-foot by 10-foot space and put up our first exhibits. We can now also give tours on-demand because we just have to walk out the door, when before we had to drive to the site. Visitors who have come back to the park and seen the new visitor center have been so excited to see the space and spend more time at the site."
​     -Angela Sutton, Supervisory Interpretation Park Ranger

Before: A 10' x 10' space, rented from a local venue, separated from the park sites

After: The park's first visitor center! Located adjacent to one of the main park sites