As a child I read a story about Manzanar from the POV of a child. That story stayed with me all…read morethese years. The NPS has recreated some of the buildings here including the bath house, school, mess hall and 'improved' living quarters where walls were installed between family living quarters - replacing the blankets that were hungs as "walls". One of the things I remember in the book was how the toilets and showers were communal and how embarrassed they were to have to do such private business in a public space. No partitions, no privacy on the toilet or shower. Meals were also communal and menus were created by persons unfamiliar with an asian diet. Also from the book the author talks about sweet peaches being put over the rice. Definitely not how rice was eaten. Meals were served on a schedule and each 'block' of quarters had their own mess hall menu. Residents could earn a couple of dollars a month by working in the mess hall. Buildings were erected so hastily the wood was not dried creating gaps between boards so the desert sand would blow in covering everything with sand and allowing scorpians inside. Several families were housed in each building, and as mentioned, with no walls between. Camps were not prepared to educate the children and the first classes were held sitting outside on the ground. Over time teachers, furniture and supplies were provided. So much more information is provided. A short film runs on the hour in the visitor center. A self driving tour (one way) around the acres of camp include informational signs and some recreated buildings while other structures are just a sign (bldg 1, bldg 2, etc.) or foundation. The park has also excavated and reestablished gardens created by residents. A poignant and interesting history lesson for us all. Definitely worth a visit. The museum includes a lot of personal stories and information. The park rangers on duty were very helpful. Gift shop includes a number of books and a few other NPS souveniers. Be sure to get your passport stamped. Public restrooms by the entrance. A handicap drop off point is close to the building. On site parking is a short walk to the visitor center.

I came out here on a field trip with a class I'm taking this summer. It's 95 degrees, windy and…read morearid. Even as a visitor, I find these conditions to be uncomfortable, so I could not imagine being forced to live out here in subhuman conditions for an indefinite period of time. However, that is what over 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese Nationals living in the USA were forced to do during WWII - and 10,000 men, women, children and babies were forced to do just that at Manzanar. The Visitors Center is only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday - so we were not able to see it, but we were able to eat our lunches in the Mess Hall. I also explored the barracks, and saw the rest of this historic site by bus and on foot. Don't miss seeing Merritt Park, the Children's Village area, and the Issei Obelisk. This site is a powerful reminder that History repeats itself, and visiting Manzanar is an extremely moving and meaningful experience for everyone. Peace.

Nice amount of reading materials librarian is always helpful. Nice atmosphere. They have computers…read moreyou are able to use and they will even let you make copies of if needed for a price.

Stopped in to print a document, and encountered the most unpleasant and downright rude front desk…read morewoman, when I asked for assistance with the aging desktop computer. Mind you, I interrupted her, politely, to ask for help, while she was in the midst of a gossip session with another customer. Her pal was the only other person in the place, so it's not as if she were swamped. She made me feel so uncomfortable that I left without completing task. Usually the hallmark of a public library is welcoming and congenial, especially in a small town. Not so the Bishop Public Library. kinda creeped me out.

I'm from Huntington Beach I stopped there 9:00 this morning and waited for the girl to open up I…read morewas also waiting for somebody else to show up so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable with a single man coming in when you're a single man you need to think about that sort of stuff that so you don't make people feel uncomfortable so when the other girl showed I went inside and asked her about property rooms for rent she's very kind

Guys. I went here when it was 100+ degrees outside, and these folks HAD THE A/C BLASTING MY ASS. I…read moreLOVED IT. I chilled here before I tackled the High Sierra Trail. So if you're in the area and you're looking for that amazing A/C... go here!!!

This is a museum I think every family should Come to! It's…read moregot some GREAT American history west of the Mississippi. I've been to the Smithsonian and I'm actually shocked they haven't bought this from them. This is equally as good as one of their museums. The items that have been donated, the information they give is so interesting and informative. There are buildings Upon buildings and did you know mules used to pile the railroad out here? Ya, me either ! GE has stuff to do with the railroad. They have old old cars, and stuff mods NEVER EVER would see if they didn't go to this very museum. Leave a couple hours early on your way to mammoth or on your way home ... GO TO THIS AMAZING MUSEUM!!! You want be disappointed !!!!

A Wonderful Step Back in Time at Laws Railroad Museum…read more We absolutely loved our visit to the Laws Railroad Museum & Historic Site in Bishop, California! From the moment we arrived, everyone was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and accommodating. There was so much to see and explore that we could have spent hours there. The museum is like stepping into an entire little town from another era. There's an old schoolhouse, a library, historic buildings, station agent family home, doctor's office, firehouse and fascinating pieces of everyday life -- including old Maytag appliances. Every building seemed to have something interesting to discover. One of the highlights was riding the Brill train, which was such a fun experience and especially exciting for our 9 year old son, who absolutely loves trains. Another memorable part of our visit was meeting Makenzie, who was working on and cleaning the historic No. 9 4-6-0 Baldwin steam locomotive. Makenzie took the time to talk with us and shared some fascinating information about the train and its history. That personal interaction really made our visit special. It's really wonderful to meet a community of train enthusiasts. You can tell how much care, dedication, and passion goes into preserving this incredible piece of California history. It's truly a hidden gem and a wonderful place for families, history lovers, and, of course, train spotters! We highly recommend Laws Railroad Museum and can't wait to visit again!

This LDS church is small but welcoming. They have a family history library open to the public with…read moreassistance if needed and worldwide access. They offer a church service with communion, scripture study and nursery. It was a sweet experience.

Super cute little charming post office! I love how it is still working! The only downside was gps…read moresent me first to someone's backyard that had a dog! Other than that, I love how they have a little library where you can take a leave books. Its in a small space with tables on the side too. It's a nice little peace of History! I would definitely stop by here if im in the area.

So. I was headed up the mountain to see the Sequoias. But. On the lil road up, my eyes caught sight…read moreof a lil brown sign. It read 'Post Office'. What? Historical Post office? Heck ya! It's on a lil windy road. There's zero phone service there. But it's the most tiniest most adorable lil post office I have seen in my forty years on this planet. From what I read off the lil plaque, the colony there was founded in 1885. It was there for a few years, and eventually fizzled out. They left their post office though. So. Ya. The coolest bit about this place, is that it's still a functioning post office. They still sell stamps, they still have a lil wall of post office boxes, and there's a place where you can drop off your postcards and letters to be mailed out to your friends and family back home. There's even a lil 'take one leave one' library. It's a lil quaint piece of history that still functions as it did a hundred and thirty three years ago. A step back in time if you will. And you can mail your postcards too.