Discover McGehee: History and Remembrance

If you are looking for a destination with a rich history of remembrance and architecture, McGehee offers several distinct themes. The museum is dedicated to the Japanese American relocation centers of Rohwer and Jerome; there are also buildings with specific construction dates and architectural styles, as well as a garden dedicated to the people who were relocated. When searching for hotels in McGehee, this thematic selection can help you assess the destination based on your travel interests, without conflating the different places and their stories.

Museum and History of the Relocation Centers

At the World War II Japanese American Internment Museum, the exhibit “Life Interrupted – Against Their Will” explores the history of the nearby Rohwer and Jerome relocation centers in the 1940s. This puts a specific historical perspective at the center: the story of two named centers and their place in the context of World War II. The former Railway Eating House is home to the museum. The building and exhibit thus bring together two distinct aspects: the building’s former use and remembrance of the relocation centers. If you are primarily interested in the exhibit, this connection between the building and the subject of the exhibit is a clear point of reference.

Historic Buildings in McGehee

The construction dates and design of McGehee’s buildings can be considered side by side. The McGehee City Jail in the city center was built in 1908; it has three cells with metal doors and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Missouri-Pacific Depot dates to 1910 and is classified as Mediterranean/Craftsman architecture; it is also listed in the Register. The former McGehee Post Office was built in 1937 in the Colonial Revival style and is likewise listed there. The construction years 1908, 1910, and 1937 give you a timeline for comparison, while the details about the cells, depot style, and post office style offer different points of interest. The buildings therefore differ not only in their respective functions, but also in their design.

A Garden as a Place of Remembrance

The Japanese Water Garden in McGehee offers a different perspective: it is dedicated to the Japanese Americans who were relocated to Rohwer and Jerome during World War II. Alongside the exhibit, the garden represents a second form of remembrance: while the exhibit explores the history of the centers, the garden is dedicated to the people who were relocated there. The distinction between historical interpretation and an explicit dedication offers a concrete thematic comparison.

Information at the Former Rohwer Site

At Rohwer, the focus shifts from the building to the former site and how its history is presented. Along a designated walking route at the former Rohwer relocation center site, there are eight information panels and five audio kiosks. The Rohwer Japanese American Relocation Center cemetery has information panels along the path and audio recordings featuring the voice of actor George Takei. Both places reflect the Rohwer context, but differ in the specific presentation described: at the former site, the panels and audio kiosks are part of a designated route; at the cemetery, the panels and the identified voice in the recordings are notable details. This allows you to consider the history of the former center and the cemetery perspective as distinct thematic focuses.

For an overview of the wider trip: Desha County.