Side view of Heart Mountain Relocation Center, ca. 1944

When plans were being prepared for the center, local town officials were adamant that they did not want the internees in their communities. The site for the center, halfway between the towns of Powell and Cody, was chosen for several reasons: because of its proximity to a water supply and to a railroad line that would provide the necessary transportation for tens of thousands of internees. But most important, the center's location was far enough from the two towns to satisfy those who insisted on keeping internees out.