July Irrigator: A Place of Honor
- Bekka Mongeau
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Minidoka Irrigator | Issue 27 | July 2026
A Place of Honor
On June 27, 2026, the City of Eden dedicated its new “A Place of Honor” memorial, a lasting tribute to local veterans. Years in the making, the memorial was the vision of Keith Huettig.
During the planning process, Keith — a Vietnam veteran and member of the Eden American Legion — reached out to Friends of Minidoka to ensure the story of the Japanese American men and women from Minidoka who served during World War II would be included. We were honored to support this meaningful memorial in the community neighboring Minidoka National Historic Site, where Keith's family farm employed many people from Minidoka during the war. Keith also researched and wrote the memorial panel dedicated to the heroic soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
The dedication ceremony was a moving tribute to service, sacrifice, and remembrance. I was honored to provide remarks on behalf of Friends of Minidoka and Minidoka National Historic Site, especially during this year’s 250th celebration of our country and the 25th anniversary of Minidoka National Historic Site becoming a unit of the National Park Service. You can read the Times-News article about the memorial and the dedication, along with my remarks, through the links below.
Sincerely,
Robyn Achilles
Executive Director
Photos Courtesy: Eric Goodell, Times-News and Friends of Minidoka
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Watch the Webinar — Legacy Restoration Funds at Work: Minidoka National Historic Site
On June 25 we hosted the webinar, Legacy Restoration Funds at Work: Minidoka National Historic Site. After years of preparation and planning, work is now underway on multiple preservation efforts. Minidoka National Historic Site received $8.1 million through the Legacy Restoration Fund of the Great American Outdoors Act — a significant investment to restore the historic root cellar, barrack, and mess hall, and to construct a new modern maintenance and staff facility.
In the webinar, National Park Staff provide an update on the restoration projects and Friends of Minidoka discuss next steps.
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Friends of Minidoka is the donor-supported nonprofit partner for Minidoka National Historic Site. Our mission is to preserve, protect, and educate about the lessons and legacy of the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans at Minidoka during WWII.
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