Paul Prisoner of War Camp, near Paul, ID

Established: As an internment camp for Italian, then later German Prisoners of War (POWs,) during World War II, the camp was completed in the fall of 1943, and began receiving prisoners in May 1944; some Mongolian soldiers, forced to fight for the Germans were also reportedly housed there, later in the war; closed in May 1946 at war’s end
Known for: During the war years, the Amalgamated Sugar Company and private land-owners contracted with the government for the POWs to work in the fields of area farms
Notable Stories: Fred Johnson, a farmer in the Springdale area, told that when beds of trucks needed replaced, he would unscrew the bolts that attached beds to the truck frame; on the guard’s command, POWs would line on each side of the bed, heft it collectively, then walk over and place the bed on timbers; he often shook his head, telling how he went to check on the crew as they topped beets by hand, then threw the topped beets into truck beds- when he got to the field, the bored guard, tired of watching the action, was bent over, topping the beets with the POWs, while one prisoner held his rifle, at the end of the row; obviously the POWs understood it would be futile to attempt to escape, and besides, many reported they were treated better in the camp than at home
Location: Located about four miles northwest of Paul
No population estimates for this historic site