Manzanar (Spanish for "apple orchard") was a town in Inyo County, California, founded by water engineer and land developer George Chaffey.

It was situated on the former narrow-gauge railway line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 9 miles (14 km) north of Lone Pine,[2] at an elevation of 3,727 feet (1,136.0 m).

[6] The Owens Valley Paiute hunted and fished, collected pine nuts, and raised crops utilizing irrigation in the Manzanar area.

When gold and silver were discovered in the Sierra Nevada and the Inyo Mountains, the resulting sudden influx of miners, farmers, cattlemen and their hungry herds brought conflict with the Owens Valley Paiute, whose crops were being destroyed.

[11] When European American settlers first arrived in the Owens Valley in the mid-19th century, they found a number of large Paiute villages in the Manzanar area.

[12] John Shepherd, one of the first of the new settlers, homesteaded 160 acres (65 ha) of land 3 miles (5 km) north of Georges Creek in 1864.

[14] As the area was developed, its farmers by 1922 produced "probably 90 per cent Winesaps on 400 to 500 acres (160 to 200 ha) of bearing trees," even with its "limited water supply."

Inyo County agricultural agent J.P. Hertel predicted that year the growers would "no doubt plant many more trees in the future and irrigate them by the development of large wells.

[21] In January 1911, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors approved an application by Chaffey's Owens Valley Improvement Company for a telephone line linking Independence, Lone River, Owengo, Francis, Citrus and Manzanar.

[18] Also at that time, nearly 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of apple, pear, and peach trees were under cultivation; along with crops of grapes, prunes, potatoes, corn and alfalfa; and large vegetable and flower gardens.

[18] Although some residents sold their land for prices that made them financially independent and relocated, a significant number chose to stay.

This ended the Land of the Big Red Apples"[26]By the beginning of August 1924, however, "the purchase of the Manzanar district for $780,000 was consummated by Los Angeles.

"[32] By 1925, as a result of farmers and others moving away from Manzanar as Los Angeles purchased their properties, the "two-teacher school" was expected to have only seven pupils.