| Greenwood’s
Japanese Citizens
|
|
In 1942, Greenwood became the home to 1200 Japanese-Canadians. Mayor W.E.
McArthur Sr. asked the Canadian Government for the Japanese-Canadians to come
here in
order to revive the town. |
In
1942,
more than 1100 Japanese Canadians were interned in Greenwood,
BC |
|
Many of the empty buildings were used to house the people coming into the
community.
Some large buildings were partitioned off with small rooms to house
families with a large communal kitchen. Some even had segregated communal baths.
There was some local resentment but soon the local citizens accepted the
new residents. From a dying town of 200 with many buildings boarded up for years to a
bustling community of around 1400 people. Store keepers benefited, new stores opening, and people were employed.
|
| The fire hall was turned into a kindergarten, the Greenwood School
was full
of pupils. |
|
|
Frazee Block
Built in 1897 as a
commercial store
|
| There was much turmoil as everyone was crowded together and people were
forced to adapt. The men were put to work in labour camps away from their families doing
construction work in road camps. A new book has been published
about the Teachers experiences in the Internment Camps of BC called
"Teaching
in Canadian Exile" by Frank
Moritsugu and the Ghost Town Teachers Historical Society
|
|
"The
War Between Us" is a movie about the Internment which was filmed
in and around the Slocan Valley, BC
For more information on Japanese
Canadians Click here for the
"Japanese Canadian National Museum Web Page"
|
| The Greenwood citizens were reminded of the Internment in 1998 when Snow
Falling On Cedars was filmed here and many of the local Japanese-Canadian
citizens were asked to be extras in this movie. It brought back a
lot of memories, good and bad.
|
|
|
