The Greenwood Museum and Visitor Centre offers a large selection of local tourism pamphlets and maps.
This is large museum and well worth a visit.
Welcome to Greenwood
Address: Hwy. 3 and Deadwood
The smallest incorporated City in Canada is located in the Boundary region, in British Columbia. The Greenwood Museum and Visitor Centre is located in downtown historical Greenwood.
Our museum should be your first stop when visiting the Boundary Country. Here you will access British Columbia travel information and in the Greenwood area find out what to see and do, where to eat and sleep. Don't miss visiting our museum.
Greenwood was incorporated in 1897 and a taste of this exciting mining history is seen in our frequently revamped displays. Here you can experience real Greenwood history and events.
From the Greenwood Museum and Visitor Centre
History & Heritage
Greenwood boasts some of the best preserved heritage buildings in British Columbia. Step back in time and spend an hour or a day on the self-guided "Heritage Walk" through Greenwood's colorful downtown and nearby historic residences.
Enjoy the early 20th century architecture while browsing in the quaint shops or stopping at a café.
Suddenly, the fame and fortune of Greenwood went into a tailspin. In 1918 a downturn in the copper market forced the closure of the BC Copper Company smelter. People left in droves, businesses were boarded up, and by 1940 only 200 people remained. It looked like the City of Greenwood was to become a ghost town, the fate of so many communities of the era. During World War II a new group of citizens changed Greenwood's fate.
A traumatic experience it was, the forced internment of Japanese-Canadians. In 1942 they were required to abandon their coastal lifestyles and were displaced to this isolated little mountain town. Greenwood became the first internment camp for 1200 people of Japanese descent arriving by train over a course of several months.
The many empty hotels and businesses became one-room compartments for families. Communal kitchens, shared bathing and toilet facilities and the bitter cold winters were the harsh realities unheard of on the Pacific West Coast.
With the same undaunted spirit of the miners before them, Greenwood's new citizens transformed the town into a once-again bustling community, where culture, education, and sports became an important part of everyday life. Thus, when the war ended in 1945 and many city councils endorsed the deportation of Japanese Canadians, Greenwood stood fast in supporting its much appreciated community members.
Throughout the years, Greenwood citizens have always exhibited a strong will for survival. Today, Greenwood is once again going through a period of change. Drawing on the strength of past years, the city is evolving into a historic tourism destination. Opening us to the world's spotlight was the filming of Universal Studio's Oscar-nominated movie, "Snow Falling on Cedars" based on David Gutersen's novel, directed by Scott Hicks, starring Ethan Hawke, Youki Kudoh, and Max Von Sydow.
From the City of Greenwood