Greenwood (750 m (2461 ft). Evidence of the wealth formerly enjoyed by this once flourishing mining town is provided by the magnificent buildings in the town center, such as Greenwood Inn (1899), Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1900), the vicarage (1906), the court buildings (1902) and the post-office built in 1915. In the 1880s ore deposits were discovered in the mountains. In the town's heyday more than 2000 people lived here. Of the smelting works set up in 1901 by the B. C. Copper Co., which once employed 400 men, only the ruins of the 37 m (121 ft) high chimney in the Lotzgar Memorial Park and the slag-heaps still remain. As early as 1918 the fall in copper prices after the end of the First World War led to the closure of this and of the two other plants in the Greenwood vicinity. Greenwood was on the way to becoming a ghost town when in 1942 some 1200 Japanese living in western Canada were interned here and some remained when the war ended.
In the new Greenwood Museum and Tourist Information Center at Copper St./Highway 3 the history of mining in this region is illustrated.
This is a good place to start a visit to the area. Obtain visitor information on tourist attractions and learn about the history of the area all at once. Greenwood is filled with heritage building, which are discussed at the Greenwood Museum, then go see them for yourself. The staff here are very knowledgeable on the topic and can answer any questions visitors may have.
Address: Greenwood Heritage Society, 214 South Copper Street , Greenwood, BC V0H1J0, Canada
Phone: 1 (250) 445-6355, Fax: 1 (250) 445-6355
Hours:
May 1 to June 30: 10am-4pm
July 1 to August 31: 10am-5pm
September 1 to October 31: 10am-4pm
Tips: Visit during winter months by appointment only.
In the former town of Phoenix 8 km (5 mi.) away from Greenwood, which for twenty years was one of the richest mining towns in Boundary Country, only two graveyards and a memorial remain. In 1919 Granby Consolidated Mining closed down its copper mine and the people left. When mining was resumed in 1955 the remains of the town disappeared under a giant open-cast mine which was itself closed down in 1978.
Visitors can today visit the area to see this open air display and memorial.
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