New Denver, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
New Denver is a village in southeastern British Columbia
, Canada
, along the shore of Slocan Lake
. New Denver was founded as a mining town in 1892, and briefly known as Eldorado City before being renamed after Denver, Colorado
. It was incorporated as a village in 1929 and currently has approximately 600 residents.
During World War II
, New Denver became a Japanese Canadian internment
camp. Not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor
in December 1941, men between the ages of 18 and 45 were sent to labour camps in the Interior
of British Columbia or farther into Eastern Canada
. Approximately 1,500 women, children, and elderly men were sent to the "Orchard", a small section of New Denver set up to house them. New Denver's Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre
is dedicated to the history of the 23,000 Japanese Canadians that were interned by the Canadian government
.
In the 1950s, children of Freedomites
, a Doukhobor
extremist group, were removed from their parents and sent to residential school in New Denver. The Freedomites refused to send their children to school because of their religious beliefs.
The town is also notable for its lack of mobile phones. In a 2008 referendum citizens voted against the introduction of cellular telephone service. Despite this, on July 20, 2010, Telus Canada began installation of a cell phone facility in the heart of the village with many citizens peacefully protesting the installation.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, along the shore of Slocan Lake
Slocan Lake
Slocan Lake is a lake in the Slocan Country of the West Kootenay region of the Southeastern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. it is drained by the Slocan River, which flows south from the lake's foot at Slocan City through the Slocan Valley to South Slocan, British Columbia, where that river...
. New Denver was founded as a mining town in 1892, and briefly known as Eldorado City before being renamed after Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. It was incorporated as a village in 1929 and currently has approximately 600 residents.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, New Denver became a Japanese Canadian internment
Japanese Canadian internment
Japanese Canadian internment refers to confinement of Japanese Canadians in British Columbia during World War II. The internment began in December 1941, following the attack by carrier-borne forces of Imperial Japan on American naval and army facilities at Pearl Harbor...
camp. Not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
in December 1941, men between the ages of 18 and 45 were sent to labour camps in the Interior
Interior Plateau
The Interior Plateau comprises a large region of central British Columbia, and lies between the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains on the east, and the Hazelton Mountains, Coast Mountains and Cascade Range on the west. The continuation of the plateau into the United States is known there as the...
of British Columbia or farther into Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
. Approximately 1,500 women, children, and elderly men were sent to the "Orchard", a small section of New Denver set up to house them. New Denver's Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre
Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre
The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre is a museum and interpretive centre in New Denver, British Columbia, Canada, dedicated to the history of the Japanese Canadians that were relocated to internment camps during World War II by the Canadian government .The site consists of five buildings, of which...
is dedicated to the history of the 23,000 Japanese Canadians that were interned by the Canadian government
Politics of Canada
The politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
.
In the 1950s, children of Freedomites
Freedomites
Freedomites, also called Svobodniki or Sons of Freedom, first appeared in 1902 in Saskatchewan, Canada, and later in the Kootenay and Boundary districts of British Columbia, as a Doukhobor extremist group...
, a Doukhobor
Doukhobor
The Doukhobors or Dukhobors , earlierDukhobortsy are a group of Russian origin.The Doukhobors were one of the sects - later defined as a religious philosophy, ethnic group, social movement, or simply a "way of life" - known generically as Spiritual Christianity. The origin of the Doukhobors is...
extremist group, were removed from their parents and sent to residential school in New Denver. The Freedomites refused to send their children to school because of their religious beliefs.
The town is also notable for its lack of mobile phones. In a 2008 referendum citizens voted against the introduction of cellular telephone service. Despite this, on July 20, 2010, Telus Canada began installation of a cell phone facility in the heart of the village with many citizens peacefully protesting the installation.