Internees

Building #1 – 309 South Copper Avenue (downtown Greenwood)
This location was originally the home of the Pacific Hotel that was established in 1897. The hotel was rebuilt in 1899 after being destroyed by fire, but survived the second one on March 12, 1907.

During the war, more than 200 Nikkei resided in this building, some of whom are noted below. Today the Pacific Grill Restaurant is located on this site.

Doyama, Mrs. F.
Hamaguchi, Mrs. T.
Hashimoto, Miss A.
Honda, Mrs. Han
Kimura, T.
Matsutani, Mrs. I.
Miki, T.
Murao, Mrs. Hatsue
Murao, Mrs. Tokiko
Nishi, Mrs. Mayumi
Nishimura, Mrs. S.
Okano, Mrs. Tsurue
Oye, Mrs. Tomi
Takeno, Mrs. M.
Tamura, Mrs. Kazue

Building #2 – 100 Deadwood Street
This was originally the site of the Armstrong Hotel that was established in 1899. The building was transformed into a hospital possibly in 1942-43 after the Red Cross received funds from Robert “Bob” Denzler, a prospector from Switzerland who earned money in the early mining days of Phoenix/Greenwood. In 1944, he passed away in Greenwood at the age of 93 and was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery. The hospital also served as building #2 for the Nikkei during the war, some of whom are listed below.

After the hospital closing in the early 1950s and the destruction of the Greenwood Public School from fire on December 31, 1951, the main floor was converted into a classroom for Grades 4-5 and one for Grades 7-8. The building was completely destroyed by fire in 1957, and the site was left vacant for many years before the Greenwood Senior Citizens Thrift Shop & Drop-in Centre was built upon it.

Hayashi, K.
Kariya, Isamu
Matsuba, Tatsumatsu
Obana, Mrs. Kane
Tanaka, Mrs. Tokie
Uegama, Imataro

Building #3 – 346 South Copper Avenue (downtown Greenwood)
The history of this red brick building can be traced to 1902 when Russell, Law, & Caulfield built a dry goods and hardware store. It was subsequently sold to L.A. Smith in 1913 and then to Thomas M. Gulley, a furniture merchant and mortician, who served as Greenwood’s mayor between 1917 and 1929. The Gulley Block was empty for several years before it was converted into building #3 to accommodate a large number of Nikkei during the war, some of whom are listed below.

After the war, the building was renamed the McArthur Centre in recognition of W.E. McArthur Sr. who was the city’s mayor between 1941 and 1955. Today it is also home to the community hall, the Kettle River Art Club, the Public library, and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #155.

Aoki, Mrs. Y.
Araki
Fujimoto, S.
Hamaguchi, Mrs.
Hamanishi, S.
Homma
Ibuki, S.
Izuka, Mrs. T.
Kariya
Koyama, Mrs. T.
Kuramoto
Kurita
Madokoro, J.
Miura, E.
Nakatsu, Mrs. K.
Nishi, J.
Oda, K.
Sano, K.
Shimizu, M.
Suzuki
Tabata, S.
Takeuchi
Terashita, Mrs. T.
Uyede, H.
Yamaguchi, I.
Yamamoto
Yodogawa, M.
Yuyama, Kyutaro

Building #4 – 298 South Copper Avenue (downtown Greenwood)
In 1899 Robert Wood, the city’s founder, and G.A. Rendell constructed for $20,000 one of the most architecturally striking buildings in Greenwood at the corner of Copper Avenue and Greenwood Street. This impressive three-storey structure, featuring a turret, was home to the Rendell & Company Dry Goods store and the Bank of Montreal until 1918.

During the war, it served as building #4 for Nikkei internees, some of whom are listed below. Of note, building #4 included one of four communal baths.

The Mineshaft Restaurant now occupies this historic Rendell Block building. In 1957 the third floor was renovated and the turret was removed.

Hamagishi, W.
Hamaguchi, T.
Hamanishi, Kiyoshi
Hatanaka, S.
Hayashi, Angela
Hayashi, Mrs. T.
Inouye, C.
Izumi, H.
Kuramoto, S.
Nasu family
Nose, K.
Sasaki, I.
Sato, E.
Shigematsu, I.
Shigematsu, Z.
Takemoto, T.
Tanaka, Mr.
Toda, Kikuma
Yasunaga, Mrs. M.
Yurugi

Building #5 - 256 South Copper Avenue (downtown Greenwood)
The Miller Block was originally owned by the Miller brothers who were jewellers, opticians, and pharmacists After 1898, it was the location of several businesses and organizations including the Star Theatre, the Women’s Institute Hall, the CIBC, the Greenwood Mercantile, Dr. D.G. Vallis Medical office, the Heritage Credit Union, the Buck and Up Variety Store, and the BC Liquor Store. During the war, it served as building #5 for the Nikkei, some of whom are listed below.

Aura, S.
Ishida, C.
Kawamoto, K.
Murakami, I.
Nasu family
Oye, Y.
Sakiyama, G.
Sakura, H.
Urugi, C.
Uyeyama, I.
Yodogawa, K.

Building #7 - Between Buildings #5 and #11 (downtown Greenwood)
Sandwiched between the Miller Block or Building #5 (256 South Copper Avenue) and the Mellor Block or Building #11 (276 South Copper Avenue) was Building #7. The British Columbia Security Commission was located there as well as Nikkei during the war, a few of whom are listed below. Today an empty lot is situated where the building originally stood.

Aura, S.
Hamaguchi, M.
Koide, S.
Nasu, B.

Building #8 - Between #11 and #4 (downtown Greenwood)
No longer in existence, building #8 was situated beside building #9 that has also been demolished. These internment sites were located between building #11 and building #4. A few of the families who occupied building #8 are listed below.

Miyashita, K.
Mizutani, H.
Nakatsu, K.

Building #10 – 201 South Government Street
Circa 1897, the Wood Block (currently referred to as the Frazee Block) exemplifies others constructed in mining towns around the turn of the 19th century. After relocating from Hamill Block, Morellos Ervin Frazee was the first occupant, operating a grocery and bakery store.

During World War II, it was converted into building #10 with laundry sinks on the first two floors and a bathhouse in the basement. It became home to 14 Nikkei families in 1942, some of whom are listed below.
When the Greenwood original school was destroyed by fire on December 31, 1951, the Wood Block served as a temporary classroom.
Today it is home to the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Department that had originally been constructed in 1898 and located on Long Street before being burnt down.

Hamada, T.
Isomura, Miss
Kariya, E.
Matsui
Miyashita, I.
Murao, K.
Nakamura, G.
Shinde, K.
Shoji, T.
Yoshida, Denki
Yoshida, T.

Building #11 – 276 South Copper Avenue (downtown Greenwood)
Constructed in 1901 by the brothers George and John W. Mellor, it was originally the site of the telegraph office and the first post office in Greenwood that was relocated to 301 South Government Street around 1915. In later years, it housed several businesses including Sears and Tomorrow’s Treasures. During the war, it served as building #11 for Nikkei internees, some of whom are listed below, and had one of four community baths.

Atagi, Mr. T.
Fukumura, Mrs.
Imoo, Mr.
Mukuyama, Mr. M.
Okamoto, Mr.
Otani, Mrs.
Uyeyama, Mr.
Yaguchi, Mrs.
Yuasa, Mrs.

NIKKEI BUILDING RESIDENTS (1942-approx. 1949)