Nestled in B.C.’s Boundary Country, Greenwood is a tiny city that dates all the way back to the 1890s. It’s so small, in fact, that it’s considered the smallest incorporated city in Canada!
Its name might not elicit instant familiarity, but Greenwood was once a contender for the provincial capital. It’s known as one of the last two great mining towns, once containing one of the British Empire’s largest smelters. The city got its start in 1891, however, upon the discovery of gold, silver and copper in the region.
From a prosperous hub to a ghost town
During this period, Greentown became known as the “hub” of the Boundary area, with people from all corners of the world flocking there.
“Everyone in the West knew about Greenwood by 1899,” says the city’s website. “Order an espresso ‘to go’ and take the Greenwood Heritage Walk, with maps available at the Greenwood Museum and Visitor Centre.”
Nonetheless, this initial prosperity was short-lived. According to the city’s website, copper prices plummeted after WWI, and the population dwindled to a few hundred by 1940. After the forced internment of Japanese Canadians in 1942, Greenwood truly became an abandoned “ghost town.”
Today, over 60 heritage buildings remain that date back to the city’s inception in the 1890s. Visitors can also check out the Nikkei Legacy Park, which honours the Japanese Canadian families affected by the forced internment of WWII.
Greenwood’s historic downtown includes an official City Hall, Courthouse, and Post Office, all of which are in use today.
Award-winning water
Another fun fact about Greenwood? Its drinking water has garnered international attention. Called “Greenwood Gold” by locals, the city’s municipal water won the 2012 Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Award for Best Municipal Water in the World.
Visitors can taste it for themselves from the trough at the Assay Office replica next to the museum.
Situated in Boundary Country just 14 km from the U.S. border, Greenwood is about a five-and-a-half-hour drive from Vancouver, or a one-hour drive from Osoyoos. So if you find yourself in wine country this spring or summer, it’s definitely worth adding this tiny city to your itinerary.
How to get there: Drive six hours from Vancouver via the Trans-Canada Highway/BC-1 E and Crowsnest Hwy/BC-3 E.
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