New Denver

New Denver is located on the eastern shore of Slocan Lake in the Kootenay Rockies region. It is very much steeped in history. This, and other surrounding communities, are where hundreds of Canadians of Japanese heritage were brought during the Second World War. The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre in New Denver is the only interpretive centre in Canada dedicated to the history of this tragic story.  The Kohan Reflection Garden is a public Japanese-style garden that was also established to honour the many Canadian citizens of Japanese heritage. The Silvery Slocan Museum showcases the history of mining, transportation, logging and early life in the area. For outdoor enthusiasts there are plenty of water sports, hiking and cycling. Take a walk or cycle the Galena Trail which is an old railway bed that extends from Rosebery to Three Forks. This is a gentle eight kilometer walk and has the added attraction of a small trolley across the creek at the old Alamo mine site.

Nikkei Memorial Centre, New Denver

Location

New Denver is located in the Arrow Lakes & Slocan Valley at the junction of Hwy 6 and Hwy 31A, 46 km (29 mi) southeast of Nakusp, 46 km (29 mi) west of Kaslo on Hwy 31A. Other nearby communities to explore include: Nakusp, Slocan and Winlaw.

A Step Back in Time

Founded in 1892 by silver miners, New Denver reached its economic peak in the early 20th century. By 1920, the mining boom was over, and logging became the main industry. Today, tourism and other businesses have diversified the economy. New Denver is a progressive village that values its history and future.

During World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Canadian government sent thousands of Japanese-Canadians to internment camps in the BC Interior. New Denver had a number of abandoned houses from the boom times, and many more smaller dwellings were built to house the 2,000 men, women and children of Japanese origins. Some of these tiny houses still exist today.