Piece by Piece
The Razing of the Chinatown at Cumberland
Update 2018-11-18: I’ve updated this post to correct misspellings and incorrect names of, or references to, individuals and organizations. This post now also contains more researched estimates of Chinatown’s peak population, and I have removed the comparison to the Chinatown in San Francisco in light of that reconsideration. We definitely have more research to do on these estimates – I pulled the 3000 figure in the original post from the back of a photo, but Imogene L. Lim pointed me to the 1921 census records as well as estimates in the archive that we’ll have to check out. All of these revisions were made thanks to notes and suggestions from her.
We’re grateful for Imogene’s time talking with the team about market gardens, Cumberland and BC Chinatown histories, and relationships. She works on food anthropology, does community-based research related to Asian Canadians on Vancouver Island, and is on the Coal Creek Historic Park Advisory Committee that is now mentioned in this post—among other great things. You can find more about her and her work at http://wordpress.viu.ca/limi/.
You can find a copy of the original post here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1agJcVQmhzutT8vBiwb6m8FbGZzuiygNWQRy_21H1Gc0/edit?usp=sharing
—
Cumberland is on the Unceded land of the K’ómoks, Sliammon, and Éy7á7juuthem. While I don’t write about those nations in this entry, I encourage you to think of the ways this destruction mirrors the erasure of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island. British Columbia’s history is inherently Indigenous. Said destruction has come in many forms over time to Indigenous people, including a genocide that killed over 70% of the population. While this blog acknowledges the land that we traveled to, I urge you to go further. Knowing one history should link you to more. Let’s keep looking, asking, and listening together. Truth comes before reconciliation.
I also want to acknowledge the team who visited Cumberland were mostly white settlers or white-passing settlers who have had primarily white experiences in the world. This will always limit opportunities to see deeply and understand further. Any true understanding of place and culture must be understood from the people who have experienced it. We have not yet done that work outside of reading interviews from original Chinatown families.
—
Cumberland’s Chinatown and Japantown were dismantled piece by piece by people like you and me.
It started in the 60s. A decade that brought with it radical movements, economic power, a public awareness of history and preservation, and Canada’s Centennial. These factors mingled into a culture that collected tangible history. I think of the knick-knacks and curio shelves of my grandfather’s house, shelves of thick glass bottles and vintage auto store signage.
Curio Collecting was prolific and profitable, especially here in the Northwest. All ghost towns and abandoned places in BC, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California were affected by people going in and taking out what they could find. This didn’t really go away, it was amplified again by the US bicentennial and in recent years Pinterest’s commercialized love of shabby-chic. In the Coal Mining town of Cumberland it’s reported that hundreds of thousands of dollars of bottles were removed from throughout Chinatown and Japantown.
“The Cumberland bottle section of opium and medicine bottles is really unique. Up to now bottle collectors from the United States have assumed there to be a variety of approximately only 30 shapes and sizes in this category, I have just counted my 161st today.”
—Harry Lewis, Parksville, 1968 Cumberland Islander Newspaper
Archive Photo by Elad Tzadok
Abandoned places are in style and that has put them at risk of being erased.
It’s human to jump to the idea of preserving towns as historical monuments but there are over 150 ghost towns in British Columbia alone. Most of them were built to only last the duration of resource extraction, wooden buildings with no foundations. They’re remote! And white settler history of British Columbia is already abundantly documented, erasing other people who were in those townsites before Europeans.
Historical erasure comes in many forms.
In Cumberland, we went looking for the Chinatown to find it attached to the distressingly named Japtown and Coontown. We didn’t know those towns existed ahead of time and we were trying to find the history.
While there is very little left of Chinatown and Japantown, there are no traces of the 40 person Black settlement. I don’t know when the last person lived there, I don’t know their family names, I don’t know about their lives. I’ve only seen the town site referenced in one newspaper article and a book by Vancouver Island writer, T.W. Paterson. Of course, I’ve added it to the list of things to research but it begs notice that there is so little accessible.
Japantown has a different end – the townsite is now covered in 31 cherry trees, planted by the Coal Creek Historic Park Advisory Committee with support from the National Association of Japanese Canadians to represent the 31 families who were forcibly removed from their homes during Japanese Internment. Originally the area had over 500 Japanese settlers. When internment ended in 1949 (four long years after the war had ended) those families had nothing and limited reason to return to their hometowns. Those who did return would come back to burned buildings, hostility, lost businesses, and very few neighbours.
Chinatown is the largest in size. In the 1920s, somewhere between 800 and 1200 Chinese settlers lived on the site. Today, young birches have cracked their limbs through the gravel paths. The swamp water has slicked its way back up to high ground since Cumberland’s Chinatown was razed in 1968. Originally the area’s water was diverted and set through a narrow slough to flood the lower fields.
It’s hard to see how this place could be anything more. It’s rare that a ghost town has so few traces of its origins. Truly, we’re used to rubble, clotheslines hanging in trees, banker’s safes blown open and strewn, buildings and boards. But here, in Cumberland, only coal tailings remain. We kick around for the day and find a porcelain jug in an obvious dumping pile, a few bottles, century-old orchard trees, a baseball diamond, and a few scattered bricks. That’s it.
In 1960 it’s reported that about 40 people were still living in the area, by 1967 the number had dropped significantly; however, the town wasn’t empty when it was razed. The remaining Chinese settlers were evicted from their homes. Only one building was left standing, Jumbo’s Cabin, it was moved to the top of the road and effectively displayed.
A small irony is that Jumbo’s Cabin is perhaps the only building in the entire town site that was built by White Settlers.
This razing came after an attempt to preserve it as a heritage site in 1963, the City of Cumberland passed through the idea but never found the funds.
In 1968, the same Harry Lewis I quoted above, was leased the townsite by Weldwood Canada. The land had always been owned by different Coal Companies. He was a history lover and was in the midst of building up Parksville’s BC Coast Pioneer Village. He said “The village will house buildings of local historical importance – some of which are just merely representative of former pioneer homes.” -Cumberland Islander.
He was offended that people thought ill of his leasing the Chinatown and Japantown site from Weldwood. “Most people around here have the idea that I’m out here to make a pile of money for myself and then get out. They don’t realize that I’m doing them some good. I think that the people of British Columbia are darned lucky that there are some people – and few mind you – who are interested in preserving their country’s heritage.”
That “good” was the building of the Pioneer Village in the Parksville. He fundraised the project by charging $2.50 per day to have people come into the Chinatown site and collect. They could take anything they could find.
The building of a new heritage site, with the intention of preserving local history, was funded by the literal dismantling and selling of another, while people still lived there. This new museum would hold mostly the history of white settlers. That’s erasure.
To his credit Harry Lewis does also say “One can only guess what might have been done with this place (Chinatown) if it had been rescued even up to five or six years ago.” None of this was done with consultation of the people who were still living there. They didn’t own the land and weren’t considered despite being living testaments of the heritage people saw as significant.
When we think of BC’s History, a white miner in plaid, sloshing a gold pan in a creak appears much quicker in our minds than Cumberland’s Chinatown. Physical artifacts hold more weight than an oral history reported by people who lived it.
So what does the word “heritage” mean to you?
I thought titling this article “Heritage is White Nationalism” wouldn’t be particularly approachable to many people. Or funders. Hopefully they didn’t make it this far.
One person’s “heritage” could erode another’s piece by piece. This reality gets darker when we reflect that the legacy of the razed townsite at Cumberland is all that’s left of three distinct towns with three distinct histories.
Photo by Elad Tzadok
I visited various web pages except the audio quality for
audio songs current at this website is actually marvelous.
viagra without prescritpion buy generic viagra with dapoxetine uk overnight generic viagra
health and care online viagra viagra substitute over counter buy viagras cheep online from canda
I got what you intend,bookmarked, very decent website.
online casino club usa
casino real game
montreal bingo
jackpotjoy bingo ipad
poker online
roulette game play
I reckon something truly special in this website.
Some really great info, Gladiola I detected this. I’m not spaming. I’m just saying your website is AWSOME! Thank you so much! Please vist also my website.
Really nice design and good subject material. Please also check my website. I love cars!
live dealer roulette online
blackjack online
first online casino directory
Hi! I simply want to give you a big thumbs up for the excellent information you have got here on this post.
I’ll be coming back to your site for more soon.
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage!
Keep up the wonderful works guys I’ve added you guys to my own blogroll.
canada pharmacy reviews discount pharmacy nearest drugstore
ed medications 24 hours pharmacy canadian pharmacy
mail order pharmacy pharmacy rx world medical pharmacy
online pharmacy canadian online pharmacies discount rx
impotence specialty pharmacy dysfunction
drugstore best drugstore moisturizer best drug store primer
I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic.
I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.
Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this information for my mission.
canadian pharmacy reviews rx plus pharmacy best erectile dysfunction pills
ed treatment best drugstore concealer best online canadian pharmacy
people’s pharmacy nearest drugstore online pharmacy
canada online pharmacy pharmacy open near me medical pharmacy
play slots online game
play online casino for real money
blackjack online game ipad
drug store news ce ed online pharmacy drugstore
Incredible update of captcha breaking package “XEvil 5.0”:
Captchas solution of Google (ReCaptcha-2 and ReCaptcha-3), Facebook, BitFinex, Hotmail, MailRu, SolveMedia, Steam,
and more than 12000 another subtypes of captchas,
with highest precision (80..100%) and highest speed (100 img per second).
You can use XEvil 5.0 with any most popular SEO/SMM programms: iMacros, XRumer, SERP Parser, GSA SER, RankerX, ZennoPoster, Scrapebox, Senuke, FaucetCollector and more than 100 of other programms.
Interested? There are a lot of impessive videos about XEvil in YouTube.
Free XEvil Demo available.
See you later 😉
P.S. A Huge Discount -30% for XEvil full version until 15 Jan is AVAILABLE! 🙂
XEvil Net
The Yoga 2 Pro and the Yoga 900 have the same design. Golda Lek Malchy
Some really prime articles on this web site , saved to fav. Clarey Barrie Mace
canadian pharmacy reviews cheap erectile dysfunction pills online 24 hour drug store near me
Hello to all, how is all, I think every one is getting more from this web page, and your views are nice designed for new users. Devonna Eugene Ceil
I really like it when folks get together and share ideas. Great site, keep it up. Cass Keefer Karoly
I really appreciate what you guys are doing on the web post. This is really smart and creative work. Please keep on doing it. Now, I have added you guys to my own blogroll.
Good post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this topic?
I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further.
Many thanks!
We all talk a little about what you should talk about when is shows correspondence to because Maybe this has much more than one meaning. Dorolice Curtice Bobseine
play browser internet casino
top online casino
online casinos us player
Wow! In the end I got a web site from where I know how to actually obtain helpful data regarding my study and knowledge. Regan Kerby Fidelio
Yes! Finally something about plenty of fish dating site. Carmelia Cameron Ardin
You are going to enjoy this no matter what.
Free movie download for linux at Movie Finder Pro. You can get Linux full movies download for free, download the HD movies now and enjoy. Ivie Artemis Essam
cialis over night generic cialis from canada mail order cialis [url=http://mycialedst.com/]cialis canada and paypal[/url] ’
buy viagra buy in canada viagra wiki viagra australia [url=http://llviabest.com/]buy viagra with paypal[/url] ’
viagra no prescription viagra for saale generis viagra [url=http://llviabest.com/]viagra no prescription[/url] ’
online generic viagra viagra super force online online pharmacy viagra dapoxetine [url=http://genericrxxx.com/]viagra withot a prescription[/url] ’
ordering generic viagra online guaranteed viagra alternative nz viagra online [url=http://genericrxxx.com/]medicare cover for viagra[/url] ’
, cialis buy cialis by paypal is super active cialis a scam [url=http://phrcialiled.com/]buy cialis information[/url] ’
https://mutfaktanal.com
otel ekipmanları, Cafe Ekipmanları, Remta Satış, Remta Online Satış, Remta Mutfak, Remta, Endüstriyel Mutfak, Büfe Ekipmanları, Kantin Ekipmanları, Restaurant Ekipmanları
http://endustriyelmutfak.danzhiyesy.com
otel ekipmanları, Cafe Ekipmanları, Endüstriyel Mutfak, Büfe Ekipmanları, Kantin Ekipmanları, Restaurant Ekipmanları
http://www.1988321.com
Vizyondaki filmler, full hd tek parça izle, full hd, tek parça, izle
Great, thanks for sharing this post. Really thank you! Keep writing.
This design is incredible! You obviously know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!|
cialis dapoxetine canada cialis american express cialis chennai [url=http://cialijomen.com/]viagra cialis[/url] ’
buy viagra free viagra online without prescription porches viagra [url=http://genqpviag.com/]viagra taiwan[/url] ’
indianapolis viagra viagra 150 mg chip viagra [url=http://acialaarx.com/]best viagra substitute over the counter[/url] ’
г‚ўгѓЎгѓЄг‚«гЂЂcialis rx cialis 10mg vs 20mg cialis no prescription canada [url=http://21cialismen.com/]cialis with daproxene[/url] ’
viagra ireland paypal gernic viagra viagra overnight shipping no prescription [url=http://genqpviag.com/]over counter viagra alternative[/url] ’
I really like reading an article that will make men and women think. Joice Hastings Elisa
It’s awesome in support of me to have a web page, which is useful in favor of my know-how.
thanks admin
cialis on line cialis made in the usa san antonio cialis doctor [url=http://cialijomen.com/]generic cialis 20 mg x 30[/url] ’
free samples of cialis how can i get cheaper cialis online doctor prescription cialis [url=http://phrcialiled.com/]order cialis india[/url] ’
MEET HOT LOCAL GIRLS TONIGHT WE GUARANTEE FREE SEX DATING IN YOUR CITY CLICK THE LINK: http://veryhotgirls.site/
[url=http://www.e-tahmin.com/members/stevengor.html]http://www.e-tahmin.com/members/stevengor.html[/url]
cialis tablets australia cialis pro grapefruit cialis [url=http://21cialismen.com/]365 drug cialis[/url] ’
Great items from you, man. I have have in mind your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely magnificent. I actually like what you have bought here, really like what you’re saying and the way wherein you are saying it. You are making it entertaining and you continue to take care of to stay it sensible. I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is really a terrific site.|
viagra calgary viagra in india chennai viagra with overnight us delivery [url=http://acialaarx.com/]generic viagra sites that accept mastercard[/url] ’
https://maps.google.com.bz/url?sa=t&url=http://neoslimburn.ru/kak-ya-pohudela-na-54-kg/
https://maps.google.com.gt/url?q=https://neoslimburn.ru/soda/
https://seo.thenerdyblog.com/en/domain/neoslimburn.ru
I definitely agree with this article and I Just want say that is extremely pleasant and very informative blog. I will make certain to be reading your blog more.
I’ve read several excellent stuff . Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much attempt you set to make one of these fantastic
https://semey.city/redirekt.html?url=https://neoslimburn.ru/polza-i-vred/
https://maps.google.gf/url?sa=t&url=https://neoslimburn.ru/soda/
https://maps.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&url=https://neoslimburn.ru/polza-i-vred/
https://maps.google.sk/url?sa=t&url=https://neoslimburn.ru/fitblog/
over the counter viagra substitute viagra sold in plipeans priligy and viagra [url=http://genqpviag.com/]viagra brand frizer[/url] ’
https://newsletters.consultant.ru/go/?url=http://neoslimburn.ru/
generic cialis no prescription Brand Levitra overnight pharmacy cialis [url=https://xz-pharmacyonline.com]prescription drug cost[/url] ’
https://rostovmama.ru/redirect?url=https://neoslimburn.ru/fitblog/
https://images.google.com.lc/url?sa=t&url=http://neoslimburn.ru/
https://cse.google.sr/url?q=http://neoslimburn.ru/kak-ya-pohudela-na-54-kg/
https://cse.google.com.pk/url?sa=i&url=https://neoslimburn.ru/polza-i-vred/
https://www.google.fi/url?sa=t&url=https://neoslimburn.ru/polza-i-vred/
http://kyzmet.zhambyl.zhetisu.gov.kz/go.php?url=http://neoslimburn.ru/kak-ya-pohudela-na-54-kg/
http://medvestnik.ru/go?url=http://neoslimburn.ru/skolko-stoit-pohudet/
https://velist.net/domain/neoslimburn.ru