Village of Cumberland - Mining Community

Post - #4c - Cold Mining Communities - Village of Cumberland

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     A Pictorial View of the Comox Valley

Memories of the Cold Mining communities 

in Cumberland

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Chinese, Japanese and Black Community

 Perseverance Creek Hertiage Site sign

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  China Town

Entrance to the Chinese Heritage Site

Cumberland Chinatown

The Cumberland Chinese began arriving around 1888, may migrating into the Cumberland mines.  They built a thriving community to sustain the associations and activities of the traditional Chinese culture. 

Cumberland Chinatown was an organized, self-contained business centre.  Farms along the Lake Road and Minto Road supplied vegetables to the Chinese Community, as well as to the hospital and the residents of Cumberland.

The few children in Chinatown attended public school during the day and Chinese school in the evenings and on weekends.  Local Chinese residents fonly remember Mrs. Finch and Mr. George Apps, their Sunday school teachers.

Due to government regulations and a declining coal market, many of the members of the Chines community returned to China or moved on to find employment on other locations.  Some remained in Cumberland Chinatown where they continued to operate businesses,  By the mid 1960's only one store, Mah Kim Brothers, remained, operated by Tommy Hah.

Information is from the Comox Valley Heritage Experience, Cumberland Heritage Walks sign. 

Cumberland Chinatown Sign

 Perseverance Creek Hertiage Site in part

the following is a full view of the sign

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 Sign at picnic pavilion

 The picnic tables have plaques on them, the following are an example

 

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There are a number of interesting photos along the walkway showing the location of the buildings 
and some of the history 

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Japanese Town

 Sign at Heritage Park

 No. 1 Japanese Town  Sign


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Remembering the Miners

A Cairn marks the site of the above  plaques
They are at two locations along the road to Comox Lake

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  Chinese & Japanese Cemetery  

 Japanese and Chinese Cemetery

 Plaque on Monument in Cemetery

Monument in Cemetery for the Japanese and Chinese
who lived and worked in Cumberland

 Cumberland Chinese Cemetery Sign 

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  The next post is

Comox Valley - North

or
  Click the posts under Categories for more views of our valley

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