Greenwood (British Columbia)

In 1886 several mining claims had been staked in a narrow gulch ten miles north of the mouth of Boundary Creek. The ore was high in copper. Ten years later more claims had been staked in the area. These claims gave rise to the city of Greenwood. In 1895 a merchant named Robert Wood erected a log store and named the region Greenwood.

By 1896 there were three hotels, a general store, a livery stable, two assay offices, a mining broker, an opera house, and a dozen other establishments. Greenwood became an incorporated city in 1897. The population climbed to 3,000 by 1899 and a railway called the Columbia and Western Railway reached Greenwood from the east. In 1899 a fire struck Greenwood which gutted several businesses.

The BC Copper Company smelter began operation in 1901, servicing ore from the Mother Lode Mine and other mines in the area. Greenwood was the supply center for surrounding camps such as Providence, Copper, Deadwood, Wellington, Central, Skylark and others. The city became the seat of government for the Boundary with one hundred firms in the business district. Greenwood had a newspaper called the "Times" by 1906 another paper called the "Greenwood Ledge".

By 1910 the boom had passed and Greenwood's population was 1,500. At the end of World War I, the demand for copper dropped, and by 1918 the copper market was dead,and the smelter in Greenwood lay idle. The following year it closed down permanently. The collapse of the smelters led to close of mines around the vicinity of Greenwood. Greenwood was on the decline after this period.

Greenwood is located along the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3), 42 km (26 mi) west of Grand Forks, 83 km (52 mi) east of Osoyoos, and 480 km (300 mi) east of Vancouver.

• BC Transit (Boundary Transit System), ☏ +1 855 993 3100. Offers on bus service that must be reserved in advance of schedule trips. (updated Apr 2022)
  • On Fridays, offers a return trip between Grand Forks and Greenwood. Reservation required by the day before.
  • On Tuesdays offers Health Connections trips between Rock Creek and Grand Forks with stops in Midway and Greenwood. Reservations must be made by the day before. The trips are open to all members of the public, but as "Health Connections" trips, people traveling to medical appointments receive priority for reservations.
• Mountain Man Mike's Bus Service, ☏ +1-778-382-7729, info@mountainmanmikes.ca. Twice per week service between Kaslo and Vancouver with stops in Balfour, Nelson, Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Rock Creek, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Princeton, Manning Provincial Park, Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley, and New Westminster. This service provider also offers a weekly route between Kalso and Calgary via Nelson. (updated Mar 2022)
• Silver City Stagelines Limited, support@fritztravels.com. Multiple days per week bus service between Trail and Kelowna with stops in Nelson, Castlegar, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Midway, and Rock Creek. (updated Mar 2022)

Midway is 10 minutes west of Greenwood. It gets its name for being located midway between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It is also home to Mile Zero of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, a popular wilderness cycling trail which follows the rail bed of the old Kettle Valley Railway.

• 🌍 Kettle River Museum, 907 Highway 3, Midway, ☏ +1 250-449-2614, kettlerivermuseum@shaw.ca. Daily 10AM-4PM. Delve into the history of the Kettle River Valley. The museum includes the original Station House, an artifacts yard, a caboose, and a section house. Adults $5; 16 and under free. (updated Aug 2022)

Rock Creek is 25 minutes west of Greenwood. It is a former gold rush village located along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

• 🌍 Kettle River Recreation Area, Highway 33 (6 km north of Rock Creek). Kettle River Recreation Area is a 179 ha (440 acres) provincial recreation area located inside a sharp S-bend of the Kettle River. The recreation area features a public beach, a section of the Trans-Canada Trail, and a historic railway bridge that has since been converted for pedestrian use. Recreational facilities include a vehicle-accessible campsite complex, pit toilets, running water, picnic tables, and fire pits. Hiking and inner tubing are popular summertime activities at this park. (updated Aug 2022)

Rock Creek is 25 minutes west of Greenwood. It is a former gold rush village located along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

• 🌍 Kettle River Recreation Area, Highway 33 (6 km north of Rock Creek). Kettle River Recreation Area is a 179 ha (440 acres) provincial recreation area located inside a sharp S-bend of the Kettle River. The recreation area features a public beach, a section of the Trans-Canada Trail, and a historic railway bridge that has since been converted for pedestrian use. Recreational facilities include a vehicle-accessible campsite complex, pit toilets, running water, picnic tables, and fire pits. Hiking and inner tubing are popular summertime activities at this park. (updated Aug 2022)