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Japanese Canadian Monument Park

People uprooted from Whonnock (373) View on map

Whonnock, now considered eastern Maple Ridge, adopted its name from the Xwéwenaqw Xwexwilmexw (Whonnock People). In 1861, Robert Robertson was the first non-Indigenous settler. By 1885, a Canadian Pacific Railway station and post office were built, and more settlers arrived in the area.

The primary industries were logging and fishing, but a few small-scale fruit and poultry operations developed. From the 1920s until 1942, Japanese Canadians, a large part of the population, made use of the slopes facing south for extensive berry farming. There was a Japanese Canadian community hall, and children attended the Whonnock public school, where about one-third of the students were Japanese Canadian.

This person will be included on the monument panels in a future addition.