Unearthing Injustice: Archaeology at Morrissey

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When the First World War broke out in August 1914, the Canadian government quickly classified any immigrant from an enemy nation as an 'enemy alien, leading to the curtailment of their civil rights, and in many cases, their arrest and internment in camps.

As the war intensified, people around Fernie increasingly viewed those 'enemy aliens' working in the region's mines as competition for scarce jobs. After a labour dispute in June 1915, the government decided to intern these men at the Fernie ice rink.

The story of these men living and working around Fernie, and how they came to be interned, is covered in detail in the Fernie walking tour, Valley of Hope and Betrayal.

In the fall of 1915, these internees were transferred to an internment camp at Morrissey, just south of Fernie. There these men would endure great privations, abuses, and humiliations at the hands of the Canadian government for years. The camp was finally closed in October 1918, just weeks before the end of the war.

Much information about these internment operations has since been lost, making telling the story of the Morrissey Internment Camp especially challenging.xx2 Today, there are limited records that survive, and to fill in the gaps, we are turning to archaeology.

This article explores the recent excavations at the Morrissey Internment Camp, conducted by archaeologist Sarah Beaulieu and her team of undergraduate and graduate students from across Canada. Read along as we learn more about the field of archaeology and what buried objects can teach us about the realities of life in an internment camp.

Today the entire Morrissey Camp site is overgrown by thick forest and vegetation. It was located in this general area, just off the road, but we strongly discourage any readers from attempting to find the site's exact location in order to preserve its integrity for future archaeological excavation.

Links

• Website onthisspot.ca
• Download App apps.apple.com

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On This Spot

The On This Spot app takes people on guided walking tours through the history that surrounds them.

At each stop on their journey users will find themselves standing on the spot a historic photo was taken. They can view a then and now photo comparison, use the built in camera to create their own, and read about local history and how it ties into the broader human experience.

Based in Vancouver, On This Spot is working with heritage, tourism, and business organizations across Canada to expand the app's coverage.