Discovering the Powerful Dark History of Banff National Park at Castle Mountain Memorial

On my last trip to Banff, we stayed at the incredible Castle Mountains Chalets. This fantastic lodge is located off the Trans-Canada Highway in front of the iconic Castle Mountain. For us, it was the perfect place to stay on our long weekend in Banff as it felt like being off the beaten path but with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. After checking in on, we sat in the shadow of the mountain and to enjoy a little picnic I had packed for us. It was the best way to unwind after the drive and soak in the beauty of our new surroundings. While sitting there, I decided to do some research on Castle Mountain as it loomed above us. It’s the typical thing I always do as a constantly curious traveller.

Research and Discovery

I pulled up the first Wikipedia I found and started to devour the article. I came across the typical information I’m used to seeing; facts about the size, the geology and of course its history. But further down I found a section entitled “Castle Mountain Internment Camp“. I was shocked to read this line. I knew about the Japanese internment camps which were set up during WWII but I had never known anything about Internment camps during the first world war.

In researching more further, I began to scroll through dozens of articles focused on this widely unknown part of Canadian history. While reading, I saw that there was a memorial site dedicated to the victims of these internment camps. And it was located just down the road! Without another moment’s thought, we jumped into the car. We raced down the Bow Valley Parkway to see if we could make it in time to see the memorial before sunset.

As we drove, the smoke was rolling in as the sun began to set. This created the most beautiful red and pink sky in front of us. As we drove through the lush green forest around the roadside we were met by this incredible backdrop as we went, framing the silhouettes of the trees and the mountains perfectly. It was indeed one of the best drives of the entire trip.

Castle Mountain Internment Camp

When we arrived, we discovered the small memorial off the side of the roads. While the monument might have been humble, it was nonetheless affecting. Walking up, you are greeted by two large placards with information all about the Internment Camp. While there is no way to give all the details in such a short amount of time, the signs give visitors a snapshot of why the camps were established, what life was like in the camps, and the reconciliation efforts the government has undertaken with the Ukrainian community to address these war crimes.

Castle Mountain Interment Camp History

The Castle Mountain Internment Camp was established in 1915. It was made to contain a total of 660 “enemy aliens” of WWI. These were mainly immigrant prisoners from Ukraine, Austria, Hungary and Germany.

The Canadian War Measures Act

In 1914, at the start of World War I, Canada established the “War Measures Act“. The War Measures Act required that immigrants, who were settlers of countries at war with Canada, turn themselves in. During WWI, Ukraine was under the occupation of the Austro-Hungarian empire and so many of these so-called “enemy aliens” were primarily of Ukrainian ethnic origin. Austrian, Hungarian and German immigrants were also subject to the War Measures act. They were required to carry specific identifications papers with them at all times and were regularly stopped on the street or enforced to report to the police for no reason.

The War Measures Act suspended civil liberties. Immigrants from these countries at war with Canada could be arrested and detained without trial. About 80,000 “enemy aliens” were registered during WWI, and about 9,000 of them were sent to internment camps. Under the auspices of being prisoners of war.

Life in the Camps

Once they were arrested, they were stripped of all their land, wealth and forced to work for the profit of the Canadian government. The prisoners of war were in various camps across the Canadian hinterland. The centers were located in these areas to have the labourers increase accessibility by developing the park system’s infrastructure. By 1915 several internment camps in and around the Rocky Mountains were in full operation. But the largest of these camps was the camp at the foot of Castle Mountain. The primary purpose of the camp was to push the Banff highway, from the then uncompleted Banff-Laggan road, on through to Lake Louise.

Prisons were made to work 13-hour days, no matter the weather. They would build roads, construct bridges, cut down trees, clear the buffalo paddocks, quarry stones for the Banff Hot Springs and construct various fireguards. The camps consisted of simple tents where the prisoners slept, within a barbed-wire enclosure.

Once winter fell, and temperatures fell far below zero, the prisoners were moved to the military barracks at Cave and Basin. Abuse was rampant in these poorly run camps. And escapes were frequent. Six prisoners attempting to escape were killed, but many others did make it out to recount their experiences. Many of these escapees would never recover from their mistreatment in the camps. And the memories of their time there stayed with them for life.

In August 1917, the camps were finally closed when the internees were conditionally released. This was due to the need to meet the growing labour shortage post-WWI. After the camps were closed, they were entirely destroyed, leaving no trace of this dark history.

Establishing the Memorial

In 2008, a settlement was reached with the Ukrainian Canadian community, and a fund was created for educational purposes. In 1995, a statue was commissioned by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association. It was erected close to the original Castle Mountain campsite, near the foot of Castle Mountain.

The sculpture, where we find the memorial today, was made by artist John Boxtel. He titled the piece, “Why?” The sculpture depicts an internee standing in his overall uniform and wide brim hat. He stands with his one hand outstretched. Inviting the visitors in. Below the sculpture are the words, “why?” in three languages (English, French and Ukrainian.)

While uncovering the darker parts of your countries history might not be the most cheery thing to talk about, it’s nevertheless imperative. Sometimes travelling and discovering means discovering things you might not have ever known about, which may change how you think about things. But maybe that’s a good thing. I know that throughout the rest of my trip in Banff, I often would take a moment to reflect. Not only about being on indigenous land but also taking a moment to think about the Ukrainian prisoners who constructed the road I was standing. Or the parkland I have them to thank for having access to seeing wonders like Lake Louise of Morain Lake. This is not the typical article you might expect to find on this site, but I think it’s very important to portray. Context is everything, no matter where you are.

Thanks for taking the time to read all about this mostly unknown part of Banff’s history. Let me know in the comments if you already knew all about these camps or if you, like me, were totally shocked to read about this discovery.

Good Luck with your Future Travels, Adventurers!