Cheorwon History and Culture Park

"Once upon a time in the 1930s, there was a place called Cheorwon in Gangwon Province, South Korea. It was one of the three major cities in Gangwon Province, with over 80,000 people living there. In Cheorwon, there was a modern town with a county office, a police station, a theater, a train station, schools, banks, and more.

The Cheorwon History and Culture Park lets you explore and experience what life was like in this thriving town back then. You can even ride a monorail from the train station up to Soi Mountain.

Today, we started our day in Yeoncheon, visited the Cheorwon History and Culture Park, and picked fresh vegetables. We visited a friend who wasn't feeling well and gave her the vegetables. Then we had lunch with sliced raw trout and spicy soup.

In the 1920s and 1930s, young people in Seoul were influenced by Western culture, which came through Japan after the March 1st Movement. They were called 'modern boys' and 'modern girls.' These modern young people wanted to express their identity through Western clothing, hairstyles, and language. This led to the opening of shops that sold Western-style clothing in Cheorwon.

You can also take family photos for free here. The lady who helps with the photos is very kind. We had coffee and red bean rice cakes in a retro café.

In the past, when clocks were not common, they used cannons to announce the time. This was called "Ojeongpo." It was used for things like telling the time, warning of fires, or even air raids.

We went to visit Soisanso (a mountain) today. It was quite a challenging railbike ride, so we skipped it.

During the time of the March 1st Movement, people who left the hard life of the countryside and moved to the city were called "Tomakmin." They lived in small houses made of mud and straw, and you could see these houses around Cheorwon, even in the outskirts.

Modern tile-roofed houses in Cheorwon were different from traditional tile-roofed houses. They had Western-style living rooms, kitchens, and sometimes even bathrooms inside. The houses were also connected by corridors and used glass windows.

Education in Cheorwon began with the establishment of Cheorwon Public Elementary School in 1899. Over the years, the school expanded and developed. They taught subjects like ethics, Korean, Japanese, Chinese characters, math, history, geography, science, art, physical education, and home economics.

In 1945, right after Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, Cheorwon Public Elementary School was a significant educational institution with 24 classes and more than 2,600 students.

After Western medicine was introduced to Korea, "Yang Yak Gook" (Western medicine stores) started appearing in the late 1880s. They sold both Western and traditional medicine. With time, the number of these stores increased, and Cheorwon probably had them after the opening of Cheorwon County Council in 1931.

Western medicine in Cheorwon started with the establishment of Cheorwon First Presbyterian Church and the arrival of medical missionary Dr. Anderson in 1920. Together with local residents and government officials, they made efforts to build Cheorwon County Hospital, which eventually opened in 1931.

In 1884, the "Central Post Office" was established in Korea, marking the beginning of a modern postal system. In Cheorwon, the first post office started in 1897. By 1907, it was upgraded to a postal telegraph office, and in 1924, a railway mail service was introduced. In 1954, it was renamed Cheorwon Post Office.

Before modern fire departments, a system called "Geumhwadogam" was used to patrol, prevent, and fight fires during the Joseon Dynasty. However, it was abolished later. In 1910, with the introduction of Western-style firefighting, Korea started having modern fire departments. Cheorwon also saw the modernization of its fire department.

Modern inns began in Japan, and they were mainly located near train stations for easy access. Since Cheorwon was a central transportation hub with trains to Seoul (Keijo), as well as trams for the Geumgangsan Mountain tourists, many inns were set up to accommodate visitors.

Cheorwon Station, located in the heart of Cheorwon Plain, became an essential hub after the opening of the Gyeongwon Line in 1912, connecting Seoul and Wonsan, and the opening of the Geumgangsan Electric Railway in 1931, serving as a vital factor in the growth of Cheorwon's economy.

The Cheorwon Theater opened its doors in 1934, becoming a hub for culture and the arts. It hosted performances by some of Korea's most renowned artists of the time, including famous dancers and singers. The theater even had the facilities for movie screenings.

Modern banking in Korea began with the enactment of the "Nonggung Eunhaeng Jorye" (Farmers and Workers Bank Ordinance) in 1906. In 1912, a branch of Hanho Nonggung Eunhaeng was established in Cheorwon, marking the appearance of modern financial institutions in the area. In 1914, the Gyeongsan Eunhaeng Cheorwon Branch, Dongju Nongyungjoop, Cheorwon Nongyungjoop, and Cheorwon 2nd Nongyungjoop were established. These banks served as financial institutions for commoners, but they were operated as Japanese institutions.