宜蘭化龍一村

February 24th, 2024

Hualong No. 1 Village is the oldest military dependents’ village in Yilan. Back in the Qing dynasty era it was an important military camp immediately inside the city walls. During the Japanese colonial era it became a training ground and military police base, but with the onset of World War 2 the site was converted into a field hospital, with several dormitories constructed in the vicinity to house medical staff.

Cutting the grass near one of the few remaining buildings in the old military dependents’ village.

After the war, in 1949, the site was repurposed for use by the Joint Logistics No. 204 Arsenal (聯勤前204廠), initially established in Chongqing and later relocated to Tianjin before crossing the Taiwan Strait to Yilan. The field hospital was converted into a factory making batteries and other equipment for military telecommunications, and the surrounding dormitories were allocated to officers and workers at the arsenal.

A former residence colonized by a banyan tree.

Underfloor ventilation beneath the tatami-covered floors.

Vintage cyan tile in a kitchen or bathroom.

Demand for telecommunications equipment surged in the 1950s and additional housing was constructed to accommodate the growing workforce by 1955. Reinforced concrete and brick structures joined the original Japanese wooden buildings, creating a unique blend of architectural styles in the growing village, while the factory was relocated to a purpose-built facility in Jiaoxi constructed with the assistance of the USAID program in 1957.

Dilapidated remains of an old Japanese residence.

Possibly a post-war addition to the community.

Wide angle view from the center of the community.

Returning to what remains of the old military dependents’ village on a hazy day in 2019.

As with most other military dependents’ villages around Taiwan this one was depopulated in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Many of the original buildings were demolished before a parts of the original village were declared historic properties in 2015. Presently the site is undergoing restoration as the Hualong No. 1 Village Building Group (化龍一村眷舍群).