Monday, May 25, 2026
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Dale Burk brought his bride, Wakako, to Trego after being stationed by the U.S. Navy in Tokyo. Wakako, known as Katie, worked at the Elks Lodge in Kalispell for 35 years. (Photos courtesy of Kathleen Burk)

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Japanese War Brides: Kalispell featured in traveling Smithsonian exhibit
April 20, 2025 midnight

Japanese War Brides: Kalispell featured in traveling Smithsonian exhibit

The arrival of the Japanese war brides marked the largest women-only immigration event in U.S. history and by 1960 increased the population of Asian Americans in the U.S. by 10%, according to the Smithsonian.