A Tour of Sandon BC

Deep in the precipitous mountains of the West Kootenays of British Columbia, there’s a most historic place. Built on mining riches it was a boom town like no other, once home to some ten thousand folks that today has a population which can be counted on a hand or two. The mines closed and everyone left, long ago, but some reminders of what was remain behind for you to explore.

Over that way it’s city hall and up the road a bit it’s the town’s ancient powerplant still making electricity, as it has done since the 1890s. Here and there it’s charming little cabins, mine ruins, an old store turned museum and oh, the vintage metal. Wander about old time railway equipment and mining gear, and take in some expats from various Canadian cities, a curious collection of retired trolleybuses. And all around it’s towering peaks, and a sense of isolation and remoteness that at times can be overpowering.

Come join with us and take a tour. Then hop in the car, and come see Sandon for itself. And bring a tent or a little camper. Get to know one of BC’s most famous (almost) ghost towns, and the people who work hard to preserve it. Stop by the “Prospector’s Pick” (best coffee ever) and meet Vida and Hal, your hosts and guides when in town and learn the history and take it all in. Make a weekend of it as we did.

Sandon dates back to the early 1890s. It was mining that brought in the people and money, the mountains around rich with metallic minerals (silver, plus lead and zinc mostly). The town prospered and fortunes were made and in felt like it’d never end. By the 1910s, however, the party was over…and by the 1920s the town was in serious decline. Outside a brief resurgence of activity in the 1940s, Sandon functioning as an internment camp for Japanese-Canadians during World War Two (this is a sad story in itself), it was by the 1950s near empty, the buildings heavily vandalized, with Mother Nature helping things along. A flood that decade wiped out most of main street.

Since the 1970s, the town has had a caretaker of sorts, Hal mentioned earlier, working tirelessly, and now assisted by Vida, in keeping history here alive and the buildings from deteriorating further. What a backbreaking job especially given the shoestring budget of which they work. Come thank them and shake their hands and throw some money in the donation bin. Without their dedication and toil, there would be nothing here and that deserves giving something back.

Now on with the tour…

1) We’re on the ground in what was “downtown” Sandon, our home for one glorious weekend. There’s a number of campsites scattered about that can be had for cheap. An old hotel used to sit on this very spot. Picture bowler hatted “big wheels”, imported cigars, can-can dancers, and ladies who for a price will be a companion for the night, and booze by the train load. Then there’s card games going to all hours, a piano player tickling the ivories, and a grand celebration and more money then you ever imagine changing hands. It happened right here on this patch of dirt.

2) A memorial marker put in circa 1969 by the BC Government: “The Slocan* Mines…Silver was the key that opened the Slocan. Discovery in 1891 of the rich outcrops of the Slocan Star and Payne touched off the wildest lode excitement in our history. The silver-lead ore was easily and cheaply mined, speeding development, and the area boomed. Roads, towns and railways remain, linking the present with and era when silver was king.”

*The name Slocan refers to the general area. Sandon is one of many former mining towns in the “Silvery” Slocan, and the most famous.

3) Sandon’s powerplant, operating since the 1890s. We’ll show you more of it in a bit.

4) Here in the middle of nowhere, deep in the mountains, night falls and it gets real dark real quick. Here, we capture the last light before the pitch black. Never have we been in a place so removed from light pollution. If you want to leave the world behind, come spend the night in Sandon.

5) They have a large collection of old trolleybuses here built in the 1940s and 1950s and here’s the maker’s badge. Canadian Car was once a industrial juggernaut in this country, making at various times, buses, aircraft, rail cars of every description and all manner of metal work. Brill refers to the US designer of the buses, which were made under license by “Can Car”.

6) Had H&V not saved these buses, they’d have all been scrapped. All are ex-Vancouver Transit with some having lineages that trace back to other Canadian Transit operators. Here we’re inside #2201, a model T48 (Trolley, 48 seats) built in 1950. This one’s open for touring and be sure to drop a few loonies in the donation far box. Given its age and all, it’s in decent shape.

They’ve taken some heat for bringing the buses here, since they’re not connected to the history of the town. Just remember, had they not stepped up, these old hunks of metal would have been chopped into little bits and forever gone. Just sayin…

7) We’re camera shy. You don’t see many pics of C&C, and if you do, it’s usually with us obscured by something. It’s not about us that much, even if our names grace this website.

1) In Sandon BC, here’s our home for the weekend.

8) The was the Kaslo & Slocan Railway liquor warehouse. It must have been guarded day and night during the boom and is one of a handful pre-1900 era buildings in town (more on this is a bit).

2) “The Slocan Mines…”

9) They have a cool old steam locomotive on site. Here it’s a view into the cab showing the blackhead. That opening is where coal was shovelled into the boiler.

10) An outside braced composite (steel and wood) boxcar circa 1920. Last used for “company service” jobs by the CPR, so the hauling of tools, building materials, track parts (or whatever) it earlier was a “grain box” for carrying wheat, barley, oats and other cereals.

11) City Hall dates from 1900 and later functioned as a school. We’ll show you in the inside soon, and come night, we’ll light it up.

12) Random bits of metal, ornate stove parts, simple mining tools, and things of that nature.

13) Crossing over Carpenter Creek, a trail leading to the powerhouse from a grouping of cabins along the road to Cody (another ghost town).

14) Jack Wilson’s Cabin, built around 1919-1920, once stood here, which sadly burned in early 2018. It was being lived in at the time, the resultant fire starting in the chimney. Wilson was one of the earliest settlers in Sandon, arriving here in 1891, and worked as both a teamster and miner. Remember Hal? He called it home for a time on first coming to Sandon in the 1970s.

15) At the edge of town, this old shack connected with the Ruth-Hope Mine. Output included some 76,946,676 grams of Silver, 7,712 grams of Gold, 10,122,529 kilograms of Lead and 1,605,717 kilograms or Zinc. That’s a serious amount of cha-ching. The actually workings were just above town, with ore being sent down via a tramway so it could be loaded on trains.

16) There’s all manner of antiques and collectibles in the gift shop. It costs a lot of money to run a ghost town and purchasing something here helps keep the lights on. A cafe, called the “Prospector’s Pick” in the same building, where some yummy treats are served up, also brings in much needed funds used for upkeep. Please patronize these places and help keep Sandon operating.

17) A friendly local and his old school engine.

18) In the powerhouse, the coffee’s on (a prop).

19) Here’s where it happens, a generator, hydro driven and running 24/7 all year long, summer or in the depths of winter, used to power the town (with excess sent to the “grid”). The plant dates back to the 1890s, with the machinery seen here being somewhat more “modern” in scope, circa 1900s-1910s era and installed during “upgrades”. You can tour the building.

20) For backup power should the hydro plant fail, this early 1950s era “Blackstone” engine driving a generator. Rarely used, it’s fired up once in a while and given a shake down run, to makes sure it functioning fine should it be needed. Here we see it being prepped for just such a test, a lucky visitor to the powerhouse given the honours to help start it. There’s a second engine in the powerplant (a “Fairbanks Morse), dating back about a hundred years but no longer used, that will make an appearance in a follow up article.

21) It clears once the engine warms up. In spite of this smoke show, know that the plant has been providing “green power” for better than one hundred and twenty years, an amazing record. Water comes from creeks above town.

22) On display this old one cylinder engine, running smooth as could be.

23) The most important street in Sandon used to run directly over Carpenter Creek (seen in back) on a boardwalk with many (long gone) side streets running off it. Here a sign marks a non-existent intersection.

24) Here’s the modest cabin where your hosts Hal & Vida live year round. This one survived the fire of 1900. A great majority of the town was lost account the devastation but this one was spared somehow. It’s said to have operated at a brothel back in the day.

25) An ex-Calgary Transit trolleybus. Vancouver picked up a batch of them on the closing of the Calgary network in 1975, to be used for parts for the rest of their (elderly) fleet. The roll sign indicates a Vancouver destination, but this bus never operated in that city and was only used to parts. Stanley Park is well known and huge green space just west of downtown Vancouver, a popular destination, especially on weekends. This is a Canadian Car (aka Can Car, officially Canadian Car & Foundry) T44 built in 1948.

26) With the town burned to the ground, spectacularly, in 1900, it was quickly rebuilt. There was still a good five to ten years of frenzied mining activity left, after which Sandon entered a long slow decline. By the 1950s, it was essentially a ghost town with few residents. Here’s one of a couple old hydrants scattered about town. This one’s more ornate than most.

3) At the old powerhouse.

27) An visit to the “Silversmith Hydro-Electric Station” is a must do. Admission is free but please donate to help to help keep it running. It does provide power to the local area, but still functions as a museum. You’ll not find old equipment like this still in use, anywhere.

28) After the water’s done its job, it exits the plant.

4) Soon it’d be completely & utterly dark.

29) Seen in back, one of many mountains rimming the narrow valley which Sandon is located, most of them dotted with mine. The powerplant also supplied the namesake “Silversmith” mine with electricity along with compressed air. There were additional hydro-plants in Sandon providing power for many other mines in the hills surrounding.

30) The trail to the little footbridge seen earlier.

31) Here’s it’s a row of cabins on the road to Cody (another cool ghost town, which we’ll post pics of soon), most lived in, we understand, at least seasonally.

32) On the other side of Carpenter Creek, the Sandon Museum, operated by another organization not connected to those who run the rest of the town.

33) Imagine the view circa 1900s, the main street over the creek lined by hotels and boarding houses, retail businesses or all kinds, service industries and mining offices. At the peak, the town ran full out all day and all night for years on end. The town that didn’t sleep. Think of it…all the buildings, all the people, railways, mining buildings all jammed into a narrow valley. Today, much of it is gone but at least city hall still stands.

34) You know you’re in Sandon when see this building.

35) A large row of trolleybuses, like the rest, all ex-Vancouver Transit, with some bought second hand from Saskatoon or Winnipeg, and in the very back two parts buses still in “CTS” colours. These are variously T48, T48A and T44 buses, all from Canadian Car, built circa 1948-1954. Save for the Calgary pair, these operated into the 1980s in Vancouver before languishing in scrap yard for many, many years. Then, destined to be cut-up, they were grabbed last minute and brought here.

36) For lovers of old metal, this place is heaven. Nice Kenworth! More Sandon metal in an upcoming post.

37) Two railways once served Sandon, the Canadian Pacific coming in from the west, and the narrow gauge Kaslo & Slocan, from the east. The latter closed in about 1912, leaving the CPR to serve the ever declining number of mines into the 1950s. This locomotive dates from 1904, is ex-CPR, that later found work at a coal mine in Saskatchewan. Most recently it resided at a railway museum near Edmonton (this place: Wandering the Alberta Railway Museum)

38) There is no cell service (at least there was for us) in Sandon. Want to call out? Here’s your phone. The “Prospector’s Pick” serves up some great food. Idaho Peak is a hiking trail through alpine meadows and next time here, C&C would love to take it in.

39) As seen from the second floor of city hall. Trolleybuses were once found in many Canadian cities. Today, only Vancouver still operates them and has a huge, efficient, and green network. The little shed in back marks the old CPR line into town. Old mine equipment to the left and far in back, you can see our home away from home. Camping among the ruins, is super cool.

40) The view from here and coins (from donations and sales) being tallied.

41) Wandering with ghosts. An old building like this must be haunted!

42) On the Blackstone engine each cylinder has its own temperature gauge like this. This one at rest is a little off.

43) All old school these voltmeters and ammeters are still at doing the job intended of them.

44) In back, Payne Mountain. All of Sandon was built on mining and Payne was home to a few. Even today, there’s still some (sporadic) activity going on in the valley. One day we hope to return to document these places.

45) The Slocan Mercantile on Reco Street, the museum shown earlier. This plus the City Hall are the only two remaining buildings remaining from the downtown business district. You should have seen the place back in the day – google it.

46) Our last night, we’re kindly allowed uses of a grill. Here Connie returns with some steaks, done to perfection. And an old Canadian Kenworth.

47) A hot pepper corn sauce to die for. It’s a secret recipe that we’d never give up.

48) Of all the buses, this one’s most intact visually and original in form. It’s like you could drive it off. This is #2414, from 1954, and one of the last trolley buses built by Canadian Car. This one has 2-1 seating which gives affords lots of room for standees during crush load periods. But hold on tight as these buses accelerate as though a race car. They were rockets and rather quiet ones at that.

49) Here’s the builder’s plate. Canadian Car & Foundry made these buses at their Fort William Ontario plant (now Thunder Bay). That factory still operates and is owned by transportation giant Bombardier who makes railway passenger cars and railed transit vehicles there.

5) Did someone say trolleybus?

50) We learned a lot about night shooting in Sandon and while we’re happy with the results, we know today we could do better. In addition to city hall, here we light up the one bus.

6) Ex-Vancouver Transit.

51) Before it got totally dark, wandering town, with all campers gone to bed and no one about. We love when we get the playground to ourselves.

52) The morning we leave…upstairs at the K&S Warehouse looked for a special sign that appears in a then & now we shot while in Sandon. We’ll post a link when done and it’ll make more sense.

53) Soft colours on old bottles.

54) We never wanted to leave Sandon – what a downer. I’m certain we’ll be back though – mines are on our mind. We always like to take the ferry route heading home. It’s a thing with us, an hour or so to soak up the scenery while crossing Kootenay Lake and reflecting on what was an most awesome weekend. Here were pass an opposing run.

We’re not done with Sandon folks. Soon to be published and posted here other adventurers from the town and area, a more detailed look at the the vintage metal for the metal heads, a trip to nearby Cody, another ghost two up the valley, a hike to spectacular Payne Bluff along the old K&S line, and some trademark “then & nows” shot in Sandon and nearby Rosebery. We’ll post links to these as they’re published. Till then, scroll down and enjoy the photos. This is true Canadiana…

Thinking of visiting?
A good place to start, and tell them we sent you: Welcome to Sandon BC and Sandon BC on Facebook.

More from this weekend…
Hike to Payne Bluff.

More from British Columbia…
Ymir, Friday Nights – scenes of a small town.
Troup Junction – railway archaeology.
Upper Working of the St Eugene – how high we climb.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: September, 2018.
Location: Sandon, British Columbia
Article references and thanks: Hal Wright & Vida Turok, Canadian Trackside Guides, Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board Wiki, Nakina.net, BC Ministry of Mines.

7) Proof there’s people behind the cameras.

8) Once the most important building in town.

9) A steam locomotive “backhead”.

10) This old boxcar.

11) City Hall, 1900.

12) Random metal…

13) A path to somewhere special.

14) The cabin here burned down recently.

15) A mining shack.

16) In the gift shop.

17) Greetings from a local.

18) Coffee’s on!

19) Making electricity 24/7 for over a hundred years.

20) The “backup” engine is prepped.

21) In spite of the smoke, it’s a “green” powerplant.

22) Running smooth.

23) Signs mark non-existent streets.

24) A charming cabin belonging to our hosts.

25) Next stop, Stanley Park.

26) It reminds us Sandon once burned to the ground.

27) A must see.

28) It’s this which makes the energy.

29) The hills behind held riches.

30) Down this trail…

31) Seasonal cabins.

32) Across Carpenter Creek, the museum.

33) Once home to ten thousand.

34) The first thing you see.

35) Trolleybus row.

36) For lovers of old metal, it’s heaven.

37) Two railways once served Sandon.

38) Backup communications.

39) The view from City Hall.

40) And out this window…

41) Simply stairs.

42) This old gauge.

43) The powerhouse is an operating museum.

44) Rugged mountains all around.

45) Former Slocan Mercantile on Reco Street.

46) Connie returns from the grill – old school Kenworth too.

47) A most amazing pepper sauce.

48) Later we’ll light it up.

49) Made in present day Thunder Bay Ontario.

50) Before it got REAL dark.

51) Wandering about, the place is all ours.

52) Little changed since being built in the 1890s.

53) A little colour…

54) Crossing Kootenay Lake on the road home.