Begin your tour of Sandon in the Sandon Historical Society Museum and Visitors’ Centre, located in the beautifully restored Slocan Mercantile Block. With a fascinating collection of artifacts and displays, and a truly outstanding array of heritage photographs, this stop is not to be missed.

An on-site attendant is available to answer questions and accommodate guided tours for groups of all sizes. For more information, contact us at (250) 358-7920.

Built after the great fire of 1900, which razed the entire downtown core of the city, the Slocan Mercantile Block was the only brick building ever constructed in Sandon.

Originally known as the Hunter-Kendrick Block, it was a general store. The original owners were Mssrs. Hunter and Kendrick, then it passed on into the hands of the Slocan Mercantile Co. Ltd. Its last incarnation as a general store was under the ownership of Mssrs. Tattrie and Greer.

During the 1940s, it served as an apartment building for Japanese-Canadians interned in Sandon during World War II. Later, it served as a bunkhouse for various mines, and still later as a warehouse. Over the years, there was more than one fire that started within the old general store, but Hunter and Kendrick had built well; the interior was damaged, but the old brick building still stood.

By the 1980s, however, it had become dilapidated, bricks were crumbling and falling from the walls, and the entire structure was in imminent danger of collapse. Donated to the Sandon Historical Society by Dickenson Mines Ltd., is was designated an historic monument by the British Columbia Provincial Government in 1991.

Restoration work on the building was begun by the Sandon Historical Society in 1992. The BC Provincial Government aided in this restoration project with a one-time grant that covered part of the costs. Bricks were made to match the original brickwork as closely as possible, the foundations were shored up, and an underground drainage system was installed to carry seepage away from the structure. Tons and tons of silt, rubble, boulders, mud and garbage were excavated from the basement, largely through hard work with picks, shovels and wheelbarrows. The interior was gutted and reconstructed, featuring a spacious mezzanine area, and new plate glass windows were installed.

In 1995, the Sandon Historical Society relocated its museum to the Slocan Mercantile Block from its former home in the old Provincial Policeman’s residence, west of the old City Hall. Reconstruction work on the building is still ongoing, and the Historical Society hopes to eventually finish the building off with a climate-controlled Archives Room, washrooms, and interpretive displays in the basement.

The Society would like to thank the many volunteers who have helped so far in the restoration of this beautiful building, as well as the countless donors who have enabled us to build up such a wonderful collection of artifacts and photographs. It is through their efforts that the Society is able to continue to preserve and share such an important part of British Columbia’s early history.

Visit the Silversmith Powerhouse to see of a working 1905 Westinghouse generator and Pelton-Doble water turbine, still producing hydroelectricity for Sandon residents after almost a century. Built in 1916 to supply electricity and compressed air to the Silversmith Mine just outside Sandon, this was one of eight powerhouses once operating within a two-mile radius of the city. Currently the oldest continually-operating hydro plant in Western Canada, the Silversmith plant also houses such vintage equipment as a 1919 Fairbanks Morse diesel engine and a 1916 Ingersoll-Rand air compressor. A must for machinery buffs and novices alike!

The Tin Cup Café, located in a 1890s-era building in Upper Sandon is now closed. One of the oldest remaining buildings in Sandon, this house was originally built on the opposite side of the creek from where it now sits. Within a few years, however, snowslides forced the Tattrie family to move it across the creek to its current location. 

Since 1894, when it was constructed, the Sandon Laundry operated under a number of different owners. The fire hydrant in front of the building is the only remaining original hydrant from the system installed by J.M. Harris in 1897. Purchased in 1997, the Laundry is undergoing renovation, and will soon become a woodworking shop.

Check out the 1890s-era fire hall with its unique collection of antique stove parts that adorn its front door. The only remaining original fire hall in Sandon, it is now part of the house that belonged to long-time Sandon resident, Gene Petersen.

Don’t miss the K&S Train Station and the K&S Trail. The stationhouse, a reconstruction of the original building, is an ongoing project of the Friends of the K&S. Part of the Great Northern (GNR) empire south of the border, the narrow-gauge K&S line ran from Kaslo into Sandon across a network of over 30 bridges and trestles. Enjoy a leisurely 3-mi. (5-km.) hike or bike ride along the old rail bed to Payne Bluff, now a pleasant trail with interpretive signs and beautiful views of Carpenter Creek valley. At Payne Bluff, a downhill hike also brings you to the historic Galena Trail, which follows the old CPR rail grade between Three Forks and Nakusp.

The Sandon Millyard is not open for tours, but it can easily be viewed from the main road. Presently operated by Treminco Resources, the plant was built by Carnegie Mines in 1952. The small building that can be seen at the extreme top right of the plant was originally the mine manager’s house, and was built in 1900. It is the oldest building on the site today.

Savour the flavour of the Molly Brown Brothel, located in “Lower Sandon” where over 115 “ladies of the evening” plied their shadowy trade. Once part of the largest red light district in Western Canada, this building was only one of 85 bordellos which did a thriving business in Sandon. One of the fanciest of all these brothels, this French Provincial structure is being restored by a group from New Denver. Used as a summer cottage, it is a private home, and visitors are asked to respect the owners’ privacy, although photographs are welcome.

Check out the 1908 coal-burning CPR locomotive and vintage rolling stock on display on the old CPR siding in the downtown core. An ongoing restoration project, this train is a splendid example of one of the two rail lines which once served the city. Locomotive buffs will also enjoy a restored 1910 Porter mine locomotive located beside the City Hall.

Browse through the Prospector’s Pick, located in the 1900 City Hall. This building was also a courthouse, jail and fire hall until the city went bankrupt in 1920. From 1925 to 1954, it served as a schoolhouse, replacing the dangerous structure then being used on Sunnyside Hill. Severely damaged in the 1955 wash-out, it was abandoned to near-total destruction by lumber salvagers. Since 1989, it has been an ongoing restoration project by a local family, and features many unique furnishings and artifacts.

Many other reconstruction and restoration projects are ongoing, including the 1896 K&S Liquour Storage Warehouse, and Dr. Gomm’s house, built in 1894. Both of these buildings are now private residences. and 1900-era Burns Butcher Block and Atherton General Store. In addition, there are many visible traces of the city’s past, including several outdoor displays of mining machinery, and many ruins and partial structures.

Two kilometres from Sandon lies the ghost town of Cody, an 1890s-era village of over 150 residents, hotels, businesses, and “end of the line” for the K&S Railway. Today, the remains of a concentrator mill and the old K&S stationhouse mark the site of the one-thriving community.

Sandon also provides vehicle access to Idaho Peak. With its fabulous views, magnificent alpine meadows with hundreds of wildflowers, and chance encounters with a variety of wildlife, Idaho Peak offers 7,479 feet (2,244 metres) of adventure all by itself! The Idaho Peak Road begins in Sandon and climbs past sights of magnificent lakes, lush valleys and old minesites, to the beautiful alpine meadows at the 12-kilometre mark, where the parking lot is located.

Wildflowers are visible all summer, but during July and August they abound, filling the meadows with hundreds of fragrances and a riot of colour. Visitors are reminded not to pick any flowers, but make sure to bring a camera— it’s a sight you’ll want to keep forever!

From there, it’s a short 2-kilometre hike along old ridge-top pack trails to the summit, where Idaho Peak Forestry Lookout Tower is located. From the lookout, there is a breathtaking panoramic view of Slocan Lake, the Selkirk and Valhalla mountain ranges, and the villages of New Denver, Silverton and Rosebery.

Bicycles are no longer allowed on this trail.  Idaho Peak also makes a perfect jumping off spot for hang gliding enthusiasts, who ride the air currents down to land at the New Denver campgrounds far below. Even for less adventurous souls the hike is well worth the effort, however, as the Peak is one of the tallest and most accessible in the entire area.

Please Note—
The Idaho Peak Road is a Forestry Department road. It is steep and narrow, and although there are pullout areas along the route, visitors are reminded to use caution and obey all road signs. The road is generally open from July to September, and a shuttle service is often available for larger groups. Enquire about road conditions at the Sandon Historical Society Museum and Visitors’ Centre. This road is not suitable for large motorhomes, vehicles pulling trailers or vehicles with low clearance.

For current information visit here

Just as Sandon was the “capital city” of one of the richest silver-producing areas on the continent, so too is it central to the Silvery Slocan Heritage Tour, a 200-mile (320-km) round-trip through one of the most beautiful and fascinating areas British Columbia has to offer. Featuring exceptional recreational opportunities such as camping, fishing, hiking, hot springs and golfing, as well as over 70 intriguing historic points of interest, the tour can be taken as a day trip or completed at a more leisurely pace— whichever you prefer.

From ancient pictographs of the vanished Kutenai First Nation to the city of Nelson’s beautifully-preserved downtown architecture, history comes alive before your eyes as you travel the tour route. With stops that include the village of Kaslo’s century-old CPR sternwheeler, the S.S. Moyie, and the internationally-recognized Nikkei Centre in New Denver, which recalls the internment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II, the tour encompasses both the triumphs and the tragedies of the Silvery Slocan’s rich heritage.

Posted along the highway are historic route and interpretive signs, which indicate points of interest. As well, an excellent touring guide, The Silvery Slocan Heritage Tour Guidebook, is available at various businesses along the route.

Covering 18 different communities of varying sizes, numerous provincial parks and countless natural and historic attractions, the Silvery Slocan Heritage Tour will thrill young and old alike. Come for a day, or better yet, an entire week-end— there’s something for the entire family. So pack your bags and head for the Silvery Slocan, in the heart of fabulous Kootenay Country!