SANDON is a ghost town, but was once the unofficial capital of the mining region known as the “Silvery Slocan”, only some of it remains standing.
History. In 1891 vast amounts of galena ore were discovered in the area by Eli Carpenter and John Sandon, for whom the settlement was named. Prospectors flocked from around North America to stake their claims. Sandon himself drowned in Kootenay Lake in 1893.
Sandon was incorporated as a city on January 1, 1898, and for a few years had more than 5000 residents, brothels and a booming economy. Two different railways raced to reach the town first; the Kaslo & Slocan Railway, connecting Sandon with nearby Kaslo, on Kootenay Lake, and the Nakusp & Slocan Railway-Canadian Pacific, from New Denver and Nakusp. Significant acts of sabotage were committed upon both railroads.
Well into the 1900s, the hills around Sandon were actively mined by mines such as the Silversmith, the Slocan Star and The Payne. Smaller communities, such as Cody and Three Forks appeared on the map, continuing to provide opportunities to the miners. Like the other silver towns of the era, Sandon faded with the silver prices, and in 1955, a massive flood of Carpenter Creek occurred, destroying most of the remaining buildings. After the flood, looters tore apart the remains of many of the buildings.
Sandon was used as a Japanese Canadian internment camp during World War II.
Local Historian Bill Barlee believes there are about 10,000 coins lying somewhere along the bed of Carpenter Creek. The Creek ran through Sandon. The creek flooded in 1955. Coin Hoard? The main street of Sandon was built over the creek. It is believed coins were washed into the creek from under the boardwalk along the main street during the flood. The coins lie along a stretch of the creek measuring no more than a one-third of a mile in length in about 3 feet of water.
Lower Terminal of the Last Chance Mine, Sandon 
Ivanhoe Concentrator
Today. Currently, Sandon features a few buildings, a fleet of trolley buses, and a handful of residents. Both railways that served the town have been dismantled and turned into hiking trails, leaving only traces of a rich mining history. There is a museum run by the Sandon Historical Society in the old mercantile building. 20,000 visitors come to Sandon
yearly.
THREE FORKS
Situated at the junction of Carpenter, Seaton and Kane Creeks, Three Forks was the second largest of the communities between New Denver and Kaslo. As a natural crossroad for both miner and railroad builder, Eli Carpenter built a stop-over for ore haulers on their way to New Denver in 1891 on the narrow flat sandwiched between the three turbulent streams. Miners stockpiled ore rawhided down the mountains.
In 1893, it was announced it would be the terminus of the Nakusp and Slocan Railway. The town boomed and by the end of the year, there were 240 lots laid out on three benches on the east side of Carpenter Creek, The Nakusp-Sandon Railway built its branch up Carpenter Creek to Sandon and Cody. Horses and gangs of workmen made it a booming place. Along with them came 15 businesses including saloons, gambling joints, eating places, a boarding house, a butcher shop, a livery, a blacksmith, a barbershop, a large general store, a community hall, a laundry, a bathhouse and a drugstore. It soon had a population of 2000 in 1894. Three Forks was a hurrah town, the place one went for a good time. It had four hotels – Carpenter’s Three Forks, the Wellington, Pacific and Miners’ Exchange.
Situated at the junction of Carpenter, Seaton and Kane Creeks, Three Forks was the second largest of the communities between New Denver and Kaslo. As a natural crossroad for both miner and railroad builder, Eli Carpenter built a stop-over for ore haulers on their way to New Denver in 1891 on the narrow flat sandwiched between the three turbulent streams. Miners stockpiled ore rawhided down the mountains.
In 1893, it was announced it would be the terminus of the Nakusp and Slocan Railway. The town boomed and by the end of the year, there were 240 lots laid out on three benches on the east side of Carpenter Creek, The Nakusp-Sandon Railway built its branch up Carpenter Creek to Sandon and Cody. Horses and gangs of workmen made it a booming place. Along with them came 15 businesses including saloons, gambling joints, eating places, a boarding house, a butcher shop, a livery, a blacksmith, a barbershop, a large general store, a community hall, a laundry, a bathhouse and a drugstore. It soon had a population of 2000 in 1894. Three Forks was a hurrah town, the place one went for a good time. It had four hotels – Carpenter’s Three Forks, the Wellington, Pacific and Miners’ Exchange.
The fire of 1894 destroyed the town, including the hotels. Within a month, a sawmill was operating, four new hotels, six stores, a jail with 5 cells, a kitchen and a Constable’s room. Bill Pratt freighted his printing press from New Denver and began publishing the Prospector in which he chronicled life and events in the “Pronged City” as he called it. Christmas that year of 1894 was one of great festivity with three balls, a Christmas tree celebration, a wrestling match and the first wedding in Three Forks when Mrs Dryden, who was in charge of rooms at the Pacific Hotel married proprietor Terrill.
But after the railway was completed and construction gangs left, business slackened. Three Forks became just a divisional point, and in 1904, only 2 hotels, 1 store and 100 people remained. The last hotel shut in 1918 and it looked like a ghost town. Finally, the old trailblazers left and the post office closed in 1921. Today there is no sign of turntables or switchbacks, no rubble from hotels or ore bins, and no indication of any habitations.
But after the railway was completed and construction gangs left, business slackened. Three Forks became just a divisional point, and in 1904, only 2 hotels, 1 store and 100 people remained. The last hotel shut in 1918 and it looked like a ghost town. Finally, the old trailblazers left and the post office closed in 1921. Today there is no sign of turntables or switchbacks, no rubble from hotels or ore bins, and no indication of any habitations.
CODY
One mile up Carpenter Creek from Sandon, Tom Mitchell built a mill to treat ore from the Noble Five group of mInes and on a few acres of flat ground, a small townsite was laid out. John M Winter built a two-story hotel that could hold 50 guests, followed by a second hotel, a general store and a post office. The population reached 100 in 1897 and a great future was predicted.
Every spring, slides and avalanches swept down Cody Mountain carrying men and horses to their deaths and demolishing mine buildings. Cody escaped but the road to Sandon was carried away or the train was blocked by snow. Because of the constricted valley, mine workers preferred living in Sandon. By 1903, only one family, the Winters, remained. But by November, even they left. The Noble Five Mine worked intermittently until the 1950s, but by then Cody had long been only a memory.
A trail goes from Cody to Carpenter Pass near Mt Carlyle.
One mile up Carpenter Creek from Sandon, Tom Mitchell built a mill to treat ore from the Noble Five group of mInes and on a few acres of flat ground, a small townsite was laid out. John M Winter built a two-story hotel that could hold 50 guests, followed by a second hotel, a general store and a post office. The population reached 100 in 1897 and a great future was predicted.
Every spring, slides and avalanches swept down Cody Mountain carrying men and horses to their deaths and demolishing mine buildings. Cody escaped but the road to Sandon was carried away or the train was blocked by snow. Because of the constricted valley, mine workers preferred living in Sandon. By 1903, only one family, the Winters, remained. But by November, even they left. The Noble Five Mine worked intermittently until the 1950s, but by then Cody had long been only a memory.
A trail goes from Cody to Carpenter Pass near Mt Carlyle.
ALAMO SIDING
It was 6.4 km from New Denver at the junction of Howson and Carpenter Creeks. Built on a rocky spur above the creeks, it had a store, manager’s house, bunkhouse and concentrator for treating the ores of the Alamo and Idaho Mines which were at 6,000 feet (1,830m) high at the headwaters of boulder-strewn Howson Creek. By 1904, the population was about 200.
In 1916, Clarence Cunningham replaced the old mill with a new one costing $250,000 and acquired many mines. Only Queen Bess produced a profit – over $1 million. Cunningham was a well-known figure as he rode along the trails on Rex, his big chestnut horse. One day Rex accidentally broke his master’s leg, crippling him for life. Then depression brought financial ruin. When he died in 1938, his affairs were so complicated that it took 11 years to straighten them out.
With time, Slocan ore went to Trail for concentration and the Alamo mill closed, the railway was abandoned in 1951 and the Alamo was reclaimed by forest.
The best way to see the Alamo is via the Galena Trail between Three Forks and New Denver. The huge concentrator and old house are just before taking the cable car across Carpenter Creek.
It was 6.4 km from New Denver at the junction of Howson and Carpenter Creeks. Built on a rocky spur above the creeks, it had a store, manager’s house, bunkhouse and concentrator for treating the ores of the Alamo and Idaho Mines which were at 6,000 feet (1,830m) high at the headwaters of boulder-strewn Howson Creek. By 1904, the population was about 200.
In 1916, Clarence Cunningham replaced the old mill with a new one costing $250,000 and acquired many mines. Only Queen Bess produced a profit – over $1 million. Cunningham was a well-known figure as he rode along the trails on Rex, his big chestnut horse. One day Rex accidentally broke his master’s leg, crippling him for life. Then depression brought financial ruin. When he died in 1938, his affairs were so complicated that it took 11 years to straighten them out.
With time, Slocan ore went to Trail for concentration and the Alamo mill closed, the railway was abandoned in 1951 and the Alamo was reclaimed by forest.
The best way to see the Alamo is via the Galena Trail between Three Forks and New Denver. The huge concentrator and old house are just before taking the cable car across Carpenter Creek.
ZINCTON
Zincton was a shipping point for the Lucky Jim Mine, one of the largest producers in the Slocan. It was staked in 1892, with 9 buildings, a concentrator and a few cabins clustered along the railway line. The mine operated until the 1950s yielding millions of dollars. The buildings gradually disappeared. It is now so peaceful that the beavers have returned.
