https://www.nelsonstar.com/
The book is available at: https://www.silveryslocan.ca/
A new book takes a comprehensive look at an era when the Slocan was at BC’s economic and political forefront.
At more than 600 pages, Peter Smith’s self-published Silver Rush: British Columbia’s Silvery Slocan 1891-1900 may intimidate casual readers. But within its pages lies an epic story of the men and women who flocked to the region to ride a wave of sudden prosperity.
Smith’s interest in the Slocan’s history was whetted when he came to the area from Victoria in the mid-1970s. “I thought wow, this place is incredible. Why have I never heard of it? The deeper I dug, the more important the history became.”
The contrast was stark: the Slocan at that time was a relative backwater, but in the 1890s, places like Sandon, Three Forks, and Kaslo were among the fastest growing towns in BC, thanks to mining discoveries that drew scores of prospectors and capitalists.
“If there was an election, as there was in 1894 and 1898, premiers and cabinet ministers would regularly tour the Slocan,” Smith says. “If you wanted to win, it became increasingly important to cater to the fast-growing West Kootenay. It was a critical part of the political scene and could not be ignored.”
For the rest of this article: https://www.nelsonstar.com/community/new-book-reappraises-silvery-slocan-mining-rush/