Donald, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Donald, British Columbia is located on Highway 1, 28 kilometers west of Golden
. In its heyday, Donald was a divisional point
on the Canadian Pacific Railway
. But, in 1897, when the CPR abandoned Donald in favor of Revelstoke
, Donald disappeared into obscurity and is now a small sawmill
ing community.
In its glory years, Donald was home to several memorable characters.
Other, less law abiding but still colorful, people called Donald home.
Despite the roguish nature of some these local characters, it would be one of Donald's leading citizens, Rufus Kimpton, who would commit its most notorious crime. When the CPR announced the move to Revelstoke in 1897, the company also offered to move free of charge any buildings to anywhere along its line. Rufus Kimpton, knowing that Donald would soon be a ghost town moved with his family to Windermere
. His wife missed the church at Donald so much that Rufus went back and got it for her, moving it by wagon and barge to its new location in Windermere.
However, the church had already been promised to the town of Revelstoke and when a group of Revelstokians arrived in Donald ready to move the church, they found that it had mysteriously disappeared.
When they learned that the church had been taken to Windermere, they wrote letters demanding its return. Windermere didn't respond to the correspondence, and they too had been victims of a theft. While the church had been on route to Windermere, someone at Golden had stolen the bell
out of it. Windermere had no better luck getting its bell back than Revelstoke had getting the church back.
Therefore, at Windermere, there was St. Peter's, the "Stolen Church" and at Golden, there was St. Paul's, the church of the "Stolen Bell".
Resentment simmered between Windermere and Golden for more than half a century over the bell, until one night in 1957, a group from Windermere, sneaked into Golden and stole back the bell, even going so far as to hold a parade in honor of their achievement. However the church officials at Windermere didn't believe that two wrongs made a right and the bell was soon returned to Golden.
Golden, British Columbia
Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of Calgary, Alberta and east of Vancouver.-History:Much of the town's history is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry...
. In its heyday, Donald was a divisional point
Divisional point
In Canada, a divisional point is a railway depot that includes more than just a basic siding or station.- Overview :In the coal and steam era, a divisional point would include such amenities as a substantial passenger station, freight and baggage sheds, a roundhouse, water tank, coaling and sanding...
on the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. But, in 1897, when the CPR abandoned Donald in favor of Revelstoke
Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
, Donald disappeared into obscurity and is now a small sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
ing community.
History
- Reverend Henry Irwin who was the local Anglican priest during rail construction. Affectionately called "Father Pat", he was also well known throughout the RosslandRossland, British ColumbiaRossland is a city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia.Tucked high in the Monashee Mountains, Rossland is at an elevation of 1023 metres . Population today is approximately 3500; a number that fluctuates from season to season. The population is at its peak during the winter...
mining camps. - Pioneer newspaperman John HoustonJohn Houston (newspaperman)John Houston was born in November 1850 in Alton, Ontario.In British Columbia his career as a newspaper publisher and editor spanned twenty-two years, beginning in 1888 in the town of Donald. Later he would publish newspapers in New Westminster, Nelson, Rossland and Prince Rupert. His last paper...
, who would later become the first mayor of NelsonNelson, British ColumbiaNelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
started his first newspaper in Donald in 1888.
Other, less law abiding but still colorful, people called Donald home.
- Card sharks: "One Armed Roxy" and John Houts, also known as "Keno Jack".
- Madam Florence Mackenzie, also known as "Mother" Mackenzie, who saved "Keno Jack"'s life by administering first aidFirst aidFirst aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
when the man had been lung shot by CPR conductor, Jack Selkirk, when Selkik had caught him "springing a cold deckCold deckA stacked deck is a deck of playing cards arranged in a preset order, designed to give a specific outcome when the cards are dealt.A cold deck is a stacked deck which is typically switched with the deck actually being used in the game in question, to the benefit of the player and/or dealer making...
" during a game of pokerPokerPoker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
.
The Stolen Church and the Stolen Bell
Windermere Lake (British Columbia)
Lake Windermere is a very large widening in the Columbia River. The village of Windermere is located on the east side of the lake, and the larger town of Invermere is located on the lake's northwestern corner...
. His wife missed the church at Donald so much that Rufus went back and got it for her, moving it by wagon and barge to its new location in Windermere.
However, the church had already been promised to the town of Revelstoke and when a group of Revelstokians arrived in Donald ready to move the church, they found that it had mysteriously disappeared.
When they learned that the church had been taken to Windermere, they wrote letters demanding its return. Windermere didn't respond to the correspondence, and they too had been victims of a theft. While the church had been on route to Windermere, someone at Golden had stolen the bell
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
out of it. Windermere had no better luck getting its bell back than Revelstoke had getting the church back.
Resentment simmered between Windermere and Golden for more than half a century over the bell, until one night in 1957, a group from Windermere, sneaked into Golden and stole back the bell, even going so far as to hold a parade in honor of their achievement. However the church officials at Windermere didn't believe that two wrongs made a right and the bell was soon returned to Golden.