Slocan, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
The Village of Slocan, commonly known as Slocan City, is a village
in the Slocan Valley
of the West Kootenay
region of the southeastern Interior of British Columbia
, Canada
. It is located at the southern end of Slocan Lake
, to the south of New Denver
, which sits mid-way up the lake's eastern shore.
Slocan should not be confused with Slocan Park
, which is farther south along the Slocan River
, or South Slocan, at the Slocan River's confluence with the Kootenay River
. The term "the Slocan" may refers to either the Slocan Valley or Slocan City.
During the 1890s, Slocan City was a bustling, boisterous, boomtown filled with hotels, saloons, pack teams, rail cars filled with ore, and miners in pursuit of the ever elusive mother lode
.
During World War II
, Slocan was one of the Japanese Canadian internment
camps in British Columbia. Among those interned at the Slocan camp was celebrity scientist David Suzuki
, then only a boy. Other internment camps in the area were at Lemon Creek
, just south of Slocan, and at New Denver.
, and hosts the annual Slocan City Logging Show. In 2008, the event included the Canadian Championships in the Open Tree Climb, Intermediate Choker Race, Ladies Log Roll, and Novice Double Buck.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Slocan Valley
Slocan Valley
The Slocan Valley is a valley in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.The valley is home to the villages of Slocan City, New Denver, Silverton, as well as the unincorporated communities of Crescent Valley, Slocan Park, Passmore, Vallican, Winlaw, Appledale, Perry Siding, Lemon...
of the West Kootenay
West Kootenay
West Kootenay was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was formed along with East Kootenay from a redistribution of the old Kootenay riding, which was one of the province's original twelve.- Demographics :...
region of the southeastern Interior of British Columbia
British Columbia Interior
The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located at the southern end of Slocan Lake
Slocan Lake
Slocan Lake is a lake in the Slocan Country of the West Kootenay region of the Southeastern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. it is drained by the Slocan River, which flows south from the lake's foot at Slocan City through the Slocan Valley to South Slocan, British Columbia, where that river...
, to the south of New Denver
New Denver, British Columbia
New Denver is a village in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, along the shore of Slocan Lake. New Denver was founded as a mining town in 1892, and briefly known as Eldorado City before being renamed after Denver, Colorado. It was incorporated as a village in 1929 and currently has approximately...
, which sits mid-way up the lake's eastern shore.
Name
The name Slocan is derived from the Sinixt Indian word meaning "to strike or pierce on head" and was derived from their practice of harpooning salmon. At one time, this area had an abundance of salmon.Slocan should not be confused with Slocan Park
Slocan Park, British Columbia
Slocan Park is an unincorporated settlement in the Slocan Valley area of the West Kootenay region of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Largely an agricultural and residential community of about 120 households, Slocan Park is the site of the co-operative grocery and gas outlet for the...
, which is farther south along the Slocan River
Slocan River
The Slocan River is a long tributary of the Kootenay River in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is part of the Columbia River basin, as the Kootenay River is a tributary of the Columbia River...
, or South Slocan, at the Slocan River's confluence with the Kootenay River
Kootenay River
The Kootenay is a major river in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and the northern part of the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
. The term "the Slocan" may refers to either the Slocan Valley or Slocan City.
History
The townsite was staked at the lower end of Slocan Lake in 1892 following massive silver strikes nearby. The site was conveniently close to three principal ore producing areas. By 1900, there were 12 hotels in Slocan; by 1920 there were only three. Slocan became a city in June 1901 and reverted to village status in June 1958.During the 1890s, Slocan City was a bustling, boisterous, boomtown filled with hotels, saloons, pack teams, rail cars filled with ore, and miners in pursuit of the ever elusive mother lode
Mother Lode
Mother lode is a principal vein or zone of veins of gold or silver ore. The term probably came from a literal translation of the Spanish veta madre, a term common in old Mexican mining...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Slocan was one of the Japanese Canadian internment
Japanese Canadian internment
Japanese Canadian internment refers to confinement of Japanese Canadians in British Columbia during World War II. The internment began in December 1941, following the attack by carrier-borne forces of Imperial Japan on American naval and army facilities at Pearl Harbor...
camps in British Columbia. Among those interned at the Slocan camp was celebrity scientist David Suzuki
David Suzuki
David Suzuki, CC, OBC is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a Ph.D in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department of the University of British Columbia from 1963 until his retirement in 2001...
, then only a boy. Other internment camps in the area were at Lemon Creek
Lemon Creek
Lemon Creek can refer to:*A village in the Slocan Valley of British Columbia, Canada*Lemon Creek, a section of Juneau, Alaska, noted chiefly for being the site of a state prison*A stream located on the South Shore of Staten Island, New York...
, just south of Slocan, and at New Denver.
Attractions
Currently, Slocan is a resting point for travellers en route to Valhalla Provincial ParkValhalla Provincial Park
Valhalla Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It was established on March 3rd, 1983 in the mountains above the Western shores of Slocan Lake, in the west Kootenays. The park consists of most of the Valhalla Range of the Selkirk Mountains.It is 49,893 hectares in size...
, and hosts the annual Slocan City Logging Show. In 2008, the event included the Canadian Championships in the Open Tree Climb, Intermediate Choker Race, Ladies Log Roll, and Novice Double Buck.