Thirteen km. east of New Denver, Sandon became the center of what was the richest silver-lead producing region in Canada. Alternatively known as the "Silver City" or the "Heart of the Silvery Slocan", Sandon was set in a narrow gulch surrounded by high, steep mountains, split by the fast-flowing Carpenter Creek, which flowed through the centre of town under its main street.
Vast amounts of galena ore were discovered here by Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton in 1891, inducing prospectors to flock from around North America to test their luck in the Slocan. By 1895 Sandon was a bustling town and the terminus of 2 railways. Incorporated as a city on January 1, 1898, Sandon for a few years had more than 5000 residents, several brothels and a booming economy.
Built entirely of wood, in 1900 the city was almost leveled by a large fire which destroyed much of the city. With the mines producing abundantly and silver prices high, the city rebuilt with nary a second thought.
However, only two of Sandon's residents, Mssrs. Hunter and Kendrick, had the foresight to build their general store, the Hunter-Kendrick Block, later better known as the Slocan Mercantile Block, of brick. Today it is even better known as the Sandon Museum. Once again, the rest of the city was built entirely of wooden structures. Quite fortunately, though Sandon did experience more fires, none were as destructive as the fire of 1900.
Today, Sandon still features a few buildings, one of which is now the Sandon Museum. Enterprising individuals have restored and turned the one time
Slocan Mercantile General Store, a two storey brick building, into the
Sandon Museum, housing an eclectic collection of Sandon related artefacts.
The Museum Story
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.
From The Sandon Museum