Nelson. Silver King Miners. Source: BC Archives

Silver and Gold...

In 1867, gold and silver were found in the area and Nelson grew quickly as a result of the frantic mining activity. Dozens of other mining communities sprang up along Kootenay Lake, two railways were routed through Nelson and noted architect Francis Rattenbury came to design granite-hewn, chateau style civic buildings. By 1910, Nelson had its own hydro generating station, street cars, sewer system, and police force. Englishmen came to plant lakeside orchards, and Russian Doukhobors, sponsored by Tolstoy and the Quakers, tilled the valley benchlands.

In 1979, after 5 generations each imposed their own style on downtown's Baker Street, hiding the grand old buildings behind modern facades, local merchants and civic leaders developed a coordinated restoration plan and spent more than $3 million bringing the city's magnificent buildings back to life. A community understanding dawned that these magnificent buildings represent the pioneers' statement of faith in the future of Nelson

We invite you to view our magnificent history in a virtual tour of our city.

Explore Nelson with a virtual tour!
Virtual Motoring Tour (around the city)
Approximate driving time: 50 minutes