Known in the 1890s at the Monte Carlo of North America, the City of Sandon lies in the Selkirk Mountain Range high in the heart of the Silvery Slocan. Famed for its unbelievably rich deposits of silver-lead ore, following the 1891 discovery of silver by Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton, thousands of men soon filled the small valley almost to bursting.

In its heyday, Sandon boasted 29 hotels, 28 saloons, three breweries, one of the largest “red light districts” in Western Canada. Sandon was home to over 5,000 people, including miners and millionaires, con men and gamblers, land speculators and “ladies of the evening.”

Since the 1970s, a group of dedicated volunteers has worked onsite to preserve and restore artifacts and buildings—including the beautifully restored Slocan Mercantile Block, which now houses the Sandon Historical Society Museum and Visitors’ Centre 13 km east of New Denver. Today, Sandon is recognized as a historic site of international significance, and draws over 60,000 visitors a year to enjoy its many attractions and its amazing display of authentic B.C. history.