Salmo (BC) village

Salmo i Kootenay Central i British Columbia i Kanada

Arkiv: –
Länk: Salmo

When the Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway (N&FS) was opened in 1893, this was one of the original stations. During the railway construction, Foley, Welch and Stewart was a prime contractor, and Pete Larson was a subcontractor. The Larson headquarters likely became the foundation for the settlement. The construction camp was the scene of a cook's murder following a gambling dispute. During a sale of townsite lots in 1896, 130 sold in 10 days. By 1899, two general stores and four hotels existed. The Kootenay Shingle Mill operated 1901–1928.

Originally, the name was either Laprairie or Salmon City, derived from the initial name of the river that dated from around 1860. Prior to the downstream damming of the Columbia River from the 1930s, salmon frequented this tributary. In 1893, the settlement name became Salmon or Salmon Siding. At that time, Erie Creek was called the North Fork of the river. In 1896, the community name changed to Salmo, and the river soon followed suit. It is unclear whether the town or postal authorities sought the less common name, which is Latin for salmon, and also the scientific name for the genus of fish to which Atlantic salmon and trout belong.