Slocan, British Columbia

Slocan
Village
Village of Slocan[1]
Slocan

Location of Slocan in British Columbia

Coordinates: 49°45′58″N 117°28′6″W / 49.76611°N 117.46833°W / 49.76611; -117.46833
Country  Canada
Province  British Columbia
Region West Kootenay (Slocan Valley)
Regional district Central Kootenay
Incorporated 1901
Government
 • Governing body Slocan Village Council
 • Mayor Jessica Lunn
Area
 • Total 0.78 km2 (0.30 sq mi)
Elevation 450 m (1,480 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 296
 • Density 381.7/km2 (989/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC-8)
Highways 6
Waterways Slocan Lake, Slocan River

The Village of Slocan (/sloʊˈkæn/ sloh-KAN), historically also known as Slocan City (/ˈsloʊkæn/ SLOH-kən), from Ktunaxa: sⱡuqan, IPA: [sɬuqan]).[2] 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.

Name

The name Slocan is derived from the Sinixt 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. The term Slocan is also in the Ktunaxa language.

Slocan should not be confused with Slocan Park, which is farther south along the Slocan River, or South Slocan, which, in turn, should not be confused with Shoreacres (Prekrasnoye), at the Slocan River's confluence with the Kootenay River. The term "the Slocan" refers to the Slocan Valley in general.

History

Slocan City in 1920

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.

During World War II, Slocan was one of the Japanese Canadian internment camps in British Columbia. Among those interned at the Slocan camp were celebrity scientist David Suzuki, and author Joy Kogawa.[3] Other internment camps in the area were at Lemon Creek, just south of Slocan, and at New Denver.

Climate

Climate data for Slocan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10
(50)		 14.5
(58.1)		 22.5
(72.5)		 30
(86)		 35.5
(95.9)		 38
(100)		 41
(106)		 39.5
(103.1)		 36.1
(97)		 26.1
(79)		 17.2
(63)		 11.7
(53.1)		 41
(106)
Average high °C (°F) −0.2
(31.6)		 3.6
(38.5)		 9.3
(48.7)		 15.5
(59.9)		 20.4
(68.7)		 24.2
(75.6)		 28
(82)		 28.5
(83.3)		 21.7
(71.1)		 13.8
(56.8)		 4.8
(40.6)		 0.2
(32.4)		 14.1
(57.4)
Average low °C (°F) −7.1
(19.2)		 −4.9
(23.2)		 −2.3
(27.9)		 1
(34)		 4.9
(40.8)		 8.5
(47.3)		 10.1
(50.2)		 10
(50)		 5.8
(42.4)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −5.9
(21.4)		 1.6
(34.9)
Record low °C (°F) −31.7
(−25.1)		 −30.6
(−23.1)		 −22.2
(−8)		 −7.8
(18)		 −6.1
(21)		 0
(32)		 2.8
(37)		 2.2
(36)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 −11
(12)		 −23.5
(−10.3)		 −35
(−31)		 −35
(−31)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 94
(3.7)		 69.8
(2.748)		 62.4
(2.457)		 61
(2.4)		 68.2
(2.685)		 71.1
(2.799)		 54.4
(2.142)		 49.4
(1.945)		 51.4
(2.024)		 61.6
(2.425)		 104
(4.09)		 105.9
(4.169)		 853.2
(33.591)
Source: Environment Canada[4]
Slocan's welcome sign

Attractions

Currently, Slocan is a resting point for travellers en route to Valhalla Provincial Park.

Television

Slocan City was featured on the historical television series Gold Trails and Ghost Towns, season 2, episode 7.

References

  1. ↑ "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address" (XLS). British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  2. ↑ "FirstVoices: Nature / Environment - place names: words. Ktunaxa.". Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  3. ↑ http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/joy-kogawa
  4. ↑ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 29 March 2010

Coordinates: 49°45′46″N 117°27′45″W / 49.76278°N 117.46250°W / 49.76278; -117.46250

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