the mining boom of the 1890s, Sandon enjoyed all the amenities and services common to established Canadian centres. Facilities included a large curling arena, hockey rink, two ski hills and venues for lacrosse, soccer, baseball, lawn bowling, cricket and tennis. Indoor facilities included a bowling alley, billiard halls, and a gymnasium. Sandon was the first fully electrified town in BC. The Silversmith Powerhouse (1897) was the second hydroelectricity plant in Western Canada - after Nelson - and is the oldest continuous producer in Western Canada, with the current equipment - originally a 1905 installation in a City of Vernon plant, and installed at Sandon in 1916. Unfortunately, the amount BC Hydro pays for power delivered to the grid barely covers costs. Railways Two different railways raced to reach the town first. The Kaslo & Slocan Railway, owned by the Great Northern Railway, connected Sandon with Kaslo, on Kootenay Lake. The Nakusp & Slocan Railway, owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, connected with Nakusp on the Upper Arrow Lake, and the Slocan Lake ferry at Rosebery. On the railway arrivals in 1895, the rivalry escalated into sabotage. The final passenger train ran in 1933. Damage from the 1955 floods on Carpenter Creek ended all rail traffic to Sandon. Mining Following the 1891 discovery of silver by Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton, thousands of prospectors sought the rich deposits of silver-lead ore. Sandon silver mines were collectively the richest in the province during 1892–1900. After an ebb, World War I was the most productive mining period. The early 1950s, during the Korean War, brought a temporary peak in silver prices, and a rejuvenation of mining, before ending in 1953. The Silvana Mine later operated, but became dormant in 1993. Klondike Silver Corp. have acquired the undersurface mine, but it is unclear whether any genuine exploration is being conducted. Decline The May 1900 fire, which started behind Spencer's Opera House, destroyed most of the downtown core. The rebuilt structures were less grandiose, but fortune returned for brief periods of mining prosperity. In 1907, an avalanche caused extensive damage. In 1920, the city entered receivership and dissolved its incorporation. Without a municipal tax base, facilities deteriorated. After 1953, large scale mining never returned. Still a resident, a financially broken Harris died that year. When the creek blocked following torrential rain in June 1955, the overflow destroyed most remaining structures. Vandals and treasure hunters, who