Glimpses of the Past: March 5, 2026
By Ben Smith, Collections Manager, Revelstoke Museum and Archives
Tournament of Chumps on Mount Revelstoke, 1954. Revelstoke Museum and Archives Collection, P-7036.
130 years ago: Kootenay Mail – March 7, 1896
A foul impression was made by the provincial government within the growing mining population after an offensive proposition to legislature by Premier John Herbert Turner, suggesting that each mine should be taxed two percent of its gross output.
120 years ago: The Mail Herald – March 7, 1906
Two of Revelstoke’s earliest Chinese vendors purchased advertisements in this issue. Wah Chung’s advertised firewood & Chinese Canaries, and Wing Chung’s advertised gold fish and an assortment of imported stock from China.
110 years ago: The Mail Herald - March 4, 1916
Locals were devastated by the late arrival of the No.1 train that would have taken them to Craigellachie in time to attend a banquet and farewell party for Mr. William Waddel, who had recently enlisted for overseas service. Mr. Waddel was the town’s fire warden for some time, and his departure weighed on many. Sadly, Mr. Waddel died on March 1, 1917 while on active service.
100 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 3, 1926
The Board of Trade discussed the possibility of a Toboggan slide, and the potential centralization of Winter Sport discussions with a new committee. How many committees are too many?
90 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 6, 1936
A tragedy occurred 26 miles east of Revelstoke when a runaway locomotive tender broke loose near the scene of a recent avalanche and roared down the track into the slide cut where many men were working. Sixteen men died in the incident and another five were in hospital in Revelstoke with serious injuries. An inquest found no negligence on the part of any of the men involved.
80 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 7, 1946
A heated rivalry was extinguished when mild temperatures melted the ice rink and forced a play-off game to be called off. The situation paved discussion for artificial ice, a concept I was truly unfamiliar with until literally right now.
70 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 8, 1956
A comedic ski event, self-acclaimed as the only one of its kind across the continent, was to be held in Revelstoke by members of the Ski Club, as a way to unwind after all of the work of putting on the “Tournament of Champions.” The “Tournament of Chumps” would take place at Hans Gunnarsen Hill in April, and supposedly imbued ski-jumping with a comedic touch.
60 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 3, 1966
The Canadian Confederation Centennial Committee of British Columbia (take a breath), planned a special event for 1966, a Vintage Car run featuring cars representing the formative years of the technology. It was actually a really impressive feat, rows of 30+ year old cars driving from New Westminster to Salmon Arm and then to Victoria, over the course of one week.
50 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 8, 1976
One of several of Revelstoke’s past improvement initiatives was proposed this week, with the intention of revitalizing older residential areas. $250,000 was granted to Revelstoke through federal and provincial grants, so that the city could develop middle-low income areas.
40 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 5, 1986
Do you know about the B.C winter games? It’s a biennial celebration of B.C.’s highest performing athletes. Conceived in 1978, it’s something of a mini-olympics held right here in the Kootenays. Revelstoke’s Greg Russell took home a gold medal in the cross-country skiing division.
30 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 6, 1996
Ever wonder when it became an issue for students and teachers alike to walk up to their school with a lit cigarette? It was in 1996 that the Revelstoke school board decided that everyone should leave their packs at home. It was an all or nobody kind of situation.
20 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 8 2006
Local Humanitarian Ray Brosseuk held a bag of dehydrated soup, which, when reconstituted, could produce 300 soups. He recently shipped enough soup to Swaziland to fill one million cups.
Thank you to Ben Smith for writing our Glimpses column for the last 7 months. His internship is ending, but thankfully these online columns will stay forever!