Glimpses of the Past: March 18, 2026

By Ben Smith, Intern, and Cathy English, Curator, Revelstoke Museum and Archives.

The Amateur Dramatic Club production of Colleen Bawn was presented in the Revelstoke Opera House in March of 1906. Revelstoke Museum and Archives, P-1061.

130 years ago: Kootenay Mail - March 21, 1896

Silver Cup mine in the Lardeau region was experiencing unusually high traffic. Word had gotten out that multiple teams were hauling carloads of ores out each week. Silver Cup mine was a major contributor to the bustling atmosphere that once prevailed throughout the historic town of Beaton.

120 years ago: The Mail Herald - March 17, 1906

It’s 1906, and a Friday night in Revelstoke, what’s the move? Well It’s a little early in the evening to hit the Last Drop, not to mention it doesn’t exist yet. How about the Opera House? The Amateur Dramatic Club is putting on their rendition of Colleen Bawn, and guests are actually encouraged to stick around afterwards. Not bad for $0.50 admission.

110 years ago: The Mail Herald - March 18, 1916

William A. Foote, Revelstoke’s mayor throughout WWI, and a well-known building contractor, had declared that he was keen to start a shingle and lumber mill in the Kootenay district the following summer. Foote must have been trying to show some optimism for the future, because it would have been immensely risky to start a business during the war.

100 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 17, 1926

The Dramatic Order Knights of Khorrassan approached city council with a request that council deny a travelling circus permission to come to Revelstoke out of worry that it might overlap with their annual gala. Dramatic indeed.

90 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 20, 1936

Included in this issue was an unusual contest by Quaker Oats that featured the Dionne Quintuplets; five identical sisters who miraculously survived during the depression-era. For a chance to win a $10,000 dream home, participants had to mail two trademarks from oat products, along with a letter answering “Which of the Quints would I adopt?”

80 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 21, 1946

We’ve had the Revelstoke forum around for a few years now. 63 to be exact. In 1946, mild weather had robbed Revelstoke of hockey play-offs, because the 1924 arena on Fourth Street West (current Col River Manor site) did not have a plant for creating artificial ice, so the season depended on the weather. There was discussion about building a whole new rink, but that did not develop at the time. Instead, artificial ice making was added to the old rink. It was finally torn down in the early 1960s, and the current Forum opened in 1963.

70 years ago: The Revelstoke Review - March 22, 1956

The Revelstoke Mountainettes downed Vernon Beaverettes in a closely fought game last Thursday to win the Juvenile Girls’ League. This marked the first time in 30 years that an RHS squad has gained possession of the cup. The winning team was coached by R. Corrigan.

60 years ago: The Revelstoke Review – March 16, 1966

Chris Selbekk, of the Norwegian National Ski Team, made a jump of 293 feet at the recent B.C. Centennial Canadian and International Ski Jumping Championships held in Revelstoke on March 6, 1966. The jump was the longest at the event, which took place on the newly constructed Nels Nelsen Hill on Mount Revelstoke. The rebuilding of the jump site included the construction of a new 117 feet judges’ tower, which was lowered into place by Okanagan Helicopters.

50 years ago: The Revelstoke Review – March 17, 1976

The Revelstoke Moose Lodge recently had a banquet to honor member Ron Westlake, who had donated 35 pints of blood up to the previous August. He was presented with a certificate from the Red Cross Society.

40 years ago: The Revelstoke Review – March 19, 1986

The recently formed 511 Women’s Shelter Society was trying to raise funds to be able to open a shelter for women and their children who were leaving abusive relationships. It was noted that there were 42 reported cases of spousal assault in Revelstoke for all of 1965, and a further 10 cases in the first two months of 1986, and it was suspected by society members that actual numbers were much higher than that, due to unreported incidents.

30 years ago: The Revelstoke Times Review, March 20, 1996

Caribou will not be moved from the Revelstoke area to the United States, as had previously been considered by the B.C. Environment Ministry. The ministry decided against the move because of forestry issues in Revelstoke. Instead, 20 caribou will be moved from Wells Gray Provincial Park and the Prince George area to northeastern Washington to help build up a herd there.

20 years ago: The Revelstoke Times Review, March 22, 2006

The wide-open space in front of the Aquatic Centre was to be filled with a large sculpture, but no plans had yet been decided upon. Local artists David Walker and Toni Johnston met recently with Parks and Recreation Director Alan Chell to discuss possible sculptures for the area. An idea to place historic metal artifacts there had been rejected due to safety concerns.