Steam along the Boundary : Canadian Pacific, Great Northern and the Great Boundary Copper Boom

Steam Along the Boundary brings to life one of the most fascinating eras of British Columbia's railway and mining history: the great copper boom that seized the Boundary District in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The rival Great Northern and Canadian Pacific railways, along with the fledgling Kettle River Valley Railway, were the major players in a fierce competition for the rich ores and copper wealth from the region. The southern mountains of British Columbia became one of the richest copper-silver-gold mining districts in Canada and were home to one of the world's largest copper smelters by the early 1900s. Three major smelters served the mountain of copper ore on which the city of Phoenix was built, almost overnight. Connecting them all to the coal mines that supported them and the markets that demanded their copper was a network of steam railways. Cities and towns across the southern interior and in northern Washington, including Grand Forks, Greenwood, Phoenix, Castlegar, Keremeos, Hedley, Republic and others, grew and prospered with the mines and smelters. This fascinating story gives insights into the history of both British Columbia and Washington State, from Vancouver to Spokane. After less than 25 years the boom was over, the mines depleted and the smelters gone, but the railways remained, carrying passengers, lumber, fruit, and settlers through the rugged and beautiful mountains. This richly illustrated book, the culmination of decades of research by the authors, is sure to become another perennial favourite.