Hume Hotel
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Hume Hotel is a square-massed building on the southwest corner of Baker and Ward streets in Nelson, B.C. The building is four stories on the north side, and three on the south, due to the sloping grade.
HERITAGE VALUE
The Hume Hotel is important as a longstanding local landmark and gathering place, and for its history as one of the premier early accommodations in the region.
Originally designed by A.C. Ewart and supervised by Alexander Carrie, the Hume Hotel is valued for its historical reputation as the largest and finest hostelry in the interior of the province in 1898; no hotel of its size, décor or service existed between Winnipeg and Vancouver. Significant renovations in 1931 were designed by Alexander Carrie, a prominent and prolific local architect.
The building is important for its association with J. Fred Hume, a leading merchant, community activist and MLA, and principal of the Columbia and Kootenay Steam Navigation Company. Money from the sale of the Columbia and Kootenay to the C.P.R. enabled Hume to invest in the high end hotel at a time when Nelson was expanding. Early renovations were based on the expected increase in business in the city. A new wing was added in 1931, and renovations and restoration of some of the original interior heritage features occurred in 1980.
The Hume Hotel is important for its construction at a time when Ward Creek was open and still spanned by the Vernon Street and the Baker Street bridges, adapting its construction to the difficult terrain.
While the hotel has gone through a number of renovations, it still remains a primary landmark in downtown Nelson, and is valued for its continued use as a hotel for over a century. In keeping with its pioneering reputation, it is the first hotel in the Kootenays to earn BC Hydro’s Green Hotel Plus Award, an award given for outstanding commitment to energy efficient practices.
The Hume Hotel is valued for its construction using local materials and craftsmanship, and for the attention to comfort and detail in finishes and furnishings.
From the City of Nelson Heritage Register, Page 92