Canadian Pacific Railway - Nelson, BC - 1899
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 29.361 W 117° 18.104
11U E 478147 N 5481900
Canadian Pacific Railway placed this ad in the December 31, 1898 edition of The Nelson Tribune.
Waymark Code: WMHQCE
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 08/04/2013
Views: 2
Up until the 1950s (in this area) Canadian Pacific was both a railway and a steamship line, with paddlewheelers on Kootenay, Arrow, Slocan and Okanagan Lakes and the Columbia River. As such, their ad lists departure and arrival times for both trains and steamships to and from Nelson.
The CPR tracks arrived in Nelson in 1891 and in that year the first station was built, at this location. When, in the late 1890s, Nelson was designated the Kootenay Region Headquarters for the CPR, this station was built to house increased office space and to provide better freight and passenger handling capabilities. Ostensibly, it was opened January 1st, 1900. So, though this station didn't yet exist on December 31, 1898, it was built on the same location as the smaller one that existed at that time.
Completed in 1900, in 1910 it was doubled in size to house the headquarters of the B.C. Lake and River Service, as well as railroad operations. The addition made this a large station, reflecting Nelson's status at that time as a major shipping and transportation hub for the Kootenay region.
From Historic Places:
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Canadian Pacific Railway Station at Nelson is a two-storey, wood-frame, railway station, built in 1900. It is located near the lakefront, at the foot of the main thoroughfare, on the edge of the city of Nelson. The formal recognition is confined to the railway station building itself.
HERITAGE VALUE
The Canadian Pacific Railway Station (CPR) at Nelson reflects the city’s role at the end of the 19th century as a major transportation centre for the mining industry in British Columbia’s southern interior. The station served as a crucial meeting point between rail and steamboat transportation. The station also represents the CPR’s commitment to compete with American railway interests in the southern interior.
The Nelson station is a good example of the picturesque aesthetic applied to a railway station. It is a substantial structure with complex massing and rich detailing. The station’s wood construction reflects the local abundance of that material, and perhaps, the CPR’s doubts as to the permanence of the mining community. The subsequent additions have not diminished the legibility of the original station.
The station maintains a high profile in the community and is considered an important historical resource.
At present the station is undergoing a complete renovation and looks it. Most of its exterior finish has been removed and the entire structure is presently inaccessible to the public. Scheduled completion date is in 2014, and when it reopens we will provide photos of the newly renovated building. Upon reopening the station will house the Chamber of Commerce and the Nelson Visitor Centre.