Visit Kaslo | Kaslo Guide 2019

There are two National Historic Sites in
Kaslo, the Village Hall on 4th Street and
the SS Moyie, the oldest intact passenger
sternwheeler in the world, on Front St.
Kaslo City Hall The Village Hall was
built in 1898 – the same year the SS Moyie
made her maiden voyage on Kootenay
Lake and 5 years after the founding of the
“City of Kaslo”. (Think about the soaring
optimism of 125 years ago implied by the
word ‘city’.) This graceful wooden building
on the corner of 4th Street and B Avenue
is the oldest wooden municipal hall on the
BC mainland and is a designated National
Historic Site. Take a self-guided tour. City
Hall is now wheelchair and scooter friendly
via the ramp and entryway on B Avenue.
The Langham Narrowly escaping
demolition in the 1970s, this building
on A Avenue and 5th Street has been reanimated
and repurposed a dozen or more
times in its 123 year history. When it first
opened its doors as a hotel in 1896, it was
described in the Sandon Streak as “one of
the most commodious residential quarters
in town, having the benefits of all modern
improvements in the way of electric lights,
baths, etc.”
The Langham is now a cultural centre. Its
WWII era history – when it served as tiny
apartments for families of Japanese descent
who had been forcibly displaced to BC’s
interior – is illuminated in the Japanese
Canadian Museum on the second and
third floors. Take a self-guided tour.
Kemball Memorial Centre
formerly the Provincial Government Building
This four-square brick building with a
walled front garden was built in 1911 to
serve as provincial government offices. The
courthouse occupied a large corner room.
The province sold the building to the
Village of Kaslo in 2009. Rest a spell in the
gardens; there is a picnic table under the
spreading maples.
SS Moyie When she was launched on
October 22, 1898, there were no roads, no
trains, and only foot, horse or mule travel
into these hidden mountain valleys. You
could not overstate this ship’s value, or the
affection the people in the many isolated
communities on Kootenay Lake felt for her
during her 60 years of faithful service.
Now dry-docked at the lower end of Front
Street, the ship is still a welcoming sight.
The SS Moyie is both Kaslo’s Visitor Centre
and a captivating museum that will appeal
to every member of the family.
St Andrew’s United Church
Last year St Andrew’s Church, like the
Village itself, celebrated its 125th year
anniversary. It’s as busy a place as it ever
was, now functioning as a concert venue
and a community hall. Kaslo’s Food Hub
occupies the basement and you can still
attend “saddlebag services” in the sanctuary
during the summer months.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
People of faith have sought solace and
comfort in this little wooden church since
1902, and the tradition is still alive today.
How it came to be built is a colourful
story. The first priest, Stephan Coté, was a
stocky and powerful man. One night in the
mining town of Sandon, Coté accepted the
challenge to wrestle another man, likely a
hard rock miner, so long as he could stipulate
the prize, should he prevail and win
the bout. The prize? The challenger and his
backers would help him build his church
in Kaslo. Guess who won? Sunday mass
is celebrated at 4 pm. Corner of 5th Street
and A Avenue.
St Mark’s Anglican Church 601 5th
Street was built in 1895 and still has Sunday
services. There is a labyrinth hidden
from the street on the church grounds,
just the thing for a contemplative walk.
Landmarks
The SS Moyie Sternwheeler and Museum. Photo: Gary Schneider
Where to go when you
REALLY gotta go!
Summertime:
Kemball Centre, 312 4th St
At Vimy Park by Campground
entrance and also near the
Gazebo.
SS Moyie/Visitor Centre
324 Front St
All year-round:
Village Hall or Kaslo Library
when open, 413 4th St.
Who’s Got WiFi?
Treehouse
The Clubhouse
El Corazon
Bluebelle
Chez Serge
Kaslo Hotel
Can I park my big rig??
Along Hwy 31 between 4th and 5th St
By the SS Moyie on Front St
In the municipal parking lot beside
and behind the Catholic Church
on 5th St.
Need a map?
See the pullout in the centre of
this Guide.
The Visitor Centre and many
businesses in town supply some
useful locally produced maps.
Kaslo & Area Trail Map $2
West Koot Route Trail map
For backcountry trails, especially
for mountain bikers,
www.trailforks.com is highly
recommended.
Public access computers
Need to check your email?
Kaslo’s Library, below City Hall
on 4th St & B Ave
Tue 10–4 pm, Wed 10–4 pm, Thu
10–8 pm, Sat 10–4 pm
Village Hall (above Library)
Accessible Mon – Fri 10 am–3pm.
Mel B Digital 404 Front St
Mon – Thurs 12–5 pm
www.visitkaslo.com Kaslo and Area Guide 2019 | Kaslo BC, Canada 13