Golden, originally known as Kicking Horse Flats or 'the Cache', is located on the Columbia River, where the Kicking Horse River flows into it. It was used to store supplies for railway surveyors as the Canadian Pacific Railway pushed west in 1882. In the same year, mining promoters from Montana 'salted' claims of silver ore near Castle Mountain and miners flocked to 'Silver City'. Not to be outdone, the party at 'the Cache' named their camp 'Golden City' at the suggestion of surveyor F.W. Aylmer.

The railway crews moved on, and Donald at 'First Crossing' became the more important centre. In 1899, the divisional point was moved to Revelstoke, and many of Donald's buildings, including the Government Office, went to Golden.

The first trans-continental train came through in 1886, and Frank Armstrong, a farmer, built a steamboat out of used saw-mill parts to carry freight on the river between Athalmar and Golden. In 1891, the Columbia Navigation Co. launched the North Star, Kla-How-ya and the Beaver, causing river freighting to take off. However, in 1921 when the Kootenay Central branch of the C. P. R. opened, it put an end to river freighting.

Logging was also important in Golden, and the Columbia River Lumber Co. had one of the largest sawmills in the country until 1927. During the depression, local men cut cordwood, made shakes and got poles from the bush, working by hand. Later, modern equipment revived logging.

Today Golden is an important centre for outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking and mountain climbing. It serves as the eastern portal to the Rogers Pass section of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) that continues west to Revelstoke.

Resources:

Golden on Wilipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden,_British_Columbia

Golden Museum website: http://www.goldenbcmuseum.com/pages/home.htm