The Rossland Club was an exclusive gentlemen’s club that thrived from 1896 to 1929.
Renowned for its distinguished members and far-reaching reputation, it was a hub for social interaction, gambling, and drinking.
The Rossland Club was established on Nov. 12, 1896, on the second floor of Dr. Keller’s office on Columbia Avenue; however, the club’s membership quickly outgrew the original space.
A year later, on Dec. 1, 1897, the club relocated to the Shaw Hotel to accommodate all 125 members.
By 1899, membership had grown so much that it was necessary to build a clubhouse.
The new clubhouse was a three-storey building near the corner of Queen Street and Le Roi Avenue. The building contained all the amenities of the previous locale, in addition to a library and staff quarters.
Sadly, the building was destroyed in “The Big Fire” on March 1, 1929, which devastated much of Rossland’s business district.
The clubhouse’s destruction in 1929 was simultaneous with a decrease in membership and financial woes.
In fact, membership declined steadily between 1919 and 1929, which had the club relying on the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company (now Teck) and the West Kootenay Power & Light Company for financial assistance.
Without the companies’ support, the Rossland Club would not have been able to operate.
These realities led to a decision not to rebuild the clubhouse after the fire. The property was then sold to the power company.
Learn more about the Rossland Club at rosslandmuseum.ca.
Do you have photos capturing Rossland’s storied history?
Consider donating them to the Rossland archives, photos can be scanned and originals retained.
Photos in the Rossland archives are digitized courtesy of the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History.
