Gold. The pursuit of this precious metal was the economic driver behind the development of this region.
The Golden City was a boomtown: both an American and a Canadian railway were extended into Rossland, the Trail smelter was built, and the first hydroelectric power in the province was developed on the Kootenay River to supply power to the Rossland mines. All this happened before 1900 when gold was worth $23 an ounce.
The Rossland Museum is currently sponsoring a raffle to win an ounce of gold in the form of a gold coin from the Canadian Mint. Second and third prizes will be two and one dollar silver coins.
Raffle tickets are $10 each and only 400 tickets have been printed so the odds of winning are very attractive. (Check out the current value of the prizes on the gold exchange.)
Tickets can be purchased from Museum members and the Golden City Days Committee and are also available at Alpine Drug Mart in Rossland.
The Draw will be held on Saturday, September 6, at 4:00 p.m. at the Golden City Days Main Stage, Columbia Avenue in Rossland during the upcoming Golden City Days Weekend.
Stake your claim to an ounce of gold and reconnect with Rossland’s golden history.