Upon taking the short drive from New Denver (South of Nakusp on Highway 6)to Three Forks (which was also a boom town but nothing remains now), we discovered a small parking area just to the right as you turn towards Sandon, BC. This parking area is for those who want to hike along the Galena Trail. I highly recommend it.
To get to Cody though, continue along the road past Sandon for about 2 km. The road does get very narrow but you will be rewarded with lots of ruins to explore.
By following a very short road up the creek you will find a crude water system of some sort that is still being used evidenced by the spouting water. Just before you cross the new bridge you may see the old one – don’t cross it – DANGER – Once you walk over the new bridge you will be able to view several old homes and to the left you see very cool circa 1895 industrial ruins. Once at the Cody ghost town ruins you can even go inside to get a close up view if you are brave enough, ie; dumb enough.
The ‘industrial ruins’ are on the site of the Noble Five concentrator alright, but they much later than 1895. The old engine still there is a Fairbanks Morse 32E14, of 300 horsepower. It was manufactured between 1928 and 1952. You can see one just like it starting and running if you look on youtube under ‘light plant…’.
The old collapsed housing building just downstream of the concentrator site is probably the original Noble Five company hotel from the late 1890’s though, said to be able to house ’60 miners’.
Awesome comment Mike. Here is a link to the youtube video – not sure if it is the same light plant – quite the video though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY7hTT-Zk5M
It’s always nice to see the out of the way towns.
These folks could have just stopped at Sandon but a little extra effort brings a life time of memories. Keep up the Exploration…
John Mitchell
BcGhostTowns.com
Well my husband and I visited Sandon and Cody which we found interesting this sept 2009. I took some pics in the house with the Cody B.C. sign on it and ended up with what I think look like ghost faces from the past. Kind of cool and spooky at the same time. I loved the wooden headstones in the museum and found one with my maiden name on and had to have a pic of it. The restoration is awsome and would love to visit in a few years to see how it is coming along.
I decided to take a very short trip to Sandon and Cody, but only had a small car and wasn’t able to make it all the way to the actual town of Cody, but was able to see a few of the buildings before the water pipe. As I was unfamiliar with the area, and only had a few hours to spare (not NEARLY enough time to properly enjoy these places) I decided to return at another time. Since I live about 8 hours away, that might not be for a while, but Sandon and Cody are definitely on my MUST see list for the next time I am able to get away for more than a day! 😀
Thank you for the pictures. My grandmother Anna Torgerson (Winter was her maiden name)was born in Cody in 1896.
My grandparents with two little girls, 4 and 5, lived in house #2 Cody in April 1901 (census). My grandfather was a silver miner there. I was a little disappointed in how little information is available about these times. The social history has to be fascinating.
The ‘crude’ water pipe system is actually the source of water that turns the generator at the power plant in Sandon. I suppose you could call it crude, but when it’s been working for over 100 years, who’s to argue? 🙂
Thank you Billy! I stand corrected and will go learn more about the power system for Sandon.