Nelson - General Information

Nelson is situated on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Selkirk Mountain Range. The City of Nelson, with a population of 9,298, offers both the splendour of past eras and the vibrancy of the present.

Nelson began in the late 1880s as a rough camp which catered to the needs of miners drawn to the area by a silver rush. Located at the foot of Toad Mountain, the town grew rapidly, and by the early 1900s boasted several fine hotels, a number of churches, substantial residences and elegant public buildings. Incorporated as a city in 1897, with a population of 1,000, the city owes many of its beautiful buildings to the civic pride of its citizens at the turn of the last century.

At the end of the 19th century, mining began to take a reduced role in the city's prosperity due to the decline in silver prices. In the early 1900s, fruit ranching became important in the Kootenay Lake Valley to the North of Nelson. During that time, Nelson businesses provided the ranchers with supplies. Today, Nelson's employment comes from: government/civil service-30%, forestry-13%, construction-8%, tourism-7%, high tech-2%, other-15% according to the 2001 census.

The arts are a very important presence in Nelson. You can take a class or just enjoy the galleries and gardens. Check out Nelson's restaurants for ethnic, traditional, or vegetarian dining to satisfy every taste. There is a variety of accommodation to be found from charming bed and breakfast inns on the shores of the lake to full service hotels. Nelson welcomes you!

You might take in a world class performance at the Capitol Theatre or soak up Nelson's period charm by taking a Walking or Driving Tour. Visit the art galleries, museums, or remarkable shops on famous Baker Street.

The Go & Do has been published for over 30 years and has won many international awards. This website features the Go & Do magazine in its entirety. You can print whatever sections you need. For a hard copy call us at 1-800-663-4619 and we will send you one. It is published in Kaslo, BC, Canada, V0G 1MO.

PFW Publications also publishes Pennywise, the number 1 weekly newspaper in the West Kootenay for buying and selling everything from soup to trucks. Pennywise also has a very active website which you can reach for local classified information by logging onto PennywiseAds.com.