| Official Name: | Palliser |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada British Columbia |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Palliser in British Columbia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | British Columbia |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | East Kootenay |
| Subdivision Type3: | Regional District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Columbia-Shuswap |
| Coordinates: | 51.2497°N -116.7178°W |
| Area Codes: | 250, 778, 236, & 672 |
| Blank Name: | Highways |
Palliser is a railway point which straddles the shores of the Kicking Horse River in the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. This ghost town, off BC Highway 1, is by road about 36km (22miles) southwest of Field and 21km (13miles) southeast of Golden.
Although named after John Palliser, leader of the Palliser expedition, he never visited this area. Sir James Hector, another member of the party, explored this valley.
The westward advance of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) rail head passed through Palliser around September 1884.[1]
In 1906, the completion of the Palliser Tunnel about 1.5miles west of Palliser eliminated a 23-degree curve.[2] At this location in 1884, a 500adj=onNaNadj=on tunnel was completed, but collapsed in 1887. A diversion created the sharp curve and three smaller curves. For safety, passenger cars were clamped together to prevent uncoupling. The new tunnel was 694feet in length.
In 1905, another tunnel was completed[3] about 0.51NaN1 east of Palliser. In 1921, an eastbound freight train struck a cave-in along the 310adj=onNaNadj=on curve. Seven crew were killed, and three hours later, the wreck burst into flames. Traffic was diverted over the Kootenay Central and the Crowsnest Pass until three trestle bridges and 3700feet of new track were built around the tunnel.[4]
The present passing track is 9032feet long.[5]
| Train Timetables (Regular stop or Flag stop) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mile | 1887 | 1891 | 1898 | 1905 | 1909 | 1912 | 1916 | 1919 | 1929 | 1932 | 1935 | ||
| [6] | [7] | [8] | [9] | [10] | [11] | [12] | [13] | [14] | [15] | ||||
| Donald | 51.5 | ||||||||||||
| Forde | 47.5 | ||||||||||||
| Moberly | 41.5 | ||||||||||||
| Golden | 35.0 | ||||||||||||
| Glenogle | 27.8 | ||||||||||||
| Palliser | 22.5 | ||||||||||||
| Leanchoil | 17.0 | ||||||||||||
| Misko | 12.5 | ||||||||||||
| Ottertail | 8.2 | ||||||||||||
| Emerald | 4.1 | ||||||||||||
| Field | 0.0 | ||||||||||||
By 1889, Wilmer Cleveland Wells operated a sawmill.[16] By 1890, a general store and hotel were also present.[17] A post office existed 1894–1914.[18] The store was short-lived, but a hotel accommodated visitors into the early 1900s.
In 1901, a Pinkerton Detective agent tracked a bank robber to the community.[19] That year, the population peaked at about 100.[20] The sawmill closed about 1908 but a watchman remained until the completion of clearing the site around 1915. The 1911 Census lists eight residents.[21] [22] By 1918, the place was deserted.[23]