Nashton is a

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...

in the

West Kootenay The Kootenays or Kootenay ( ) is a region of southeastern British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai First Nations people. Boundaries The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay ...

region of southeastern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. The location is about west of

Kaslo Kaslo is a village on the west shore of Kootenay Lake in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. A member municipality of the Central Kootenay Regional District, the name derives from the adjacent Kaslo River. At 2016, the ...

on Highway 31A, at the confluence of Keen Creek and the

Kaslo River Kaslo River is a river in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The village of Kaslo was founded at the river mouth on the western shore of Kootenay Lake. The river valley was mined by European and Chinese miners. Many theorie ...

. Prior names were Nashville, South Fork and Zwicky.

1892 subdivision

Like other speculative endeavours, the town was promoted as being on the coming

Kaslo and Slocan Railway The Kaslo and Slocan Railway (K&S) is a historic railway that operated in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The K&S connected Kaslo and Sandon. Initially a narrow-gauge railway, the line was later rebuilt to standard gauge. ...

. Companies like the Great Northern Railway usually bypassed such places at the time of construction. In 1892, John Keen auctioned the 274 lots, but their being deserted in 1895 indicates buyer interest. He named Nashville after his bride-to-be, Sarah Helena Nash Twiss. The Nashville Hotel at South Fork operated 1897–1902. South Fork, the name of the nearest railway stop, was also known as Nashville Siding. South Fork became the shipping centre for mines such as Alice-Utica, Cork-Province, Montezuma and Mexico.

1908 subdivision

In a 1908 rebirth, John Keen subdivided the townsite into orchard properties. When the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

reopened the route as standard gauge in 1913, the siding was called Zwicky, after William Edward Zwicky, manager of the Cork-Province mine. Lobbying from residents ensured the post office that opened in 1915 was named Nashton. Stagecoaches, such as Scott, Baker, and Company, passed through the hamlet. The few remaining residents in 1940 had deserted by 1950.

1994 revival

New Westminster-based Niho Land & Cattle Company Ltd. bought Nashton in 1994 and has sold lots mostly to RVers. Nowadays, the name survives in Nashton Creek, which was formerly Cedar Creek and Come Again Creek. The former post office building is used for storage. A few buildings remain, and some new residents live at the former site. It is the unofficial gateway to BC's Valley of the Ghosts.

References

{{reflist Ghost towns in British Columbia