Reflection Lake aka Phantom Lake 1960's

Phantom Lake

By Golden BC Museum | 11 December 2020
Phantom Lake, Golden, BC – 1920. With boat houses and tea houses this was a popular recreation area.

In 1911 work began on the Kootenay Central Railway that ran from the Canadian Pacific Railway in Golden, BC, south towards Cranbrook, BC. The railway would open on this section in 1913 and change trade and travel throughout the area. The railroad, ran across its own railway bridge, from the north side of Golden to the south side, and skirted along what is now the Alexander Park area directly behind the Golden Museum.

A private boathouse on Phantom Lake, Golden, BC

It then ran right out of Golden and directly through Phantom Lake, which while not stopping the flow of water certainly affected some of the recreations that took place there.

Through the 1960’s and into the 1970’s this area, now known as Reflection Lake was used for summer recreation. Laurie Johnson Collection at the Golden Museum.

All season recreation was enjoyed on the Lake, which is now known as Reflection Lake or the front slough until the CP Rail Golden Car Shop and yards were built which stopped the flow of water from getting through from the Columbia River. As a result today the lake is no longer used for summer recreation and is in fact being reduced in size every year.

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