QUEEN’S HOTEL IN GOLDEN, BC
ITS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The Queen’s Hotel started out as a small roughly built log building that boasted five rooms and a bathroom. Built by William Archer in 1883, the hotel with its tent roof, served as a stopping place for miners, railroaders, salesmen and settlers.
William and his wife, Mary, eventually bought a farm to the north of Golden and brought in a manager to take over the hotel. This manager, J.C. Greene, bought the hotel from Mrs. Archer in 1888 and began renovations to turn it into a bar. He turned the old bar into an office and built an addition on to the building. He also added lights to the outside of the building for the comfort of pedestrians out for an evening walk. In April, 1894 the new furniture arrived for the additional rooms and newly renovated bar.
Over the next ten years he renovated again and again, adding more rooms and an annex and in the summer of 1908 paint was added to the exterior. The hotel was now considered a first class establishment.
FAMOUS PEOPLE WERE SEEN HERE
Over the years, some famous people stayed at the Queen’s Hotel and many not so famous. A list of guests was printed in the local paper each week.
On August 5, 1910, Sir Wilfred Laurier arrived in Golden by special train, accompanied by a carload of dignitaries. He was taken to the Queen’s Hotel where the whole group was taken out onto the balcony of the second floor. Laurier was introduced to by local M.P.P. H.G. Parson who gave a beautiful speech to with Sir Laurier aptly replied and within the hour was back on the train.
FOR MANY YEARS THIS WAS THE ELITE PLACE TO STAY IN GOLDEN, BC
An electric lighting plant was installed by 1914 as well as a fire protection system. J.C. Greene died in 1926 leaving the business that had come to such prominence in limbo. A place that it never recovered from.
In 1929, Mrs. E. Nelson arrived to take over the management of the hotel but did not stay a full year. The hotel was then purchased by Ralph Blair, and in 1931 the Rocky Mountain Hotel Company secured a long term lease from Blair who had leased an auto camp behind the hotel near the Kicking Horse River. For the first time in its history the hotel was called something else. The Golden Antlers Hotel opened in April 1931.
In 1933, the Hotel was bought by Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Clausen who renamed it the Queen’s. Over the year that followed the hotel was managed by Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Morrison band Alex Spiers. It was then purchased in 1937 by James Aiken who renovated the exterior.
THE QUEEN MET THE WRECKERS
In 1946, the Queen’s was taken over by Mr. and Mrs. Stan LaRoy. Slowly the old building was dying and interest in it was weakening until in 1959 when the property was purchased by the British America Oil Company Ltd when the building was removed to make way for a new modern service station with two gas pumps. Today, in 2021 that service station is the 7-11.