Galena ore was discovered near modern-day Kaslo, BC, by Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton in 1891. Prospectors flocked to the area and in January 1898, the mining town of Sandon was incorporated and soon had a population of more than 5,000 people. Well into the 1900s, the hills around Sandon were actively mined by prospectors. Of note were the Silversmith, Slocan Star and Payne mines.