The Caldwells owned Kaslo’s first car, photo taken 1916 in front of the now Manor Lodge.
The now Kaslo Manor Lodge was originally built in 1896 by one of the three founders of Kaslo, George T. Kane.
Original structure of the Manor Lodge. Photo taken 1896.Charles Francis Caldwell, purchased the house in 1903 from George T. Kane.
Grace, wife of Charles, is credited as being one of the first of two woman village councilors in B.C. She was 22 years of age and he was 39 when they married.
Grace and her horse, ClutchGrace was a local pastors sister-in-law. At the turn of the century, when her and Charles met, there were three churches, 26 saloons and numerous brothels in Kaslo.
Orison at age 5, taken 1906Charles and Grace had five children, the eldest being Orison, who was born in 1901 in one of the local hotels that Charles and Grace owned. At some point, Grace refused to continue to live in a hotel, so Charles and Grace moved in to what is now the Manor Lodge. Here, their other four children where born. Francis, Charles, Grace and Ernest.
Conscript Orison with brother Ernest, photo taken 1918As the family grew, Charles added to the original structure, adding the south half to the building. In exchange for having this part built, he traded some timber rights that he owned.
During the mineral boom years in Kaslo, the village was overrun by Americans.
Charles was a restless man, searching for minerals up the Lardeau and Duncan valleys. He mined the Utica Mine at 12 mile just west of Kaslo. He bought and sold different mines and mineral claims in the Kaslo area, such as Woodbury, Coffee Cr., Jackson Basin, as well as in the Klondike and Alaska.
The family moved to Zion, Illinois in 1920.After the Caldwells, the Coombs family from England moved into the house.