A small BC town find with a whisper from the past..

[FinderTravis]

Have found a few of these over the years around town and along the Thompson River valley/drainage. Most were found not too far away from source and noticed a few, found miles away, were always found near railway tracks..?
After the discovery of first one i did a little research and learned when the Tranquille mental hospital/Sanitarium closed many of the adult patients without any family or anyone to support them were sadly and simply just released into the public to find a way to make a living and survive on their own..
So far this find @ 60.78 km away is by far the furthest i have dug one up. Also going by the spelling of the word 'Sanitarium' with an A instead of an O leads me to believe it was made shortly after being renamed the Tranquille Sanitarium, previously being known as the King Edward VII Sanitorium/hospital, when Tranquille became known as a town of it's own in B.C.
Have included a photo of a find with the alternate spelling and several examples of the other styles.

 

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[Gene Mean]

Great job on the finds. Very interesting. Is there a cemetery associated with the sanitarium?

 

[The Rebel]

Interesting finds, wonder when they were released they were told to take the 1st freight train out of town.

 

[FinderTravis]

Have found a few of these over the years around town and along the Thompson River valley/drainage. Most were found not too far away from source and noticed a few, found miles away, were always found near railway tracks..?
After the discovery of first one i did a little research and learned when the Tranquille mental hospital/Sanitarium closed many of the adult patients without any family or anyone to support them were sadly and simply just released into the public to find a way to make a living and survive on their own..
So far this find @ 60.78 km away is by far the furthest i have dug one up. Also going by the spelling of the word 'Sanitarium' with an A instead of an O leads me to believe it was made shortly after being renamed the Tranquille Sanitarium, previously being known as the King Edward VII Sanitorium/hospital, when Tranquille became known as a town of it's own in B.C.
Have included a photo of a find with the alternate spelling and several examples of the other styles.View attachment 2169723View attachment 2169724

Great job on the finds. Very interesting. Is there a cemetery associated with the sanitarium?

Thank You! Yes the ghost town of Tranquille, B.C. does have a small cemetery within it's grounds not far from the old sanitarium building. Will warn the ghost town is off limits to metal detectorists, relic hunters, grave robbers and those who trespass on the privately owned property..

 

[FinderTravis]

Interesting finds, wonder when they were released they were told to take the 1st freight train out of town.

Very good question.. I am also curious to know if anyone else out there, on this site, has found one and how far away..?

 

[FinderTravis]

Thank You! Yes the ghost town of Tranquille, B.C. does have a small cemetery within it's grounds not far from the old sanitarium building. Will warn the ghost town is off limits to metal detectorists, relic hunters and those who trespass on the privately owned property..

Should also add from what i know the whole place is seriously HAUNTED and has been for many many years..

 

[Gene Mean]

I asked about the cemetery because there was a mental hospital near here that was torn down after 75+ years. The cemetery is across the highway in a hidden field. Every stone/metal marker has just a number on it. A monument was added later with names, or John/Jane Doe/Baby Doe. Just wondered if you saw anything like that.

 

[FinderTravis]

I asked about the cemetery because there was a mental hospital near here that was torn down after 75+ years. The cemetery is across the highway in a hidden field. Every stone/metal marker has just a number on it. A monument was added later with names, or John/Jane Doe/Baby Doe. Just wondered if you saw anything like that.

No have not entered the fenced grounds themselves..EVER..! have heard there is some really bad mojo associated with doing so. Have looked up old town maps and have read of the cemetery, location can also be seen via google sat photo's. Wow..That must have been a very somber sight to see.. Very sad to know none of the graves were even named to honour those who had passed..😢

 

[Gene Mean]

Bad mojo is why most of us think the buildings were torn down. There is a bit about the cemetery at the end of this wiki article.

Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[oldmxrat]

Interesting find!
Seeing those spoons reminded me of when I was about 8 or 9 years old growing up next to a switchyard surrounded by orange groves in Riverside California. I would play in the groves and around the tracks and there was a hobo camp in the middle of a grove.
They were all very nice old guys, albeit a little nutty, but very respectful and kind. Anyway, they all had their prize possession in their pockets; a spoon!
They were all very proud of their spoon and got a kick out of showing them off to us kids.

 

[Digger RJ]

Have found a few of these over the years around town and along the Thompson River valley/drainage. Most were found not too far away from source and noticed a few, found miles away, were always found near railway tracks..?
After the discovery of first one i did a little research and learned when the Tranquille mental hospital/Sanitarium closed many of the adult patients without any family or anyone to support them were sadly and simply just released into the public to find a way to make a living and survive on their own..
So far this find @ 60.78 km away is by far the furthest i have dug one up. Also going by the spelling of the word 'Sanitarium' with an A instead of an O leads me to believe it was made shortly after being renamed the Tranquille Sanitarium, previously being known as the King Edward VII Sanitorium/hospital, when Tranquille became known as a town of it's own in B.C.
Have included a photo of a find with the alternate spelling and several examples of the other styles.View attachment 2169723View attachment 2169724View attachment 2169725

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[FinderTravis]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

Thank You! Cheers

 

[FinderTravis]

Interesting find!
Seeing those spoons reminded me of when I was about 8 or 9 years old growing up next to a switchyard surrounded by orange groves in Riverside California. I would play in the groves and around the tracks and there was a hobo camp in the middle of a grove.
They were all very nice old guys, albeit a little nutty, but very respectful and kind. Anyway, they all had their prize possession in their pockets; a spoon!
They were all very proud of their spoon and got a kick out of showing them off to us kids.

Thanks! Haha, that's awesome! your story reminds of the hobo bit in the movie Dennis the Menace. They sound much unlike many of the 'hobo's' one might happen across nowadays.. I'd bet the fellow who left the spoon while camped out on shore where it was found enjoyed his beans or soup! dug up several older lead sealed tins very near the spoon and at about the same depth, does make me wonder if they were the fellows last meal or if maybe there is more the story to learn of yet..? Cheers!

 

[pepperj]

I think we dug one of the utensils up in either Chase, Pritchard, or some place in that area.
What a cool selection of different types.
Would make up a neat display.

Just read about this tragic loss of historical history 😢

Landmark Red Bridge in Kamloops burns down in spectacular early morning blaze

The fire started between 3-3:15 a.m.

www.albernivalleynews.com

 

[FinderTravis]

I think we dug one of the utensils up in either Chase, Pritchard, or some place in that area.
What a cool selection of different types.
Would make up a neat display.

Just read about this tragic loss of historical history 😢

Landmark Red Bridge in Kamloops burns down in spectacular early morning blaze

The fire started between 3-3:15 a.m.

www.albernivalleynews.com

Yea it was a beauty of a bridge! Spent many a summer in my younger years disobeying the no jumping signs and hanging out at the beach under it with friends..😥 Lota history and memories there.. Hope a new one can be built that resembles the old trestle style, but have doubts with current city infrastructure deficits that a bridge to replace may even be built..

 

[FinderTravis]

Yea it was a beauty of a bridge! Spent many a summer in my younger years disobeying the no jumping signs and hanging out at the beach under it with friends..😥 Lota history and memories there.. Hope a new one can be built that resembles the old trestle style, but have doubts with current city infrastructure deficits that a bridge to replace may even be built..

I think we dug one of the utensils up in either Chase, Pritchard, or some place in that area.
What a cool selection of different types.
Would make up a neat display.

Just read about this tragic loss of historical history 😢

Landmark Red Bridge in Kamloops burns down in spectacular early morning blaze

The fire started between 3-3:15 a.m.

www.albernivalleynews.com

Yea have been sorting through finds the last month or so to de-clutter a little and definitely need to start framing some finds..! Good call!

 

[pepperj]

I started last year-no it started Nov.22.
Takes time to sort it out.

 

[pepperj]

I threw 700-800 random finds into a showcase.
No sense of theme just what my eye liked.

 

[pepperj]

All the bottles were dug out in BC.
Mostly construction camps along the CPR track.
We dug for years in the town of Illecillewaet east of Revelstoke.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

Have found a few of these over the years around town and along the Thompson River valley/drainage. Most were found not too far away from source and noticed a few, found miles away, were always found near railway tracks..?
After the discovery of first one i did a little research and learned when the Tranquille mental hospital/Sanitarium closed many of the adult patients without any family or anyone to support them were sadly and simply just released into the public to find a way to make a living and survive on their own..
So far this find @ 60.78 km away is by far the furthest i have dug one up. Also going by the spelling of the word 'Sanitarium' with an A instead of an O leads me to believe it was made shortly after being renamed the Tranquille Sanitarium, previously being known as the King Edward VII Sanitorium/hospital, when Tranquille became known as a town of it's own in B.C.
Have included a photo of a find with the alternate spelling and several examples of the other styles.View attachment 2169723View attachment 2169724View attachment 2169725

interesting find, thanks for the backstory. wtg!!