John Houston was a well known pioneer, journalist and politician who was "...full of vim and vision." He was also a fiery champion for the downtrodden.

Credit it to his Scottish temper or his love of scotch whiskey, but he stepped on all the wrong toes, even if they were in high society shoes.

Houston was the editor and publisher of the Kootenay's first newspaper before settling in Nelson in 1887, where he eventually started another paper called The Miner. He quickly became renowned for speaking his mind, which landed him in court more than once.

Despite this, he was elected Nelson's first mayor in 1897. It was then that he married Edith Keeley and built the Houston Home, a Victorian structure that remains a famous landmark in the town. He was elected to the Provincial legislature in 1900 and 1903, but was defeated in 1907 after making too many enemies in the high circles of Victoria.