The First Nations word origins suggest a meaning of "flat mouth," "'flat meadow,"[1] or "meeting of the waters.

[5] McMillan, who had arrived the prior year, named his farm after the galena ore found in the area.

The 1907 list comprised separate sections for Spillimacheen, Brisco, and Galena (the undefined area spanning the gap).

[7] Reputedly, the first BC smelter was erected by prospector John McRae at the river mouth on the western shore of the Columbia in 1883.

The mining camp expanded from six families in 1951 to include 40 houses, a school, and a community hall by 1954.

At that time on Bugaboo Creek were Last Chance, Surprise, France, Magda, Hortense, June Bug, Riverside, No.

[20] In 1899, the respective mileposts from Golden were Carbonate (16), Hog Ranch (23), Spillimachene (41), Shorty's (49), McKay's (66), Sinclair (68), and Windermere (82).

[21] In 1911, the listed stopping places from Golden were Hadden's (13), Johnson's (18), McKeeman's (29), Spillimacheen (41), Dolan's (54), and Windermere (82).

[27] In 1884, the government called tenders for a ferry across the Columbia at Spillimacheen,[29] which commenced operations at that time.

[39] By 1893, opposite Galena Landing, Harry Barr owned 129 hectares (320 acres) on Bugaboo Creek, which he sold to James Montgomery in 1897.

[47] When Hugh McDonald opened the first general store in 1913, the post office moved to a permanent location.

During the late 1930s, Clyde and Dorothy Ambrose operated a small store for a short period[49] near the Westside Road junction.

In 1948, Joe and Olga Roesch bought in this location, installing two Shell gas pumps in the early 1950s and adding a general store in 1954, which traded as Bug-a-boo Service.

[53] In 1946, when the post office name was changed from Galena, the local intention was for Spillimachene, but the Ottawa authorities inadvertently chose Spillimacheen, the spelling which endured.

[9] Founded the prior year, the Spillimacheen-Columbia Valley Country Club organized card parties and dances.

[61] During the 1930s and 1940s, small mills were operated by Pat Magrath, Charlie Ross & Hoffman, and Joe Roesch.

[47] The location became the temporary terminus for a couple of years and the track condition from Golden restricted the mixed train to 16 kilometres per hour (10 mph).

Frank P. Armstrong used scows to move railway construction workers, supplies, and steam shovels, between Spillimacheen and Columbia Lake.

Horse- or mule-drawn equipment moved earth to build up the road bed through the large marshlands on the way to Luxor.

[71] In September 1914, a tri-weekly Golden to Edgewater service commenced, and the southeastward rail head was about 10-kilometre (6 mi) northwest of Windermere.

Also, the organization has secured 12 hectares (30 acres) of the former township centre of Spillimacheen to create a model community.

[92] The café changed hands through the years, but Nola was actively involved during the late 2010s, before new owners Bernie and Patty Derbyshire took over in 2020.

[93] In 2006, the historic Spillimacheen Trading Post reopened as a retail honey outlet called Beeland.