history

According to the earliest maps of the Okanagan Valley, the Summerland area was called Nicola Prairie. This name meant the land of Nicola; Grand Chief Nicola. In 1845, Chief Nicola was protected by eighty bodyguards. In 1902, when Summerland was founded, only three Indigenous families remained: the Johnny Pierre, Antoine Pierre and William Manuel families. The children of these three families attended Summerland’s first official school in 1904. This photograph shows William Manuel’s home in the lower left corner. The road, left of the home would become Rosedale Avenue. The home was surrounded by Alf Richardson’s lumber yard. Today, the Manuel house would be located close to the Summerland Animal Clinic. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland was once known as Nicola Prairie

Downtown Summerland was once Penticton Indian Reserve #3

According to the earliest maps of the Okanagan Valley, the Summerland area was called Nicola Prairie. This name meant the land of Nicola; Grand Chief Nicola. In 1845, Chief Nicola was protected by eighty bodyguards. In 1902, when Summerland was founded, only three Indigenous families remained: the Johnny Pierre, Antoine Pierre and William Manuel families. The children of these three families attended Summerland’s first official school in 1904. This photograph shows William Manuel’s home in the lower left corner. The road, left of the home would become Rosedale Avenue. The home was surrounded by Alf Richardson’s lumber yard. Today, the Manuel house would be located close to the Summerland Animal Clinic. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
When the Summerland Development Company sold land in 1906, the company created a map to show the route to Summerland. The company president was Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

1906 map created to show how to get to Summerland

Many early settlers came to Okanagan from the Prairies

When the Summerland Development Company sold land in 1906, the company created a map to show the route to Summerland. The company president was Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Vancouver Island camas meadows reveal agricultural impact of B.C. colonialism

Lekwungen food expert Cheryl Bryce looks to raise awareness of traditional food systems

  • Sep 30, 2021
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)
Summerland became the first school district in B.C. to have a central school system. The three-member board hired Summerland’s first teacher, Minnie Smith (1854-1932) for the 1904-1905 school year. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland formed school board in 1903

Summerland became the first school district in B.C. to have a central school system

Summerland became the first school district in B.C. to have a central school system. The three-member board hired Summerland’s first teacher, Minnie Smith (1854-1932) for the 1904-1905 school year. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Summerland’s downtown core has gone through numerous changes over the years. These changes are detailed in an article in the latest report of the Okanagan Historical Society. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland’s colourful past highlighted in Okanagan Historical Society feature

Cover art, six articles have community theme

Summerland’s downtown core has gone through numerous changes over the years. These changes are detailed in an article in the latest report of the Okanagan Historical Society. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Summerland has gone through a lot of changes over the years. This photograph shows the intersection of West Summerland’s Main Street and Victoria Road. The Summerland Museum has photographs and artifacts from Summerland’s past. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland Museum holds membership drive

Second membership drive of the year will be held in September

Summerland has gone through a lot of changes over the years. This photograph shows the intersection of West Summerland’s Main Street and Victoria Road. The Summerland Museum has photographs and artifacts from Summerland’s past. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Sir Herbert Holt was featured on a Royal Bank of Canada $100 bill in the early 1900s. Holt, president of the bank, was also the richest of all Canadian billionaires. He owned land in Summerland. Portions of his orchard home, on Dale Meadows Road, are across the street from Millionaires’ Row Cider Company. Until the Bank of Canada Act in 1934, each bank had its own currency. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Billionaire on old $100 bill owned land in Summerland

Sir Herbert Holt, president of the Royal Bank of Canada, was the richest man in the country


Sir Herbert Holt was featured on a Royal Bank of Canada $100 bill in the early 1900s. Holt, president of the bank, was also the richest of all Canadian billionaires. He owned land in Summerland. Portions of his orchard home, on Dale Meadows Road, are across the street from Millionaires’ Row Cider Company. Until the Bank of Canada Act in 1934, each bank had its own currency. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)

VIDEO: Okanagan woman runs on all fours in world record attempt

Vernon resident Julie McCann sets unofficial Guinness mark as fastest woman to cover 100 metres on all fours

Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)
Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo

Vancouver Island man to be reunited with father’s 104-year-old First World War uniform

Geoff Goodship got a call out of the blue from an amateur historian who had acquired the outfit

Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo
Left to right – Jok (younger brother to Fee), Quentin (Fee’s son), Fee (older brother to Jok), May (Jok’s daughter) and Henry (Fee’s son). (Contributed)

Westside founding family donates temporary parkland to West Kelowna

The Mar family has a long history in the Central Okanagan

Left to right – Jok (younger brother to Fee), Quentin (Fee’s son), Fee (older brother to Jok), May (Jok’s daughter) and Henry (Fee’s son). (Contributed)
Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

VIDEO: B.C. man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum

UBC’s Beaty museum grateful for Bill Merilees’s historical record of B.C. marine biodiversity

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Summerland’s Main Street ( Granville Road) in 1925 had wooden sidewalks. The photograph shows the Drug Store, A.J. Beers Shoe Store and on the far right, the recently rebuilt Gartrell Block, now the IOOF Hall. This summer, the Summerland Museum will offer walking tours around the core of the community and in Lowertown. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum.)

Summerland Musuem to offer summer events

Walking tours and pop-up museum planned for summer months

Summerland’s Main Street ( Granville Road) in 1925 had wooden sidewalks. The photograph shows the Drug Store, A.J. Beers Shoe Store and on the far right, the recently rebuilt Gartrell Block, now the IOOF Hall. This summer, the Summerland Museum will offer walking tours around the core of the community and in Lowertown. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum.)
This photograph, showing the Virden, Manitoba Band, was taken in 1887. Two band members moved to Summerland: Clarence Pineo, back row, first on left and David Watson, back row fourth from the left. Clarence became Summerland’s tax collector for 19 years. David Watson was employed by Shaughnessy’s Summerland Development Company with the task of convincing Manitobans to move to Summerland. Many of Summerland’s pioneers came from Manitoba. Almost all of the original land owners along Jones Flat Road were from Virden including David Watson’s brothers Cortland and Wellington. (Photo courtesy of the Virden Museum)

Summerland has connection with Manitoba community

Early settlers in community came from Virden, Manitoba

This photograph, showing the Virden, Manitoba Band, was taken in 1887. Two band members moved to Summerland: Clarence Pineo, back row, first on left and David Watson, back row fourth from the left. Clarence became Summerland’s tax collector for 19 years. David Watson was employed by Shaughnessy’s Summerland Development Company with the task of convincing Manitobans to move to Summerland. Many of Summerland’s pioneers came from Manitoba. Almost all of the original land owners along Jones Flat Road were from Virden including David Watson’s brothers Cortland and Wellington. (Photo courtesy of the Virden Museum)
Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)

Cast in bronze, then into Victoria’s Inner Harbour: So who was James Cook?

Likeness of British maritime explorer commissioned in 1976, forcibly removed on July 1

Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)
The Kamloops Indian Residential School circa 1930. (Archives Deschâtelets-NDC, Richelieu)

Residential school survivors honoured in Okanagan Legacy of Hope exhibit

Museum exhibit on dark history sheds light

The Kamloops Indian Residential School circa 1930. (Archives Deschâtelets-NDC, Richelieu)
The Pierre family, an Indigenous family, once lived in what is now downtown Summerland. Today, Pierre Drive is named in honour of the family. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Pierre family played role in Summerland’s history

Downtown Summerland was once Penticton Indian Reserve #3

The Pierre family, an Indigenous family, once lived in what is now downtown Summerland. Today, Pierre Drive is named in honour of the family. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Gwen Spencer Hethey with her uncle and mentor Major Frederick Richardson. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame)

‘She was a killer’: The B.C. woman who pioneered female sharpshooting

Gwen Spencer Hethey made military men ‘look like turkeys’ says her son

Gwen Spencer Hethey with her uncle and mentor Major Frederick Richardson. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame)
(Courtesy Photo | Frank Zmuda)

Beaver secretion found as part of ancient throwing dart in Yukon

Researchers saying it’s earliest known evidence of Indigenous peoples using the substance

(Courtesy Photo | Frank Zmuda)
In 1906, provincial reports indicated potential mining of lead, silver, copper and gold near what is now the Summerland Rodeo Grounds . Mining began in 1911 funded by investors Frank Osler, R.H. Agur, Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh and miner Tom Kelly. Yields were small and the mine was abandoned. (Photograph courtesy of Andrew Holder)

Mine remnants can be seen in Summerland

Mining operation near Summerland Rodeo Grounds began in 1906

In 1906, provincial reports indicated potential mining of lead, silver, copper and gold near what is now the Summerland Rodeo Grounds . Mining began in 1911 funded by investors Frank Osler, R.H. Agur, Cuthbert Fetherstonhaugh and miner Tom Kelly. Yields were small and the mine was abandoned. (Photograph courtesy of Andrew Holder)
A protester swings a hammer in an attempt to remove the head of the Egerton Ryerson statue in Toronto on Sunday June 6, 2021. A much-maligned statue of Egerton Ryerson was toppled in Toronto on Sunday. The statue, prominently displayed on the campus of Ryerson University, has come under renewed scrutiny after the discovery in Kamloops, B.C., of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former residential school. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Beheaded statue of Egerton Ryerson, toppled Sunday in Toronto, won’t be replaced

Ryerson is credited as one of the architects of Canada’s residential school system

A protester swings a hammer in an attempt to remove the head of the Egerton Ryerson statue in Toronto on Sunday June 6, 2021. A much-maligned statue of Egerton Ryerson was toppled in Toronto on Sunday. The statue, prominently displayed on the campus of Ryerson University, has come under renewed scrutiny after the discovery in Kamloops, B.C., of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former residential school. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young