Kelowna’s Historical Overview
Pioneer Settlement in the Kelowna area began in 1860 when Father Pandosy pre-empted land on the banks of L’Anse au Sable (Mission Creek). This area was ideal for pioneers. There was ample timber for houses, barns and fences, open parkland vegetation for grazing livestock, and sufficient water in the valley’s major creeks. The district’s economy revolved largely around cattle ranching and grain growing in the latter half of the last century. In the 1890’s, commercial fruit growing was attempted, bringing many new settlers to the area.
In 1892, the townsite of Kelowna was laid out by Bernard Lequime, and the town quickly became the economic hub of the central Okanagan. The city was incorporated in 1905, just at the beginning of an orcharding land boom that transformed the entire Okanagan Valley. The development of the downtown area coincided with this increase and Kelowna continued to grow through both World Wars. The completion of the Okanagan Lake Floating Bridge in 1958 led to the dramatic changes seen in the last three decades.
Currently, downtown Kelowna (Kelowna is an Interior Salish word meaning Grizzly Bear) integrates traditional architecture styles with the new economics of the region to blend past and present. Most visible in this regard is the re-development of the city’s waterfront and the revitalization of the old industrial core to other business, tourist and commercial uses.
Books About Kelowna’s History
- Available at the Kelowna Public Library: http://www.orl.bc.ca/ - Knowles, C.W. (Bill). According to Bill: The Times and Tales of C.W. (Bill) Knowles. Manhattan Beach Publishing: Kelowna, B.C.: 2001. ISBN # 0-9688435-0-6
- Available at the Kelowna Public Library: http://www.orl.bc.ca/ - Surtees, Ursula. Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada: a pictorial history. Kelowna Centennial Museum, 1987. ISBN: 0920685064