Our Blog
Embark on a journey through the latest insights, expert tips, and captivating stories on our blog. Here, we share valuable content meticulously curated to inspire and inform our community. Follow the path to discovery and join us on this enriching exploration. Click the title below to view the full article.
What Bird Might I See Today? -FALL- Sandhill Crane
Fall is here again, and fall migration well under way in the bird world. Some birds left us as...
What Bird Might I See Today? -SUMMER- American White Pelican
Today we’re going to take a look at an unmistakable species, easily recognized when seen. In our...
Bruce Coughlan, historical songwriter, and the Applebox Belles
Sing me your songs you Lake Country Girls… Bruce Coughlan’s song casts a spell over the listener...
Which Bird Might I See Today? -SPRING- 2024
Spring migration, an overview In our valley, spring migration unfolds gradually, some birds...
Which Bird Might I See Today? -WINTER-
By Pam Laing American Crow and Common Raven, two familiar Corvids American Crow, winter This...
The Rea family of Oyama
I recently came across an unidentified photograph in my files, likely of an Oyama family. The only...
Rosemary Darville recalls her life on the V Bar V ranch in Oyama
The Norman Davies’ niece, Rosemary Darville, fondly relates the story of her own family’s time in...
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL –
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL – Fall migration, an overview Many birds...
Wong Bing and Jessie Goldie: An Unlikely Friendship
By: Scott Forfar In the last blog post, I introduced the story of Wong Bing’s life as a cook at...
Wong Bing: A Cook’s Life at Rainbow Ranche
Chop wood, pump water, wash clothes, pick vegetables, cook and serve family and ranch hand meals –...
Owners of the V Bar V Ranch, Norman Davies
John Norman Davies owned the V Bar V ranch from 1932 to 1943. Norman, from a Welsh landed-gentry...
Which Bird might I see today? – SUMMER – A ‘summer’ sparrow
In our last post we looked at two North-American sparrows which turn up every spring to breed...
Owners of the V Bar V Ranch in Oyama: William Furniss
William Furniss, a middle-aged farmer from Vernon, became the second owner of the V Bar V, after...
Owners of the V Bar V Ranch, Joseph Hayton
Joseph Hayton was a Boer War veteran and world adventurer. He was born near Ventnor, Isle of...
Bovee Families on the Commonage
This blog continues a story of the Bovee families that settled in Oyama in 1894 and then moved to...
History of the V Bar V ranch in Oyama, the Bovee families
At least five families contributed to the development of the V Bar V ranch in Oyama.[1] The...
Which Bird might I see today? – SPRING –Two migrating sparrows
When non-birders think of sparrows they think of the common House Sparrow, the birdthat says,...
Which Bird might I see today? – WINTER –
Steller’s Jay
Our valley is home to two jays, members of the corvid family, (which includes crows, ravens,...
How Learning Local History Strengthens Communities
Written by Asha Chloe CraigExclusive for lakecountrymuseum.com In Central Okanagan Public Schools,...
People who had influence on me as a child
By: Fred Larsen As I grew up in the Okanagan, in Woodsdale, during the 1950s, I was shaped largely...
Derek Eyles: A Remembrance Day Tribute
Eyles was born in Bristol, England, in 1925 and joined the Home Guard, the 8th Battalion Somerset...
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL –
Don’t call them Seagulls! When we live in a valley with a number of lakes, large and small, as...
A Dedication of the Kobayashi House
September 17, 2022 On a lovely September Day Virginia and Peter Palma kindly hosted a gathering...
How Flooding and Waterways Are Controlled in the Okanagan
Flooding is common in the Okanagan. Our post ‘Flooding in Lake Country’ touches on this, as we...
History of Kokanee in the Okanagan: Part 1
Kokanee, a form of landlocked salmon, are Indigenous to the Okanagan and at one time were abundant...
The Man of Many Names: The Story of John Brixton
John Brixton, commonly known as the Colonel, was born in 1870 in England. He led a life full of...
Arrowleaf Balsamroot: What is it and Why is it Significant to The Okanagan
Written by Deana Asham. Named after the shape of its leaves, arrowleaf balsamroot is an Indigenous...
Which Bird might I see today? – SUMMER – Two More Grebes
In our spring posting we took a close look at the three species of Grebe that spend their entire...
A Victory For Lake Country, The Vernon to Kelowna Bike Race of 1930
The Vernon to Kelowna Bike Race in the 1930’s was instigated by a local bike shop to promote their...
The Kobyashi House, est. 1889
Here are some pictures of one of the oldest and original houses in Okanagan Centre still in...
Lake Country Agricultural Soil
lease note: Scott is referring to an amazing glass column soil sample that is located on display...
Which Bird might I see today? – SPRING –
Three Grebes In past postings we’ve looked at many of the ducks that can be seen in our valley...
Which Bird might I see today? – WINTER –
Four Owls Winter is undoubtedly the best season in which to see owls. This is partly because many...
The Isaacs Family of Rainsford Ranch, Oyama, BC
In 2018 I was working as a volunteer at Mackie Lake House in Coldstream researching some of the...
People who had influence on me as a child
By: Fred Larsen As I grew up in the Okanagan, in Woodsdale, during the 1950s, I was shaped largely...
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL –
Two small falcons – Merlin and American KestrelPeregrine falcons are probably the best-known of...
Don Arnold’s Historic Win
Don Arnold, the younger son of Nelson and May Arnold, and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Arnold and...
Which Bird might I see today? – SUMMER –
More Icterids – Bullock’s Oriole and Western MeadowlarkBullock’s Oriole maleIn the spring posting...
Owners of the V Bar V Ranch, Joseph Hayton
Joseph Hayton was the third owner of the V Bar V ranch in Oyama. Hayton Creek and Hayton Road are...
A Railway Runs Through It: The Okanagan Railways Today
A Railway Runs Through It: The Okanagan Railways Today (June 30, 2005). By David Madison ...
Owners of the V Bar V Ranch, Part Two
William Furniss, a 57-year old English-born farmer from Vernon was the second owner of the V Bar...
Which Bird might I see today? – SPRING –
Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Brewer’s Blackbird One and perhaps two of...
Oyama School class, circa 1926
A new two-room school was built in 1917 and in 1921 a third room was added for the new Oyama High...
Which Bird might I see today? – WINTER – American Dipper
You might suppose that wintertime is not a good time for a bird that spends its life near running...
Cattle Rustling in the Okanagan in 1892
Thomas Wood, cattle rancher and Justice of the Peace from Lake Country, wrote three letters from...
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL –Nuthatches and creeper
At this time of year, when so many of our colourful summer breeding birds are winging their way...
Derek Eyles: A Remembrance Day Tribute
Eyles was born in Bristol, England, in 1925 and joined the Home Guard, the 8th Battalion Somerset...
The Life Cycle of Kokanee: Part 2
The life cycle of kokanee is a part of the Okanagan that is visible each year in the fall. When...
Sharing stories and making connections at Lake Country Museum & Archives
~Marie Molloy Lake Country Museum & Archives in Okanagan Centre is a place for sharing stories...
Which Bird might I see today? – FALL –
Don’t call them Seagulls! When we live in a valley with a number of lakes, large and small, as...
A Dedication of the Kobayashi House
September 17, 2022 On a lovely September Day Virginia and Peter Palma kindly hosted a gathering...
Eaton’s Catalogue
Every so often we receive gifts that are extraordinarily special, and many of the most appreciated...
How Flooding and Waterways Are Controlled in the Okanagan
Flooding is common in the Okanagan. Our post ‘Flooding in Lake Country’ touches on this, as we...
History of Kokanee in the Okanagan: Part 1
Kokanee, a form of landlocked salmon, are Indigenous to the Okanagan and at one time were abundant...
The Man of Many Names: The Story of John Brixton
John Brixton, commonly known as the Colonel, was born in 1870 in England. He led a life full of...
Arrowleaf Balsamroot: What is it and Why is it Significant to The Okanagan
Written by Deana Asham. Named after the shape of its leaves, arrowleaf balsamroot is an Indigenous...
Which Bird might I see today? – SUMMER – Two More Grebes
In our spring posting we took a close look at the three species of Grebe that spend their entire...
The Kobayashi House, est. 1889
Here are some pictures of one of the oldest and original houses in Okanagan Centre still in...
The Early Days of Okanagan Centre
Before Lake Country, there was Okanagan Centre. For the first three decades of the...
Irrigation and the Beginning of Agriculture
Settlers began planting fruit trees in the Okanagan in the 1860s. Thought at this time planting...
OK Sawmill operations in the Central Okanagan.
Two Gibbons brothers, Harry from Ellison and Clare from Okanagan Centre went into partnership to...
Vintage hand-tinted postcard of Duck Lake
From the collection of Bob Hayes Note the “sunflowers’ – official name being “arrow-leaf root...
Haywire sawmills
Today the Central Okanagan enjoys a level of economic diversity unimaginable to earlier...
The Importance of our Lakes
Lake Country is aptly named. Its four wards – Winfield, Okanagan Centre, Carr’s Landing and Oyama...
Which Bird might I see today? SUMMER Flycatchers
Last summer I introduced you to our largest flycatchers, the kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird and...
Bush mill on the Commonage
Following upon previous blogs on logging in the region in the 1920s, I have more recent and...
The house that Jane built
Eliza Jane Swalwell’s bungalow was located near the entrance to Swalwell Park, toward Middle...
Fir Valley horse logging operations – Part 2
Our blog on the Munson Simpson sawmill that operated in Winfield from 1927 to 1929 appeared...
The Thomson Family – Part 3
The adult Thomson children visited their Kalamalka home on occasions for family picnics, to go...
The Thomson Family – Part 2
The Thomson family moved from their east bench orchard to their new home on Kalamalka Lake in...
Transporting logs to the Munson and Simpson mill
This is the third in a series of blogs exploring the logging history of Lake Country, this one...
Spanish Influenza Hits the Central Okanagan – Part 3
Author’s note: This article is dedicated to the victims of the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. ...
Spanish Influenza Hits the Central Okanagan – Part 2
Last week’s article provided some history of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic which decimated the...
The 1918 Spanish Influenza – A Brief History Part 1
Today’s article – the first of a three-part series – examines the worldwide implications of the...
Munson and Simpson Sawmill in Lake Country
The donation of historic photographs by Pete Simpson to the Lake Country Museum has led me to...
Problems, 1893 Style and the Formation of the BC Health Act
We’ve got problems right now. Big problems. But in 1893 they had some pretty wild problems! Thanks...
Which Bird might I see today? – SPRING – Turkey Vulture
When life is challenging it can be helpful to read the signs nature gives us of rebirth and...