by lakecountry | Aug 4, 2014 | Bloggers, This Day in History, Thomson, Carol
August 4, 1914: Germany invades Belgium, beginning World War I. “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow and remains of an inordinate number of Okanagan soldiers lie buried. Many believe the Okanagan Valley lost more men per capita in the First World War than any...
by lakecountry | Aug 1, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
“Q’sapi is a phrase in the Okanagan language that means ‘long time ago.’ It is an expression often heard among the Okanagan people to introduce a story.”1 So begins the Introduction to the book Q’sapi. A History of Okanagan People...
by lakecountry | Jul 18, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
In 1896 an elderly French cook by the name of Frank “Frenchy” Stevens, who often stayed with Northcote Caesar, was fishing off the Island* when he saw a sea serpent very close to the boat. He described it as being about 20 feet long with a head like a...
by lakecountry | Jul 17, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Laura Neame
Lake Country Museum and Archives recently received class photos dating from the 1970s. These are for Winfield Elementary, Wood Lake Elementary and Okanagan Centre schools. While only one of the photos appears here, more are available for examination at the Museum on...
by lakecountry | Jul 11, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
“The island [in Okanagan Lake] that many still call Whiskey Island has a colourful history. Legend has it that Interior Salish stored food and supplies on the Island in order to keep it safe from bears. Squaws who were left in charge were sometimes abducted by...
by lakecountry | Jun 27, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
Oyama, or Island Lake was originally stocked under the initiative of the Kelowna Rod and Gun Club in about 1931, using fingerlings from the Summerland Fish Hatchery. Jack Trewhitt and Ron Allingham packed in two cream cans full of fry on Allingham’s workhorse,...
by lakecountry | Jun 20, 2014 | Announcements, Bloggers, Community Events, Hayes, Bob, History of Lake Country, Lecture Series
World War I, also known as the Great War, started on July 28, 1914 and finally dragged to a conclusion on November 11, 1918. In those four years, more than nine million men and women worldwide were killed, including more than 60,000 Canadians. Canadians, including...
by lakecountry | Jun 13, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
Lake Country Museum and Archives has received a donation of McCarthy family photographs from Donna Day of Winfield. Her late husband, Max Day, found a package of family photographs in the old McCarthy barn, which was an iconic historical building situated on Bottom...
by lakecountry | Jun 6, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
Charlie and Harold Thomson constructed a diving tower in front of the family home on the shore of Kalamalka Lake in the summer of 1933. As can be seen from the photograph of the tower under construction, it was made of poles and boards lashed and nailed together. The...
by lakecountry | May 30, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
“For many years the picturesque sterwheeler passenger ships which travelled up and down Okanagan Lake played a large part in the life of their time. They are still fondly remembered for their fine meals and comfortable accommodation. At first the people on the...
by lakecountry | May 24, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
[On May 24, 1918] the “Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise upon Women” was passed in Canada. All of the provinces followed in quick order except for Quebec which did not give women the vote until 1940. Women who are British subjects, 21 years of age, and...
by lakecountry | May 19, 2014 | Bloggers, Community Events, History of Lake Country, This Day in History, Thomson, Carol
“Towering over a proud shipyard crew and some family members, the Sicamous is nearly ready for its launching at the Okanagan Landing shipyard on May 19, 1914.” “Okanagan Landing, just five miles (eight km) southwest of Vernon, developed into a...
