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...
by lakecountry | May 9, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
In 1924 the Dominion of Canada’s Department of Health published a handbook for Canadian mothers, The Canadian Mother’s Book, that provides one with an interesting look at practices of the past. The first page of the book is a quotation from Scripture:...
by lakecountry | May 2, 2014 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
Which bird might I see today? The Swallow Many people consider the return of the first swallow the first sign of spring. This year the first swallows were seen in Kelowna on March 9th and more will be arriving any day. Six swallow species return here from wintering in...
by lakecountry | Apr 25, 2014 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Ian Pooley
Note to Readers: We are so happy to have Ian Pooley join our ranks as a Guest Blogger. Ian, a local educator and historian, first wrote for us during Heritage Week when he submitted Heritage Afloat. Welcome Aboard, Ian, we hope to hear a lot from you in the future....
by lakecountry | Apr 18, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
Just a word about Mom [Mrs. Hiro Kobayashi]. You know she was the best. She always said, “Don’t brag. Don’t be a smart guy.” She could do anything from juggling three oranges to delivering babies. The story I remember about Mom concerns her...
by lakecountry | Apr 11, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
Over the years we have been so fortunate to have good volunteers at the Lake Country Museum and Archives. On the website longtime volunteers Harvey Lamont and Karen Gibbons have been featured and they still spend numerous hours volunteering for our Museum. There are,...
by lakecountry | Apr 11, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
Over the years we have been so fortunate to have good volunteers at the Lake Country Museum and Archives. On the website longtime volunteers Harvey Lamont and Karen Gibbons have been featured and they still spend numerous hours volunteering for our Museum. There are,...
by lakecountry | Apr 4, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
In the nineteenth and early twentieth century Canada it was common for children to live with their parents until age fourteen and then to live with an employer or surrogate parent where they could learn a trade or, at least, life experience. Girls, except those from...
by lakecountry | Mar 28, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol, Thomson, Duane
The British Columbia Ministry of Justice has proclaimed March 31 to April 6 “Make a Will Week” in the province, encouraging everyone to make a will or update wills already prepared. “People who don’t make a will lose the opportunity to choose their beneficiaries,”...
by lakecountry | Mar 21, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
Allan Mills arrived in Sunnywold in 1909, joining his brother, William, who had been farming there since 1894. Allan and his wife added to their original Sunnywold pre-emption by purchasing their neighbours’ land, as it became available, from the Siddons, Whites and...
by lakecountry | Mar 14, 2014 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Natural History, Pam Laing
We are so fortunate to have a new Guest Blogger for this site: Pam Laing, local birder and photographer, has agreed to share with us A Year of Okanagan Birds. For those of you who attended Pam’s lecture at Creekside Theatre in February, you’ll know...
by lakecountry | Mar 7, 2014 | Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Thomson, Carol
Have you heard of the Okanagan Rail Trail initiative? The railway line between Vernon and Kelowna recently ceased operations, and we now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn the old railway into a multi-purpose trail. It would stretch all the way from...
by lakecountry | Feb 28, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
The banner photograph on the Lake Country Museum and Archives website shows the starting line-up of fifteen cyclists about to begin a grueling thirty-five mile race from Vernon to Kelowna. Three young Lake Country men participated: Lawrence (Larry) Evans and Harold...
by lakecountry | Feb 21, 2014 | Bloggers, Natural History, Thomson, Carol
Summerland’s ‘Cannonballs’ When the widening of Highway 97 was initially studied, efforts were made to preserve a section of rock that contained numerous ‘cannonballs’. These volcanic rocks are quite unique. Only one other location, the...
by lakecountry | Feb 17, 2014 | Guest Bloggers, History of Lake Country
The Era when Okanagan Centre sent passengers, mail and fruit by the Lake Back at the beginning of the 20th century, the farmers and ranchers in the Winfield-Ellison area faced a dilemma – south of Wood Lake the only way to move hay and fruit was by wagon road. When...
by lakecountry | Feb 14, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Duane
Next week is Heritage Week. Take the following quiz to test your local historical knowledge. 1. What year did the Oyama canal open? 2. What was the name of the first post office in Winfield? 3. Which brothers developed the town site of Okanagan Centre? 4. Who ran “The...
by lakecountry | Feb 7, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
The second Monday of February is Family Day in British Columbia. It is a time to celebrate family members and remind ourselves of those who preceded us. Museums and archives are wonderful repositories for family histories. Here one can find photographs and histories...
by lakecountry | Jan 31, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Thomson, Carol
On Saturday morning Mrs. Nellie McClung1 arrived at Oyama, and was the guest of Dr Irvine and the Misses Irvine. We are indebted to the Misses Irving for their kindness in giving an “at home” and allowing all who wished to, to meet Mrs. McClung, our...
by lakecountry | Jan 17, 2014 | Announcements, Bloggers, Community Events, Lecture Series, Natural History, Thomson, Carol
“Symbolic in both Native and modern cultures, Bald Eagles are one of the most majestic birds in British Columbia. Each autumn and winter, thousands of eagles gather at spawning sites to feast on spawned-out salmon ….” Although “[e]agles mate...
by lakecountry | Jan 10, 2014 | Bloggers, History of Lake Country, Jim Taylor, Thomson, Carol
Recently Canada Post announced extensive changes to the Canadian mail system, specifically by introducing more community mail boxes. For we older folk, those community mailboxes hearken back to historic mail services. Winfield’s first official post office was...
