Take a trip to Okanagan Valley


Okanagan information

The Okanagan is a region located in thethe Thompson and Fraser rivers to Fort
Canadian province of British Columbia.Langley instead. The Okanagan Valley did
As of the year 2001, the region'snot see many more outsiders for a decade
population is approximately 297,601. Theafterward.
primary city is Kelowna. The nameIn 1859, the first European settlers
derives from an Okanagan First Nationsarrived when Father Charles Pandosy led
word S-Ookanhkchinx meaning "Transportthe making of an Oblate mission where
toward the head or top end". The regionKelowna is now. In the decades that
is known for outdoor activities such asfollowed, hundreds of ranchers came from
skiing and hiking as well as for theall directions to settle on Okanagan
wine industry.Lake. The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of
History1858 drove more settlement as some
The Okanagan Valley was home toprospectors from the United States took
Aboriginal people for thousands of yearsthe old Okanagan trade route on their
before others arrived. The Okanaganway to the Fraser Canyon. A few staked
Nation, an Interior Salish people whoclaims around the Okanagan and
lived in the valley from the head ofSimilkameen valleys and found gold and
Okanagan Lake downstream to near thecopper in places. A mining industry
river's confluence with the Columbiabegan in the southern Okanagan region,
River in present-day Washington, as welland more farmers, as well as a small
as in the neighbouring Similkameenservice industry, came to meet the needs
Valley, numbered in the thousands (noof the miners.
precise figure is known) at the time ofFruit production is a hallmark of the
contact with European settlers. TheyOkanagan Valley today, but the industry
were hunter-gatherers, living off wildbegan with difficulty. Commercial
game and berries and roots for the mostorcharding of apples was first tried
part but travelling north or south tothere in 1892, but a series of setbacks
fish salmon runs or to trade with otherprevented the major success of
nations.commercial fruit crops until the 1920s.
In 1811 came the first non-natives toBut until the 1930s, the demand for
the Okanagan Valley, a fur tradingshipping fruit and other goods did drive
expedition voyaging north out of Forta need for the sternwheeler steamboats
Okanogan, a Pacific Fur Company outpostthat serviced Okanagan Lake: the S.S.
at the confluence of the Okanagan andAberdeen from 1886 and then the S.S.
Columbia rivers. Within fifteen years,Sicamous and S.S. Naramata from 1914.
fur traders established a route throughThe Sicamous and Naramata survive as a
the valley for passing goods between thetourist attraction in Penticton.
Thompson region and the Columbia RiverWhile the last half-century has grown
for transport to the Pacific. The tradeseveral resource-based enterprises in
route lasted until 1846, when the Oregonthe region, for instance forestry in
Treaty laid down the border betweenPrinceton, the fastest-growing
British North America and the Unitedindustries in the Okanagan today are
States west of the Rocky Mountains ontourism and retirement accommodation.
the 49th parallel. The new border cutAdvantaged by its sunny climate, lakes,
across the valley. To avoid payingand winery attractions, the valley has
tariffs, British traders forged a routebecome a hot destination for vacationers
that bypassed Fort Okanogan, followingand retirees.



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