| The Okanagan is a region located in the | | | | the Thompson and Fraser rivers to Fort |
| Canadian province of British Columbia. | | | | Langley instead. The Okanagan Valley did |
| As of the year 2001, the region's | | | | not see many more outsiders for a decade |
| population is approximately 297,601. The | | | | afterward. |
| primary city is Kelowna. The name | | | | In 1859, the first European settlers |
| derives from an Okanagan First Nations | | | | arrived when Father Charles Pandosy led |
| word S-Ookanhkchinx meaning "Transport | | | | the making of an Oblate mission where |
| toward the head or top end". The region | | | | Kelowna is now. In the decades that |
| is known for outdoor activities such as | | | | followed, hundreds of ranchers came from |
| skiing and hiking as well as for the | | | | all directions to settle on Okanagan |
| wine industry. | | | | Lake. The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of |
| History | | | | 1858 drove more settlement as some |
| The Okanagan Valley was home to | | | | prospectors from the United States took |
| Aboriginal people for thousands of years | | | | the old Okanagan trade route on their |
| before others arrived. The Okanagan | | | | way to the Fraser Canyon. A few staked |
| Nation, an Interior Salish people who | | | | claims around the Okanagan and |
| lived in the valley from the head of | | | | Similkameen valleys and found gold and |
| Okanagan Lake downstream to near the | | | | copper in places. A mining industry |
| river's confluence with the Columbia | | | | began in the southern Okanagan region, |
| River in present-day Washington, as well | | | | and more farmers, as well as a small |
| as in the neighbouring Similkameen | | | | service industry, came to meet the needs |
| Valley, numbered in the thousands (no | | | | of the miners. |
| precise figure is known) at the time of | | | | Fruit production is a hallmark of the |
| contact with European settlers. They | | | | Okanagan Valley today, but the industry |
| were hunter-gatherers, living off wild | | | | began with difficulty. Commercial |
| game and berries and roots for the most | | | | orcharding of apples was first tried |
| part but travelling north or south to | | | | there in 1892, but a series of setbacks |
| fish salmon runs or to trade with other | | | | prevented the major success of |
| nations. | | | | commercial fruit crops until the 1920s. |
| In 1811 came the first non-natives to | | | | But until the 1930s, the demand for |
| the Okanagan Valley, a fur trading | | | | shipping fruit and other goods did drive |
| expedition voyaging north out of Fort | | | | a need for the sternwheeler steamboats |
| Okanogan, a Pacific Fur Company outpost | | | | that serviced Okanagan Lake: the S.S. |
| at the confluence of the Okanagan and | | | | Aberdeen from 1886 and then the S.S. |
| Columbia rivers. Within fifteen years, | | | | Sicamous and S.S. Naramata from 1914. |
| fur traders established a route through | | | | The Sicamous and Naramata survive as a |
| the valley for passing goods between the | | | | tourist attraction in Penticton. |
| Thompson region and the Columbia River | | | | While the last half-century has grown |
| for transport to the Pacific. The trade | | | | several resource-based enterprises in |
| route lasted until 1846, when the Oregon | | | | the region, for instance forestry in |
| Treaty laid down the border between | | | | Princeton, the fastest-growing |
| British North America and the United | | | | industries in the Okanagan today are |
| States west of the Rocky Mountains on | | | | tourism and retirement accommodation. |
| the 49th parallel. The new border cut | | | | Advantaged by its sunny climate, lakes, |
| across the valley. To avoid paying | | | | and winery attractions, the valley has |
| tariffs, British traders forged a route | | | | become a hot destination for vacationers |
| that bypassed Fort Okanogan, following | | | | and retirees. |