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Members’ dues for the year 1988/89 were paid by the following Members Societies:

Alberni District Historical Society, Box 284, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M7Atlin Historical Society, P0. Box 111, Atlin, B.C. VOW lAOBCHF - Gulf Island Branch, c/o Marian Worrall, Mayne Island, VON 2J0BCHF - Victoria Section, do Charlene Rees, 2 - 224 Superior Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1T3Burnaby Historical Society, 4521 Watling Street, Burnaby, B.C. V5J 1V7Chemainus Valley Historical Society, P0. Box 172, Chemainus, B.C. VOR 1KOCowichan Historical Society, P0. Box 1014, Duncan, B.C. V9L 3Y2District 69 Historical Society, PC. Box 3014, Parksville, B.C. VOR 2S0East Kootenay Historical Association, P0. Box 74, Cranbrook, B.C. V1C 4H6Golden & District Historical Society, Box 992, Golden, B.C. VOA 1 HOLaclysmith Historical Society, Box 11, Ladysmith, B.C. VOR 2EOLantzville Historical Society, Box 501, Lantzville, B.C. VOR 2HONanaimo Historical Society, PC, Box 933, Station ‘A’, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5N2North Shore Historical Society, 623 East 10th Street, North Vancouver, B.C. V7L 2E9North Shuswap Historical Society, PC. Box 22, Celista, B.C. VOE 1LOPrinceton & District Pioneer Museum and Archives, Box 687, Princeton, B.C. vox iWOQualicum Beach Historical & Museum Society, do Mrs. Cora Skipsey, PC. Box 352, Qualicum Beach, B.C. VOR 2TOSaltspring Island Historical Society, P0. Box 705, Ganges, B.C. VOS lEOSidney and North Saanich Historical Society, PC. Box 2404, Sidney, B.C. V8L 3Y3Silvery Slocan Historical Society, PC. Box 301, New Denver, B.C. VOG 150Trail Historical Society, P0. Box 405, Trail, B.C. Vi R 4L7Vancouver Historical Society, P0. Box 3071, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3X6

Affiliated GroupsB.C. Museum of Mining, P0. Box 155, Britannia Beach, B.C. VON 1JOCity of White Rock Museum Archives Society, 1030 Martin Street, White Rock, B.C. V4B 5E3Fort Steele Heritage Park, Fort Steele, B.C. VOB 1 NOThe Hallmark Society, 207 Government Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 2K8Nanaimo Centennial Museum Society, 100 Cameron Road, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2X1

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Published fall, winter, spring, and summer by the British Columbia Historical Federation, PC. Box 35326, Station E,Vancouver, B.C. V6M 4G5. A Charitable Society recognized under the Income Tax Act.

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BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL NEWS

Volume 23, No. 2 Journal of the B.C. Historical Federation Spring, 1990

Editorial ContentsWe are deeply indebted to a Kelowna resi Features Page

dent, Winston A. Shilvock, for making the 0 Table of Contents & Editorial 1“Okanagan Special” possible. This gentleman introduced himself in August 1988 as “a 0 Camp Fairviewfriend of the Historical News” He has con- 0 by Hester E. White 5tributed articles, and advice, for previous is-sues and now has collected articles, illustra- 0 OHS Reports #12 (1946) p. 59-66

tions and fillers which are presented in the 0 Brief History of the Town of Oliverfollowing pages. f’Many of the stories are new, and a few are 0 by Constance Seeley 7

favorites from annual Reports of the 0 Appreciation - Leonard NorrisOkanagan Historical Soddy, which the cur- 0rent editor, Bob Cowan selected. The execu- by Margaret Ormsby 8tive of the Okanagan Historical Society has 0 OHS Reports #11(1945) p. 15-19graciously granted permission to the B.C. 0 Vernon CelebratesHistorical News to print these articles in the by Edna Oram 10Spring 1990 edition. The source of each arti- 0 OHS Reports #47 (1983) p. 29-30cle fromOHS Reports is indicated beside theauthors name in the table of Contents on this 0 Soldiers of the Soilpage. Naomi Miller 0 by William Ruhmann 11

Map of the Okanaganon page Penticton - The Beginning

by A. David MacDonald 14

OHS Reports #47 (1983) p. 68-76

On to Okanagan in CartoonsCover Credit: by E.A. Harris 15

The John Innes painting “H.B.Co. Fur / The Okanagan - Nicola Connections of the 1830’sBrigade Passing Okanagan Lake” is repro- by R.C. Harris 16duced with permission from the NativeDaughters of B.C. who sell postcards of this 0 Armstrong: From Celery to Cheeseand other B.C. historical scenes at the Old 0 by Judy Riemche 19Hastings Mill Museum in VancouverThe H.B.Co. collected ffirs from throughout 0 The Role of Enderby in Early Okanagan History

New Caledonia. The Brigade started from by Bob Cowan 21Fort Alexandria, paused at Fort Kamloops 0 Commando Baywhere great bands of horses were maintainedto serve as fresh mounts and pack animals. 0 by Winston Shilvock 23They travelled across dun-colored hills, 0 Private Schools in the Okanaganpassed Grand Prairie (Westwold) to the by Winston Shilvock 25shores of Lake Okanagan. The travellers 0skirted the west side of the lake and followed 0 John Moore Robinsonthe Okanagan River to Fort Okanogan, where 4the horses would be pastured and the brigade 0 by Winston Shilvock 26took to boats for the trip down the Columbian 0 Development of the Orchard Industry 1890-1940River to Fort Vancouver 0 by David Dendy 28At the head of the annual brigade, following OHS Reports #38 (1974) p. 68-73the guides, rode the Chief Factor of the dis- 0

trict. Custom dictated that he wear a high 0 Gems from the Archives 31beaver hat, collar to the ears, ruffled shirt,and a coat of dark blue or black. When camp 0 Writing Competition - 1989 32was made, his fire was the first lighted; his 0 News & Notes 33tent the first erected; and when entering or 0leaving a fort, three guns were fired as a sa- Bk Sheff: Book Reviewslute in his honorThe young man riding with the Chief 0 Stein;TheWayoftheRiver-by orge Newell 35

Factor is James Douglas, who, at age 27, 0 36was enroute to his posting to Fort Vancouverin 1830. Writing Competition Guidlines Back Cover

Manuscripts and correspondence for the editor are to be sent to P0. Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB 2K0Correspondence regarding subscriptions are to be directed to the subscription secretary (see inside back cover)

B.C. Historical News1

Colonial Osoyoos

by Jean WebberFew of Osoyoos’s resident retirees

or its summer visitors enjoying oursun, sand and water realize that thewhole of British Columbia’s southerninterior was once administered fromthis very place.The Bill making British Columbia

a crown colony was passed by theBritish House of Commons onAugust 2, 1858. However even before that James Douglas, alarmedby the influx of miners who spreadnorth in the aftermath of the 1849California gold rush, had used allthe powers vested in him asGovernor of Vancouver Island andChief Factor of the Hudson’s BayCompany at Victoria to assertBritish sovereignty and to keep lawand order. Once the territory had officially become a colony and Douglasits Governoi with the proviso thathe sever his connection with theHudson’s Bay Company, theImperial Government selected officers for the major posts includingMatthew Baillie Begbie, Judge;Chartres Brew, Inspector of Police;and WA.G. Young, ColonialSecretaryDouglas had made his first official

mention of gold on the upperColumbia in April 1856 althougheven before this gold had been purchased discreetly from nativeIndians by the Hudson’s BayCompany. However in 1858 the secret was out and by the end of Mayit was estimated that there were10,000 miners on the Fraser RiverIn October 1859 a Canadian,

Adam Beam, while travelling fromColville to Similkameen discoveredgold at Rock Creek. He began mining May 7, 1860. By October therewere 500 miners at Rock Creek andten miles down stream whereBoundary Creek emptied into theColville (Kettle) River. In the springof 1860, Douglas moved WilliamGeorge Cox from the District ofKamloops, where he had been

Magistrate, to Rock Creek where hewas to keep law and order, sell miner’s licences, and collect customsboth on the Similkameen and in theOkanagan.1In the fall of 1860 Governor

Douglas visited the region, stoppingat Keremeos September 21 where aHudson’s Bay post and farm hadbeen developed subsequent to thesigning of the Oregon BoundaryTreaty in 1846. By the 24th he wasat Osoyoos. One cannot help wondering if he visited Hiram F Smith(Okanogan Smith) who had carriedmail for the Hudson’s Bay Companybetween Fort Hope and FortOkanogan. In 1855 Smith had decided to settle on the shores of Sooyoos Lake not knowing whether hisland was in British territory orAmerican. Perhaps in 1860Douglas was able to monitor theprogress of Smith’s apple orchardgrown from scions which he had carried in from Hope in 1857.Douglas arrived at Rock Creek on

September 25 where he addressed acompany of miners the next day. ByOctober 5 he was at Hope on hisway back to Victoria. Douglas musthave been impressed with Cox’swork for he made him a GoldCommissioner and promised him assistance with his administrative duties. The assistant was to be JohnCarmichael Haynes who becameDeputy Collector of Customs at thenewly opened customs port ofKeremeos. But more of Haynesshortly.The strategically placed Gold

Commissioners were the agents inthe field of the Colonial Government.They kept law and order with aminimum of police assistance and nojails; they collected government revenues; they oversaw public works;they registered land preemptions;they attended to Indian affairs.Douglas had Cox mark off Indianreservations throughout the

Okanagan in consultation with theIndians. The sketch map of the reserve at the head of Okanagan Lakewas dated June 30 and was sent tothe government with Cox’s reportwritten at Rock Creek and datedJuly 4!A Gold Commissioner was expect

ed to write frequent and full reportsto the Colonial Secretary in which henot only dealt with current businessbut also reported on the generalstate of the country: climatic features, geographical features, floraand fauna, soil and timber resources, and the state of settlement ifany. Such dispatches are a richsource of historical detail.While Cox was stationed at Rock

Creek American and BritishBoundary Commissions were busysurveying the 49th Parallel andmarking the boundary. Twice Coxmentions them. On December 9,1860 he wrote: “I also perceive thatthe English Commissioners havebuilt their monuments more than200 yards south of those built bytheir American companions.” Thenon April 27, 1861 we find: “TheAmerican Boundary Commissionpassed through here (Rock Creek)yesterday en route to Osoyoos torectify some error connected with theparallel l’ them committed, I presume. The English Commission hasproceeded eastward.” NowOkanogan Smith could be certain

John Carmichael Haynes, 1831-18&S

B.C. HistoricalNe2

that his land was in the UnitedStates. Instructions were sent toCox and Haynes to see that themarkers erected along the boundarywere not interfered with.2Cox, in his official reports, fre

quently referred to the order andpeace in the camp. One finds thisrather surprising considering that inthe eighteen months or so of Cox’sposting at Rock Creek there was ashooting over a land dispute inwhich the murderer escaped; theknifing of a white man by an Indianafter which the Indian was capturedand lynched at the traverse or fordat the south end of Osoyoos Lake;the kidnapping of a miner’s child byan Indian (the child was rescued);the drumming out of town of ayoung Englishman caught robbingsluice boxes; and the forced departure of a gambler only too ready torelieve miners of their hard-earnedgold.By November 15, 1861 the rush

was all over. The miners had movednorth to Mission Creek, CherryCreek and even to the Cariboo, Coxwas moved to a more active field.His deputy and assistant, Haynes,remained.John Carmichael Haynes arrived

from his native Ireland in Victoria onChristmas Day 1858. He was carrying an introduction to ChartresBrew and testimonial letters fromthe Mayor and Chief Magistrate ofthe City of Cork. By the fall of 1859Haynes was Chief Constable at Yaleand was already being noticed forhis efficiency and integrity. FromYale he was posted to Keremeos asDeputy Customs Officer to man thenewly opened port.In April of 1861 Haynes reported

to the Colonial Secretary that hehad seized sixteen horses laden withliquors, tobaccos, cigars, candles andother items useful for sale in theCariboo all to the value of severalthousand dollars. The party, whichhad avoided paying duty, were overtaken at Okanagan Falls. When anappeal was made to Cox, the Goldcommissioner allowed the group tokeep one pack-horse and each manto keep a horse and saddle along

with enough food to get him to theCariboo. Haynes was highly commended for his part by the ColonialOffice but Cox was reprimanded andtold that he personally would haveto pay for the horses he had let themen keep.In September 1861 Cox received

permission to build a Customs houseat Osoyoos, This decision confirmedthe importance of the corridor to thecentral and northern interior whichhad been discovered by David Stuartin 1811 and used by the fur brigades of thirty-five years. Thebuilding was to be made of logs,20x30 feet and 10 feet high, chinkedand daubed, logs hewn outside andin. The floor was to be of boardsnailed down. There were to be: onegood strong batten door with strongdoor post and knob, two rooms withdoors and knobs, four windows, twowith twelve lights and two with six.The cost was not to exceed 130pounds. The house was located atthe north end of Osoyoos Lake on aknoll which afforded a commandingview of trails on both sides of thelake, not far from the present cemetery.When Cox was moved from the district Haynes was made GoldCommissioner. The great iron safeweighing 1200 pounds which Coxhad brought into Rock Creek by wayof the Dalles was moved down to theOsoyoos Customs house.Livestock, destined to be driven to

the Cariboo over the old fur brigadetrail, was the principal customsitem. Records for 1861 and 1862show:3

Jan. 1 to Oct. 19, 1861Horses Cattle365 625

Oct. 19 to Apr. 30, 1862172 250 .

May 963 681 203June 1065 488 135July 461 1532 238Aug 141 163 82Sept 172 958 6Oct 54 53 .

Nov 67 19Dec 12 . . . . 3

In 1865 Haynes had the Customshouse moved to a more centrallocation about one half a mile west ofthe bridge over the narrows. Theoriginal shake roof was to be replacedby a shingle roof. A cellar was to beadded as well as a section containinga dining room, kitchen, two cells anda small room. This work was doneunder contract by S.T. Marshall for$750. Again the great safe musthave been moved for we have Mrs.Chrestenza Kruger’s dramaticdescription of the fire whichdestroyed this second customs housein 1878: “One day in April 1878, wenoticed the customs house on fire.Mn Kruger jumped on a horse andgalloped over to assist, arriving justabout the time when the Haynesfamily became aware of the fire. Theiron safe which Cox brought into RockCreek in 1860 was in the house andHaynes was much concerned about itas it held a lot of money and all hisvaluable papers. The safe weighedabout 1200 pounds, but my husbandsoon solved the problem. He was abig man, standing over six feet andweighing about 290 pounds, and sohe tumbled the safe end over end outthrough the door to a place of safety,fortunately, the joists and flooringheld. “In 1864 Haynes received an

appointment as StipendiaryMagistrate. Gold had beendiscovered on Wild Horse Creek neartoday’s Fort Steele and anundisciplined horde of miners hadrushed to the spot. Already onemurder had occurred. Haynes wasdispatched to the East Kootenay toestablish order. The very day onwhich his instructions arrivedHaynes set out with one man andfive horses. But how was one to getthere through what appeared to be atrackless wilderness of mountains,swift rivers and lakes? Haynesheaded for Colville where he could getinformation from old Hudson’s BayCompany hands.When Colonial Secretary Arthur N.

Birch visited Wild Horse camp at theend of September he reported asfollows: “I arrived within six weeks ofMn Haynes’ residence in the district

Mules Sheep92

400646

325

3396 4817 778 1371

3B.C. Historical News

to find the mining laws of theColony in full force, all customsduties paid, no pistols to be seenand everything as quiet and orderlyas it could possibly be in the mostcivilized district of the land, andmitch to the surprise of many of theminers who recalled the ear/v daysof mining in the State of California.Haynes’ accounts show that he hascollected over sixteen thousanddollars between August 10th andSeptember 30th, and which he keptin a valise in his office.One result of this report was the

Governor Douglas appointedHaynes a member of the LegislativeCouncil of British Columbia. Afurther honour was conferred in1866 when Havnes was made aCounty Court Judge, hence thewidely used popular name, JudgeHaynes.Another effect of the Wild Horse

Creek strike was that, in order tofacilitate communication, a contractwas made with Edgar Dewdney toextend his trail through theSirnilkameen. over the Okanagan,through the Boundary country to theKootenavs. Included in the contractwas the first bridge over the narrowsof Osovoos Lake, a structure fivefeet in width with loose split rails fora deck. During high water the looserails were removed and travellerswalked the stringers while theirhorses swam.’No doubt it was the Dewdney trail

and bridge which precipitated themove of the Customs house to itsnew location. A crossroads had beenestablished. In 1866 the Hudson’sBay Company, appreciating thechange in circumstances, establisheda trading post just west of thebridge. Roderick Finlaison. ChiefFactor, hired Theodore Kruger tomanage the post. Kruger was borna British subject in Hanover which in1829 belonged to the British crown,Now with the bridge, the Customshouse and the trading post thefoundations of the future town hadbeen laid.As with Cox one of Haynes’s duties

was the registration of land

preemptions, an expanding task inthe 1860’s. In 1866 when AL.Fortune and three Overlanderfriends wished to stake preemptionsat Enderby they were told that theymust register with J.C. Haynes,Gold Commissioner at Osoyoos.7In 1864 Sir James Douglas retired

as Governor of the Crown Colonies ofVancouver Island and BritishColumbia. The new administrationwasted little time in cutting backIndian reserves as laid out by Coxwhom they believed to have beenoverly generous. Haynes, in 1865,took to the field with Chief Nicola inattendance and negotiatedsubstantial cut-backs. One reportwith sketch was written in his tentat the head of Okanagan Lake inthe very late fall.In 1871 British Columbia entered

the Confederation of Canada. Thecolonial ‘days were over. Colonialofficials became provincial agents.One change in 1871 which wouldhave been very noticeable in Osoyooswas the selling of the Hudson’s BayCompany posts in both Osoyoos andKererneos to Barrington Price. Twoyears later Price sold the Osoyoosstore to Theodore Kruger who in1884 became Osoyoos’s first PostMaster.After the fire of 1878 Haynes built

a fine house on the east side of thelake, a house presently inhabited byDoug and Dorothy Fraser. Oneroom was used for an office. Aprovincial map published some timeafter 1884 shows and names“Osoyoos Lake”, “Haynes Customs”at the location of the new house, but

House built on the east side ofOsoyoos Lakeby John Carmichael Haynes 1878-1882. Thehouse as viewed from the south 1985.

no “Osoyoos”.After the sudden death of John

Qarmichael Haynes in 1888temporary arrangements were madeconcerning his official duties. Thenin 1889 Theodore Kruger was madeCustoms Officer of Osoyoos and in1890 C.A.R. Lambly becameGovernment Agent. Lambly servedat Osoyoos until 1898 at which timethe government office was moved tothe new and flourishing hard-rockmining community of Fairview.That move of the Provincial Agent

to Fairview signalled the end ofOsoyoos’s glory days.

Jean Webber is a retired educato,; formereditor ofthe O.H.S. Report and president ofthe Osoyoos / Oliver Branch ofthe OkanaganHistorical Society. Jean Webber won twoCertificates ofMerit for Best Article in theB.C. Historical News - 1986, and BestAnthology in the B.C.H.F. WritingCompetition for 1986.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Colonial Papers, B.C. Provincial ArchivesFrase, Dorothy - A Short History andDiiption of

Oyo. 1967Fraser, George F - TheStoryofOsc’cx. 1952Okanagan Historical Society

&hRortl935); I2thReortl948:I5thRert 1951); l7thReport 1953).

Ormsb3 Margaret A. -

Bsitish Columbia, a History 1958Pethick. Derek. James Douglaa Servant of Two Emi*es

1969Smith, Dorothy Blakey -

James Douglaa Father ofBritish Columbia.1971

FOOTNOTFS

I, OHS Report #17: p 49-562. OHS #6: 198-1993. Ibid4. OHS #6: 775. G. Fraserp766. Ibid p 887. OHS #6: 276

Send CustomsOfl and Official Residencedestroyed by fire, 1878.

B.C. Historical News 4

Camp Fairview

by Hester E. WhiteYears ago when “one-armed Reed’

and his partner; Ryan, placer miners came on the scene, a beautifullimpid stream frolicked down thegulch, casting a cooling freshnessupon all around, but revealing nothing of the hidden riches which itpassed on its way from its sourcehigh up on the mountain-side. Thename “Reed Creek” is the only evidence left to show that they werethe first to discover gold in this vicinity. In 1887 Fred Gwatkins andGeorge Sheenan put in the firststakes on the Stemwinder, which became known as the discovery claim.On the main ledges on the easternside of a low range of mountainsseparating the Okanagan andSimilkameen Valleys, 700 feet abovethe Okanagan River; a number ofvaluable claims were recorded.Indeed, the recording mining claimseventually extended over an area of30 miles, for many were staked under the old mining law which permitted the location of extensionclaims without requiring mineral tobe in sight.It would be a useless effort to at

tempt to enumerate all claims. Iwill mention the major holdings.There was the Stemwinder; theMorning Star; taken up in 1898 byThomas Woodland, Steve Mangott,and Danny McEachern; the EveningStar held by Harry Rose who alsohad a fraction of the Morning Starand the August; the Rattler; firstowned by H. Mankind who sold it toa company which put up a five-stamp mill, and which was laterbought by the Stratheyre MiningCompany; the Ontario owned byDune Carmichael; the Wynn M.owned by Harry Simpson; the WideWest which lay across the gulchfrom the Brown Bear, owned at firstby Jon Stevens and Mat Hodder,and eventually by the StratheyreCompany; the Joe Dandy, taken up

by W. Poole and Evan Morris andsold later to Patrick and Clemens;and the Tin Horn, the Smuggler; theBlack Diamond and the Wild Horse.After the finding of several well-

defined veins of gold ore, a largeamount of English and Americancapital was invested in the minesand several stamp-mills were setup. The Stratheyre was an Englishcompany which sent out JamesAtwood and Harry Reynolds in1892, and which, on Atwood’s recommendation purchased BrownBear located in 1887 by GeorgeWilkinson and Joe Bromley.For nearly twenty years the camp

at Fairview flourished. In 1893when a great amount of ore was produced at Fairview, there was considerable settlement. Starting up thegulch in that year; one would be welcomed at its mouth by Mr. F.R.Kline, owner of the Golden GateHotel, a well-built log house of twostories. On the left side was Miner’sRest, owned and operated by Mr.and Mrs. Evan Morris. It was herethat many of the “cousin Jacks”,Cornish miners would gather tohave a rip-roaring time. Miner’s andprospector’s cabins would be foundas one proceeded up the gulch.Ahead, and situated at a sharp turnin the road, where it left the course

of Reed Creek to wind around thehill, was the stamp-mill. BlueHouse, the residence of theStratheyre Mining Company’s representatives, Messrs. Atwood andReynolds, was on the eminence overlooking the quartz mill, and commanded a beautiful panoramic viewof the Okanagan Valley to thesouth. It was the view here whichcaused the name “Fairview” to bechosen. From this point one couldoverlook Okanagan Valley, hemmedin by hills and mountains, with theriver meandering through the lowland, through Haynes Meadows andlosing itself in the glistening watersof Osoyoos Lake. At this time cattlewere grazing here and there amidstsage-brush and grease-wood.Near the Blue House was the resi

dence of Dr. Ben Boyce, the popularphysician of the camp, who had beenbrought to the west by theStratheyre Mining Company.Farther up the road was W.T.Thompson’s store which carried alarge stock of goods suitable for miners’ needs. Thompson was a“Boston Man” who had been aroundmining camps since his boyhood.Past numerous shafts and tunnelmouths of various mines was J.Moffatt’s Saloon. Still farther alongwas WT. Shatford’s store with RH.

_1 ITheBig Teepee Hotel in Fairview.

5B.C. HistoricalNe

French in charge. At the head of thegulch was the store of TommyElliott, the pioneer merchant whostill caters to miners.When the writer arrived back in

the Okanagan from England onJanuary 21, 1895, the stage pulledup in front of the Golden Gate, andthe passengers were greeted byTommy Elliott and JamesAdamson, now the hosts, and miners galore. After wine and chickenlunch we left with “Mexican Joe”,the drivei for Osoyoos. Fairviewhad changed by this time. TheStratheyre Company had pulled upits stakes and gone and SteveMangott was running Morning Starore through the Stratheyre mill.Fairview quartz was tricky; in pockets the ore was very rich andstreaks of gold were plainly visible,but then it would disappear. In1897 eastern capital came in whenthe Fairview Gold Mining Companyleased or purchased claims and commenced work on the Stemwinder.This company built the three storyFairview Hotel known as the “BigTeepee” on the flat below the gulchand laid out a townsite. Soon therewere livery stables, offices, a drugstore, a butcher shop, and W.T.Shatford’s store was moved downthe gulch. Jim Schubert built thenew government building; CAR.Lambly, Goyernment Agent, and hisfamily were moved from Osoyoos.J.R. Brown, the Assessoi built a cottage nearby. As Fairview boomedagain the Bassett Brothers’ freightteams were often needed to haul thehuge loads up to the mines. For ashort time, five mills were active: theStemwinder the Joe Dandy, the TinHorn, the Smuggler and theStratheyre.Soon after Dr. Boyce had moved to

Kelowna, Dr. R.B. White arrived incamp on May 24, 1897. Dr. White’sfirst patient was Mike Moon, afreighter, whose badly crushed legnecessitated amputation. The operation was performed in the doctor’soffice, with the assistance of TonyGenn. Mike was cared for by thedoctor in his office and nursed backto health. On another occasion the

doctor was called to attend OldEdward, an Indian, who had beenattacked by another Indian while hewas asleep in a tent down near theriver. Old Edward’s leg had beensmashed with a gun. Dr. White amputated the leg on the ground in thetent, with the assistance of Mr.Bate. When Edward recovered, acollection was made for an artificialleg. Some years later after theIndian’s death, his old wife Jennyrode into Fairview one day with theleg hanging over the saddle. Shehad brought it to sell and wanted$80 for it.Tragedy had stalked down the

gulch in 1893 when a diphtheria epidemic took the lives of some of thesmall children. In November 1902,gloom was cast over the whole countryside when the “Big Teepee” wasdestroyed by fire with loss of life.The following year the large liverystable was burned, and thirty valuable horses were lost.The tragedy of 1902 was really

the beginning of the end of Fairview.But as long as the camp flourished,the settlers had many good times.Many dances were held at Elliott’sHall where Paddy Atkins (known asthe “Man that stole the boots”)played the piano into the wee smallhours. The Marks Brothers staged‘Uncle Tom Cabin” in Elliott’s Halland thrilled the crowd. PaulineJohnson with Walter McRae gave amost entertaining performance atthe “Teepee”. Isobel Kerr was acharming elocutionist. Aventriloquist with many shabbydolls drew a crowd; and someItalians with trained white bearscaused excitement, especially whensome “over-joyed” cowboys roped thebears and took them down thegulch.The miners at the Steniwinder

gave a unique dance on one occasion. The company was to operate acyanide plant for reduction of ore,and four vats, 36 feet in diameter,and 10 feet deep were beautifullybuilt and finished. The minersasked all inhabitants to a supperdance. The floors were polished; thefiddlers were on a platform between

two tubs, and there was enoughroom for four qudrille sets and agood caller for the dances. Someconscientious objectors preferred notto dance, but played games andromped in the second vat, which wasknown ever after as the “MethodistTub.”After 1906 little mining was done

and the place was soon deserted.The Guggenheim interests held theSusie for many years; the Granbypeople studied the field. Britannia,Premiei and Hecla interests all castenquiring eyes at Fairview; but theConsolidated Mining and SmeltingCompany in time procured most ofthe ground, for they needed the particular quartz at Fairview with itssilica as a flux in the smelter inTrail. With the high value of goldand better price for silvei Fairviewis more than paying its way. Allthe dumps at the old mine havebeen trucked away.Few people are left who experi

enced the thrills and chills ofFairview. The little creek has lostits song and its skirts of green alongits banks have died with time. Still,memory lives on of the good oldFairview Days.

The site of the former mining town ofFairview is situated 2 miles south-westof Oliver on the road to Cawston. Turnup the street (7th) at the traffic light.Drive until you reach the informationsign re Fairview. This was erected bythe Oliver-Osoyoos Historical Societyon the two lots owned by theOkanagan Historical Society and whichwas the site of the FairviewPresbyterian Church. You will find picnic tables there so you can enjoy thefantastic view.

Hester Emily White - 1877-1963Hester was the eldest daughter of Judge

J.C. Haynes. She spent her childhood inOsoyoos, some school years in Victoria, andsome in England. In 1897 she marriedCA.R. Lambly, Government Agent first inOsoyoos then in Camp Fairview. Lamblydied in 1907 and Hester married Dr R.B.White in 1908. She later lived in Pentwton,where she was a member ofmany communityorganizations, and a very valued member ofthe Okanagan Historical Society

B.C. Historical Ne 6

Briefhistory oftheTown ofOliver

by Constance Seeley

The British Columbia governmentmade a survey of the land south ofMcIntyre Bluff to the United Statesborder, and in 1919 they advancedthe idea of placing the SouthOkanagan under irrigation with thepurpose of supplying farm land toex-servicemen from the First WorldWar. The project came into effect in1921 under Premier ‘Honest JohnOliver’ for whom the town of Oliverwas named. The Oliver district wasthe hub of excitement from 1920 to1924 when men from all walks oflife came to lend their energies tothe construction of the irrigation project. The engineers’ camp was situated where now stands the Oliverand District Arena.On completion of the project the en

gineers’ camp was abandoned andsettlement began in earnest. Wherepreviously nothing but pine trees,clumps of sagebrush and bunchgrass grew and large herds of cattleroamed, now those who purchasedland could grow crops.Although apples had been grown

in the Okanagan Valley since themid 1800’s, Pete McIntyre was thefirst to experiment with growing apples in the Oliver area on his property at the foot of the bluff named forhim.The year 1921 marked the sale of

the first land in the Oliver District.In 1922 the government planted300 acres known as the development area. This rocky land was replanted every year until 1928 whenit was sold to the Apex Orchard Co.,of Kelowna. In those days it wassaid that many people believed anapple tree was an annual plant because each tree was replaced annually. While waiting for their orchardto bear fruit many of the settlers

worked for the season on the development area, picking rocks andthrowing them into piles, irrigatingthe trees and hoeing around them.Some of the farmers grew cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes and even the tobacco industry was given a try. The Oliver Coop formed in 1923 had a membership of 25 growers.Vic Fairweathei one of the first

businessmen in Oliver, recalls onlyfour buildings when he arrived in1921. He soon discovered there wasa need for goods and set up a secondhand store on the site of the presentRoyal Bank. J.K. Anderson builtthe first grocery store; Carl Collenopened a dry goods store across thestreet. Major Thompson operated areal estate office where Tuck’s Cafenow stands. Harry Nash built a billiard hall beside Cohen’s. By 1922Oliver had a bake shop, Dr. Geo.Kearney had an office, and therewas Elliott’s restaurant, BillRaincocks butcher shop, the R.W.Smith drugstore, Charlie Jonesbutcher shop, Shorty Knight andSlim Archibald’s garage, a bank, AlRynd and Bill Foster’s barbershop,Mrs. Hill’s restaurant, ElmerJohnson’s garage; a liquor store,post office and blacksmith shop.Harry Fairweather brought theOliver Hotel from New Westminsterby truck and train in 1921. Thefirst church service was held in CarlCollen’s store, later the UnitedChurch was built. The first schoolwhich later became a garage andshelter for Rev. Feir’s cow was thefirst formal classroom. In 1922 ‘thelittle red schoolhouse’ was built andused for about five years. Twoteachers taught grades 1 to 8 in thetwo rooms.

Later a school was built atTestalinda Creek with volunteer labour and material scrounged fromthe Bucket of Blood Hotel atFairview, thus affording conveniencefor the children in the rural area.By 1926 the population of Oliver

was 500 with 60 school children.The Community Hall had been

built and partially funded by the engineers and local help during theconstruction of the irrigation project.The once arid desert land has in

deed borne fruit and become a thriving community.

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Constance Seeley was a long timeresident ofOlive,: She now residesin Ottawa.

he word “Okanagan”was first written by DavidThompson on July 6,1811, when he recorded,

.a fine view and seehigh woody mountains ofthe OachenawawganRiver.” Since then therehave been 35 other waysof spelling the name butall have disappeared except two. In BritishColumbia the word isspelled Okanagan and inWashington State,Okanogan.


AnAppreciation

by Di Margaret A. Ormsby

With the death of Mr. LeonardNorris on April 18th, 1945, theOkanagan Historical Societysuffered a great blow, for it lost itsfounder and its mentor. The Societywas started in Vernon on September4th, 1925, after Mr. Norris hadinjected into a group of histownsmen and old friends some ofthe enthusiasm he had for the studyof local history It was he who didmost of the hard work in theSociety and assumed theresponsibility of seeing thatsufficient material wascollected so that the Reportswere issued regularly. Hepersuaded pioneers in theValley to write theirreminiscences, revised andedited articles submitted tohim, did research in topics inthe wider field of BritishColumbia historç encouragedyoung historians andscientists to write for theReports, made arrangementswith the publishers, did theproof-reading and arrangedfor the distribution of theReports. His was the spiritthat breathed life into theactivities of the Society, andthere could be no bettermemorial to him than this Reportwhich represents the work of his lastyears.It is unfortunate and sad that

more is not known of the life of aman who served the province ofBritish Columbia well and whohelped to fill in the pages of BritishColumbia History. Long before hewas known as an historian, Mr.Norris had won for himself areputation as an outstanding publicofficial. But he was the last to drawattention to the quality of his workor to expect credit or thanks for it.

Those who worked with him knewthat he was a man of fine fibre,representing many of the qualitieswhich he admired most in theOkanagan pioneer, but theydiscovered little about his background or his experiences.Occasionally he would be remindedof past events which he consideredamusing or ridiculous, then hewould recount them with delicacy

and discernment. He never retailedgossip or slander, he was kindlyand appreciative in speaking of others although he could be indignantabout injustices or wrong-doings andhe always understated his own accomplishments.The early years of Mr. Norris’ life

were spent in Ontario. He was bornon a farm near Brampton in 1865,not far from the land now occupiedby the Dale Nurseries. He was nineyears of age when his family movedto Langley Prairie, and a youngman of seventeen when he first came

to the Okanagan Valley in 1882.From the first he found delight inthe natural charm of the Okanagan,and he always spoke with warmthof the beauty of the bunchgrass hillsand of the lakes that reflected it.Some of his feelings he expressed inpoems which he wrote in his laterlife. At first he had no intention ofsettling in the Okanagan Valley,but he came to admire the qualities

of the pioneer settlers and toappreciate the hospitality hefound in their homes. Heworked first on ranches in theLumby District, then inDecember 1887, he decided topre-empt land in the vicinityof Round Lake, just off theVernon-Kamloops Road.Thoreau’s philosophy andway of life appealed to him,and he was convinced that infarming a small piece of landand in living close to nature,personal happiness could beattained. But as eventsturned out, he was to live adifferent kind of life.He had hardly taken up his

land, when he was asked tobe Provincial Police Constableat Lansdowne. He wasreluctant, but was finally

persuaded when he was promisedthat the appointment would betemporar and that he would soonbe replaced. Once he had enteredpublic service, he found it difficult tobreak away - new duties andresponsibilities were pressed on him,and he was soon embarked on acareer as a public servant. In July,1890, he was asked to becomeCollector of the Provincial RevenueTax, and after the death of MosesLumby, he was appointed inOctober 1893, Government Agent atVernon. He was the third man to

LeonardNorris the founder ofthe Ohanagan Historicals—


hold this office, and he establishedwhat will probably become a recordfor long tenure. When he retired in1926, he had served thirty-threeyears as Government Agent.Old-timers will recall the

enthusiasm Mr. Norris had for hiswork and the thoroughness withwhich he carried it out. They can tellamusing stories of his pursuit offugitives, while he was still PoliceConstable, and how on occasion hewas outwitted. They know therespect he had for individual worth,and how little real crime he thoughtexisted in mining settlements or inother parts of the Valley He had avery strong sense of justice, aspersons who were sometimes hauledinto the Magistrate’s court cantestify, and he was very much infavour of having misunderstandingssettled in private and withoutoutside intervention. One of hisfavourite stories was the chase afterSmart Alec, following the murder inthe Cherry Creek mining field, butthis must have taken place while hewas still a farm-hand in the Lumbydistrict and before he hadresponsibility for bringing criminalsto justice. As Police Constable, hisduties sometimes took him as farnorth as Enderby and sometimes asfar south as Penticton, so he came toknow settlers throughout the wholelength of the Okanagan Valley.After 1890, he was more closely

identified with people in the Vernondistrict. He knew Vernon before itwas incorporated in 1862, while itwas still called “Priest’s Valley”,and he lived to see it grow from asettlement of four or five scatteredhouses to its present size of six orseven thousand. More than anyother man, he had his finger uponthe pulse of life in the communityFor he was not only Magistrate, butCollector of Land and other Taxes,Registrar of the County Court andDistrict Registrar of the SupremeCourt, Registrar of Voters, Judge ofthe small Debts Court, OfficialAdministrator, and Registrar ofVital Statistics. He must haveknown something of the privateaffairs of almost every individual,

but he was never known to betray aconfidence or to give out informationwhich might cause unhappiness.Whatever knowledge came to him,he regarded it in a purelyimpersonal and objective light -

except in one respect. Although hebelieved that every person shouldstand on his own feet, he could notremain unconcerned when there wassuffering. More than one familyexperienced the bounty of hisgenerous nature and found itdifficult to express adequate thanks,for Mr. Norris was not one to look forreturns or to want publicacknowledgement of his good works.During his lifetime, Mr. Norris saw

the character of farming change inthe Okanagan Valley. after thecoming of the railroad, the cattleranches were broken up and fruitfarming started. He was keenlyinterested in the experiments inco-operative marketing and in thetechnical improvements which weremade in the growing of fruit. Hetook pride in these changes, yetalways felt that more attentionshould be paid to producing fruit atlower cost for the benefit of theprairie farmer. He thought, too,that a high degree of specializationmight embarrass the farmer intimes of depression, and he had anostalgic fondness for mixed farmingwhich he had known in Ontario andin his early days in the Okanagan.His chief interest, however lay in

recording the events of the past sothat they would become known tothe new settlers in the Valley and tothose who knew little of the romanceof the early days of the interior ofBritish Columbia. He turned hisattention to this work after hisretirement from office. He hadalready read widely in the field ofCanadian and British Columbiahistory and now he did research atthe Provincial Archives and in theProvincial Library at Victoria, andstarted to write. While he wasprimarily interested in writing thehistory of the Okanagan Valley, hishorizon was by no means limited tothis study. For one thing, hedecided to acquire some knowledge

of the French language, and toperfect his grasp, he subscribed tonewspapers published in Quebec,and bought phonograph records tohear the spoken word. He had anexcellent library of historical works,but he also read poetry and collectedphonograph records. During theseyears, he indulged in all thepleasures which go with thecultivation of a fine mind. As aresult he had a remarkable fund ofknowledge and the ability to inspireothers with his enthusiasm for greatworks of literature and music.As a historian, he made a very

real contribution to our knowledge oflocal history, and his work wonacknowledgement and acclaim inthe east as well as in the west. Itsgreat appeal, of course, was to thepeople of the Okanagan Valley, forhere were recorded the stories of theearly settlers, the adventures andvicissitudes of their arduous lives.The spirit that permeates all hiswritings, reflects something of thequality of the man himself - for hereveals his kindly feeling towardshis fellow men, his high moralstandards, his patience with andamusement at human foibles, andhis great sincerity. It was typical ofhim that he should have preferred towrite of the exploits andachievements of others, rather thanof his own important work as one ofthe real founders of the OkanaganValley. We can count that as ourgreat loss, for his character asrevealed in his life and work wouldhave held inspiration for many.

The Okanagart Historical Society hasprepared, with financial assistancefrom B.C. Heritage Trust, a plaquehonoring Leonard Norris. The plaquewill be affixed to the wall of theCourthouse in Vernon following theOHS. Annual meeting in May 1990.

**********

Di: Margaret Ormsby was born and grewup near Vernon. She was on the Faculty ofHistory at U.B.C. for many years, author ofBritish Columbia: A History 1958 andFresident oftheRC. Historical Federation in1949-50.

9B.C. HistoricalNe

Vernon Celebrates Ninety YearsofInrporation

by Edna Oram

Thursday afternoon, December 30,1982, people flocked to theRecreation Centre to celebrateVernon’s 90th birthday. The citywas the first to be incorporated inthe Okanagan Valley, the charterfor incorporation being grantedDecember 30, 1892.They came early, greeted friends,

welcomed holiday visitors theyhadn’t seen for years and settled infor an afternoon of light entertainment by choirs, bands, dancers, andethnic performers.Activity for the children was at the

outdoor skating rink and the indoorswimming pooi but you can swimand skate anytime so the childrendrifted in and out of the auditoriumto watch the colourful swirl of the entertainers. In a corner of the auditorium three pre-schoolers put on aspontaneous dance of their own.People for whom this was a workingday, dropped in for a few minutesand lingered on.In formal dress of the 1890’s, Ian

MacLean was a great master of ceremonies. Mayor Hanson gave thewelcoming address. Good Citizensand Freemen of the city, including100 year old Guy Bagnall, were invited to place of honor on stage andindividually introduced. Winners ofthe birthday cake contest were announced. The cakes were cut with apiece for everyone and a cup of tea orcoffee to enjoy while they mingledwith the crowd.Royce Moore, Chairman, and his

Birthday Celebration Committeecame up with an afternoon of funwell suited to the multicultural talents and the friendliness ofVernonites.For the ensuing six weeks, visitors

enjoyed displays in the GreaterVernon Museum and Art Gallery,the foyer of City Hall and in a main

street display prepared by theFriends of History, showing photographs and stories of the earlydays. Copies of an illustrated history - Ninety Years of Vernon - arestill selling well.The first permanent settler was

Luc Girouard who, in 1867, preempted land which today encompasses the central core of the city.Other settlers followed, mostly fromthe British Isles. They brought withthem traditions of law and order,culture, sports, pride in themselvesand a strong sense of community responsibility that remain the cornerstone of life today.The tiny hamlet of forty people in

1888 was in the right place at theright time and had settlers with theforesight to take advantage of thecoming of the railway to Sicamous in1885 and to Vernon and OkanaganLanding in 1892. The railways andthe development of a connecting boatservice for travel south opened thesouthern part of the valley to settlers.For years Vernon was the centre of

all provincial and federal government services and was a distributionpoint for movement of people andsupplies up and down the valley.Today Vernon is a bustling city ofsome 20,000 and a distribution andshopping centre for over 75,000 arearesidents.A provincial Heritage Trust official

says that Vernon has more historicbuildings than any other valley city.In addition to the beautiful provincial court house, the CPR railwaystation, Park and Bearisto Schooland many private homes, there areeighteen buildings within the centralcore awaiting historic restoration.There are in business today eightfirms founded in 1892, some into thefourth generation of the founding

family Many descendants of earlysettlers live in the original homes oftheir grandparents.Superimposed on the base of set

tlers from the British Isles are moreresidents of varied ethnic background than in any other city.Emigrants are coming from uncertain futures in Europe and Asia.Retirees come for the salubrious climate. Young families come to getaway from the stress of life in largemetropolitan areas. Vernon is trulyinternational.Vernon has no desire to become a

large industrial city. There is nolarge single employer of labor.There are many low-profile smallbusinesses, craft workers, service industries and ever growing businesses catering to tourists. Volunteerassociations provide health, educational, religious, cultural, sport andsocial services. There is a relativelysound economic base affected onlymarginally by world events. It’s justa pleasant place in which to live andraise a family.In 1904, on a trip from Manitoba

to the coast, Sam Polson stoppedover in Vernon, with the result thathe wired his family “get ready tomove. I’ve found the Garden ofEden.” He is remembered today asthe donor of the land for the VernonJubilee Hospital and for the parkthat bears his name. Those born inVernon take the good life here forgranted. Newcomers agree with Mr.Poison.

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Edna Orwn was a Social Worker in Vernon.She served as Treasurer of the OkanaganHistorical Society from 1976-79.


Soldiers ofthe Soil 1914-1919

by William Ruhmann

It was summer and I was happyto be visiting my grandparents inKelowna. Then one day I camehome to find Grandma weeping -

Grandpa angry! Germany had attacked Russia! England and Francehad declared war on Germany.The next day, August 5, 1914, my

grandparents put me on board thepaddle-wheeler S.S. Sicanious for mytrip back to Vernon. My homecoming as I remember, was rather restrained. Questions about my visitseemed perfunctory. There were nosmiling faces - the shock of war wasalready changing our lives. Thenewspaper headlines were:VOLUNTEER! JOIN UP! SERVEKING AND COUNTRY! For theyouth of the land fun, games andlaughter were lost.Squadrons of the Okanagan

Valley reserve regiment, the 30thBritish Columbia Horse which consisted of more than 500 cavalrymen,were called into active service. Atraining camp was established onMission Hill south of Vernon. Rowon row of white bell tents were a constant reminder that our soldierswere in training.After establishment of this camp,

an internment camp for enemy aliens was constructed. The new campwas ten acres, enclosed by a highbarbed-wire fence, located at the intersection of 27th Street (MaraAvenue) and 43rd Avenue. Soldiersvalked on guard duty between thesentry boxes. Each guard would callout the hour and, on a descendingnote, “All’s Well!” How the internees and townspeople endured thathourly call for more than four yearsis impossible to say. Each day therewas a changing of the guard. Thoseat the internment camp were replaced by a new unit from MissionHill.A marching group with drum and

trumpet band was formed in 1916 toescort the guard unit. It wastrained and lead by Sgt. TommyVaughn; adult members were W.Western and A.G. Treadgold (ofKelowna), and Marriott, Pruitt andNewell. The rest were high schoolboys from Vernon.

Trumi,eters Corporal SpenceNewell, Lance Corporal FrankMarriott, Walter “Wally” Mattock,Robert “Bert” Mattock, Ted Pruitt,William May, Horace Foote, AlanRobey, A.G. “Bert” Treadgold,Wilfred Phillips, Cecil Phillips.Side Drums: Willfred Moffat, StuartJenkins, Leslie Dodd, SidneyBriard, Homer Conn, Albert “Spud”Murphy, W Western.Bass Drunimer: Maurice Mitchell.

In December 1916, a fourteen yearold high school boy, Thomas E.Jessett, joined the 30th B.C. HorseRegiment. Because of his self-taught stenographic skill, he quicklyadvanced to Orderly Room Corporal.Tom, with a glint in his eye, yearslater commented, ‘My rank causedproblems at home-Dad was just aprivate in the same regiment.”The battalions in training on the

Hill grew as recruits from throughout the Province arrived by trooptrains. Soon there were soldiers everywhere! They were marching onthe parade ground, attacking dummies in bayonet drills, performinglong marches in full packs andshooting on the rifle ranges. Thosein the Signal Corps practiced sending messages with flags and, whenthe sun was shining, by heliograph.At night, messages went from onehill to another by lights blinkingdots and dashes. Boys who hadlearned the Morse Code made clandestine watches - hoping to intercepta secret communication.

During the summer of 1916 agroup of ten schoolboys organized todeliver the daily paper to men in thecamp. This was strictly a businessventure. They made arrangementsto have the two town jitneys (ModelT Fords with the tops removed) atthe station when the noon train arrived from Vancouver. Each boygrabbed fifty papers when the bundled newspapers were thrown out ofthe baggage car. They jumpedaboard the jitneys for a noisy race tothe Hill, down Barnard Avenue andup 32nd Street (Seventh Street) withhorns blowing. They raced to thecamp gate where the soldiers wereeagerly waiting.Men in uniform were everywhere -

on Barnard Avenue Saturday evening, at church on Sunday, asguests in homes, relaxing on thebeach at Kalamalka Lake. Fourbattalions trained at the CentralMobilization Camp at Vernon. Bythe winter of 1916, the 2ndCanadian Mounted Rifles, theOkanagan’s own battalion, and the172nd Battalion, called the RockyMountain Rangers, were overseas.The 158th, Duke of Connaught’sOwn Rifles left in November. Stilltraining on the Hill was the 225thBattalion made up of recruits fromthe Kootenay and Boundary regions. Four years of close contactwith soldiers had a noticeable effecton the youth of the community.Almost every boy collected momentos such as officers’ swagger sticksand bronze hat badges from variousregiments.The war was seriously depleting

the work force of the OkanaganValley. More than 22% of the manpower had enlisted. At that timethe fruit crops were the mainstay ofthe area. Harvesting the applecrops, and other agricultural products, became a problem. On

11B.C. Histrica1 News

January 4, 1917 Thomas Richmond,chairman of the Farmers’ Institute,reported that the Department ofAgriculture was advocating the establishment of training schools toteach high school boys and girls howto pack apples. Making boxes in thepacking houses was a job that boysenjoyed. (Hammer damagedthumbs were proudly exhibited.)At a Consumers League meeting

in Vancouver it was proposed thatwomen from that area help with theharvest of the apple crop in theOkanagan. “What kind of dresswould be worn in the orchards?”asked a woman. “Overalls,” someone shouted. There was a ripple oflaughter. “Yes,” said the chairman,“this would be one time when women will be permitted to wearOveralls.”During the Easter vacation six of

us boys had a job picking up prunings in an orchard on Silver StarRoad. Our employer transported usin a very crowded Model T Ford.Charlie White and I got a summerjob on a twenty acre orchard onSwan Lake Road three miles northof town. Our first job was to pullweeds from rows of navy beansplanted between the orchard trees.Kytes also wanted other chores doneso they boarded me to save the sixmile daily walk. I split firewood,hilled half an acre of potatoes, andhelped prepare the packing housefor apples. Some trees were an early variety of apple so picking startedmid-summer. My mother joinedsome other women with this firstpicking. Hornets harassed our pickers, so I volunteered to burn out thenests. At dusk when all the insectswere home for the night I used abirchbark torch on the end of a stick.(Incredibly I survived without asting.) Pickers were paid four or fivecents per 55 pound orchard box; anenergetic boy could pick 60 or moreboxes in a ten hour day. Many olderboys worked in packing houses operating hand trucks to move boxes ofpacked fruit into storage or into boxcars for shipping; box making waspiece work done as time permittedSome lads helped with haying, milk

ing and care of livestock. Farmwork became our war effort in 1917.The 30th B.C. Horse, along with

the drum and trumpet band, wasdisbanded early in 1918. Thoseover sixteen and those too old or toodisabled to serve overseas weretransferred to the 11th BattalionCanadian Garrison Regiment. Theywere stationed at the internmentcamp doing guard duty.Trumpeters Alan Robey, Horace G.Foote, and Robert Mattock served asbuglers. In December Robey followed Corporal Thomas Jessett intothe position of Orderly RoomCorporal under Major Nash. Robeyserved as a guard in the transfer ofthe last war prisoners to Europe,and was able to visit relatives inEngland before returning to Vernon.SOLDIERS OF THE SOIL were

formed in March 1918 as part of afederal plan to increase food supplies. Boys 13 to 18 years of agewere registered with theDepartment of Agriculture underDeputy Minister William E. Scott.Rev. J.H. Miller of Cloverdale wasappointed head of the B.C. sector.Thirty-four Vernon boys, out of 130in the Okanagan Valley, had registered in April. In spring, as farmingactivity accelerated, some of the SOSboys were excused from school tostart jobs assigned to them. Some ofus worked on Saturdays. I recallworking with Thomas Richmond,President of the Farmers’ Institute.He plowed and harrowed a vacantlot while my friends and I cut potatoes for seeding. We followed eachfurrow planting the potatoes. Whenthis lot was finished I rode with Mr.Richmond on the wagon to a fencedlot at the east end of Pine street(39th Avenue) near the 12th Streetintersection. When this lot wasplowed and harrowed I was given abag of navy beans to plant. I keptclose watch on my bean patch. OneSaturday I discovered that cut-worms were levelling my crop.Catastrophe! What could I do? Iwent to the entymology office in theCourt House for help. They prepared a bucket of poison bait-branmixed with molasses and sprinkled

with Paris Green (copper arsenite).Up and down the rows I spread thistoxic lunch for the worms. I don’tknow if the worms ate the bait because of its beautiful green colour orbecause they liked the molasses.My bean patch was saved!That summer the government sent

a bean thresher through theOkanagan Valley to harvest theenormous crop. The Hon. E,D.Barrow, Minister of Agriculture,travelled with the thresher and operated it. This, he said, was an idealopportunity to get away from thepolitical scene at the Provincial capital.When school closed in June, I was

hired as chore boy at the VernonOrchards, a 250 acre fruit ranch onthe east side of Swan Lake. PolLeGuen, a native of Brittany,France, was manager of the orchardand Frank Lucas was foreman. (PolLeGuen, though a naturalizedBritish subject, was called up byFrance to serve on the front in hisold regiment. He was invalidedhome in 1915.) Ranch teamsterswere Len Rice, Jack Brown, and LenParent. Farmhands that summerwere Camillo and AngelloGaspardoni. We lived in a two storybunkhouse. The “plumbing” wasoutside and water was by bucketfrom a hand pump at the horsetrough. The washstand was on theporch and the dining room was inthe manager’s residence. Our cookwas Mrs. Jane Roze. I was paid$15 a month to milk two Holsteincows, clean the barn, care for a saddle horse and a driving horse, tendseveral pigs, help with fruit harvesting and haying. When school reopened, after milking the cows, feeding the pigs, cleaning my share ofthe barn and having breakfast Iwould hitch Caesar to the democratand drive to school with the threeLucas children, Bill, Dorothy andDonald, as well as Bernie Roze, theson of our cook. I was in eighthgrade.In 1918 the influenza epidemic

swept across Canada and onOctober 21 our school was closed.Now life on the ranch became boring.

B.C. HistoricalNe 12

There wasnt much to do betweenthe 6:00 am, and 6:00 p.m. milkings. To pass the time I would godown to the lake and trap muskrats. I did very well until the lakefroze over. Harry Blurton, a trapperand fur buyer from Enderby, cameby every few weeks to buy my peltsat 20 cents each.Len Rice, a teamster who lived in

the bunkhouse, had his own saddlehorse, a wild, mean animal sixteenhands high. His brother Harry oftenvisited. On Halloween the two ofthem invited me to ride into townwith them. Each wore a big Stetsonhat; Len had bat-wing chaps andHarry wore black angora long hairedones. Their spurs jungled and theirhorses pranced. I felt a bit subduedme with my grade school knickers

riding Queenie who had the“heaves”. We attracted a lot of attention. After entertaining the intermission crowd at the theatre werode down Coldstream Avenue to33rd. I was told to ride down 33rdto the next intersection and wait.We were in Chinatown. The street

was alive with Chinamen. (The immigrant Chinese work force inVernon was estimated at 500). Oneach side of the street were unpainted, boxlike two-storey buildings.They were dimly lit. In the background unfamiliar tones of astringed instrument were heard andthere was the drone of singsong voices in the air. A couple of men wereseated on a porch with lightedpunks in hand sucking on their gurgling water pipes. Noise comingfrom one building told us that agambling game was underway. AsI rode down the street doors openedand men came out to investigate.Then two “phantom horsemen”emerged from the shadows, theirhorses rearing and plunging in anapparent uncontrolled charge. Themen standing in the street lunged inall directions. The commotion wasunbelievabl& When Len and Harryreached me they were laughing sohard they could hardly speak. “Wesure broke up their fan-tan game,didn’t we?”November brought cold weather. I

had just received my new heav belted jacket from the T. Eaton Co. Itcost me nearly a months pay, butwhen school opened again my tripsto school would be more comfortable.One morning I was given the job of

taking a wagon load of harness totown for repair. As I drove downBarnard Avenue I thought itstrangely deserted. I backed thewagon into the sidewalk in front ofthe Okanagan Harness andSaddlery Co., across from theEmpress Theatre. I dragged a setof harness into the store, hoping forhelp from the two men in the back ofthe shop. Suddenly a huge explosion shook the area. I jumped tostop my team from bolting. At thatmoment, the two men dashed out ofthe shop and ran in the direction ofthe blast. The once deserted streetwas now alive with excited people. Iquieted my team and dragged therest of the harness into the shop. AsI turned to leave I saw my team andwagon going up the street at a deadrun. There was another explosion.Then I heard the fire bell clangingmadly, and the church bells at thePresbyterian and Anglican churcheson Mara Avenue.“My team, my team-someone’s

stealing my team and my brandnew jacket in the wagon!” I shouted.The horses disappeared around thecorner at the Post Office. I ran asbest I could with cleated rubberboots, oversocks with tassels thatgyrated as I moved. Another explosion, this time in the Post OfficeBlock. I made the turn and saw agroup of men in front of the Policestation; there was the Mayor CityClerk and some aldermen. I ranpast them to Chief Constable RN.Clerke, who was wearing his cavalryofficer’s uniform. “They stole myteam - didn’t you see them?” Thefire bell was clanging - there wasanother explosion - Chief Clerke hadan odd expression on his face. “Thewar is over Billy-boy. We ‘recelebrating. Don’t you understand?the war is over:”Mayor Shatford put his hand on

my shoulder. “Billy-boy, we arecelebrating. We are going to build a

big bonfire across the street. Isuppose someone took your team toget wood tr the fire. Don’t worry.you’ll get it back.” “Bitt,” I said, “Ihave to haul a load of oats back tothe ranch.” I still hadn’t realizedthat the war was over. The Mayortook me over to the Police Stationand telephoned my boss, PolLeGuen. “Pol,” lie said, “have youheard the news? wonderful isn’t it.Say, your Billy-boy is here with me -

eh - Bill is here with me. We wouldlike to borrow his team to help builda bonfire for the celebration this evening. Thanks, Pol.”“Well, Bill, we’re all fixed up. We

can use your team and you have theday off.” That day, MondayNovember 11, 1918, I made the bigjump from “Billy-boy”, fourth grademarbles champion to eighth grade“Bill.”Behind the Royal Bank Jim

Vallance and Jim Silver were exploding dynamite. Once, deciding tomake a bigger bang, they enlargedthe powder charge. Unfortunatelyseveral windows in nearby buildingswere shattered. My friends and Iwere fascinated. But it was gettingcold, and since my toque and newcoat were in the wagon I headed forhome missing a parade in the afternoon and bonfire in the evening.Those boys who had signed up for

soldiers of the Soil were recognizedat a ceremony at the Court House.Dr. K,C. MacDonald, M.L.A., congratulated the boys and presentedeach with a small bronze lapel button provided by the DominionGovernment. 1, 671 BritishColumbia boys took part in theSoldiers of the Soil program whilemany others worked on farms unaware of the requirement to sign upand thus did not receive public recognition.

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William Ruhmannprepared this article aspart ofaproject for the Vernon Museum. Helived in Lake Oswego, Oregon in the latterpart ofhis lifeACKNOWLEDGEMEN’I:

Many assisted with recollections covering the activities ofVb,’non boys during the war years.The Vernon News 1914 thiough 1919.

Corporal Tom ,Jessett As now a Canon in the Epicopal Churchin Seattle. Further recollections are (in file in the VernonMuseum.

13B.C. Historical Ne

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Seventy-five years - not a longtime in the history of westernCanada, an even shorter chaper inthe history of Canada, a fleeting moment in recorded history But theseventy-five years since the incorporation of Penticton (1908-1983) havebeen matched by an acceleration ofchange unknown in previous times.Yet many threads remain which linkthe present community to its roots.Geologists tell us that the last

remnant of the ice age disappearedfrom the Southern Interior about9,000 years ago. The great icesheets which covered North Americaadvanced and retreated, shapingthe country as they moved. Periodsof low temperatures were separatedby periods of relatively warm, mildweather during which great sheetsof ice either shrank or disappearedentirely.The last major glacial episode to

affect the Southern Interior did notbegin until about 19,000 years agowhen the Cordilleran Ice Mass filled

the Okanagan Valley and coveredthe mountains to the east and west.Picture an ice field covering the valley to the height of Brent Mountain(2,203 metres)!The retreat of this ice mass was

accompanied by the development ofglacial lakes along the edge and infront of the retreating ice. To thesouth of Penticton, possibly atMcIntyre Bluff; a blockage occured,allowing the development of GlacialLake Penticton. It was in this glacial lake that the layered silts(varved clays) which created thecharacteristic clay cliffs of thePenticton-Suminerland-Naramataarea were laid down.Within a few hundred years of the

disappearance of the glacial lake,the valley sides were covered by vegetation. Lodgepole pine dominatedthe upper; wetter valley sides whilePonderosa pine dominated the drier;lower valley floor. A warm, dry period was to follow which saw a decrease in the number of trees and an

increase in the grasses and sagebrush which greeted the first inhabitants.Prior to the arrival of the white

man, the valley was inhabited bythe Okanagan Indians, a branch ofthe Interior Salish. The origin of thenative people has piqued the curiosity of scholars and lay persons alike.Speculation on a matter of this kindis always based on slender evidence.Some believe that the original homeof the Indians lay to the west, thatthey had come onto the Americancontinent by way of the Pacific.Support for this theory comes fromlinguistic studies. Attempts havebeen made to establish a time arrival but this is too speculative.Archeological studies in the Osoyoosarea set the pre-history of the areaat about 3,500 years before thepresent.The Okanagan Indians were tradi

tionally a hunting and gathering society. Hunters might travel alone,but group hunting was an important


source of food and large band huntswere organized four times a year.Large game such as deer; elk, big-horn sheep and bear were plentifulwhile goat and moose were found occasionally. Fishing had both socialand economic significance, the rapids in Okanagan River at OkanaganFalls being a favorite spot at whichto gather during the salmon run.Berry picking in season and collecting roots for drying added to thefood supply. However; by the timethe white settlers arrived theIndians had become proficient stockraisers and were growing crops,thus they knew the value of agricultural land. Their main village whichthey called Pen-tik-tan, was locatedon the east bank of the OkanaganRiver and extended from the southend of Railway Street to theFairview Road bridge.Archeological research tells us that

the site accommodated the largest

concentration of population in theOkanagan Valley. The choice waslogical, being midway in the valley’schain of lakes which provided easytransportation by dugout canoesand rafts in summer and over the icein winter. The river at this pointconsisted of a half-mile stretch ofgravel shoals providing easy fording. The campsite was well sheltered, fuel was abundant and gameabounded. Materials for the manufacture of weapons, baskets, ropesand garments were close at hand.The name Penticton is derived

from the language of the OkanaganIndians but its exact meaning hasbeen interpreted in several ways, allof which centre around the word“permanent.” The village onOkanagan River between Okanaganand Skaha Lakes was a permanentIndian camp when the first whiteman arrived. The Indians referredto the camp as ‘pentktn’, permanent

camp; linguists have analyzed theword as ‘pen-tk-in’ meaning ‘always-time-place.’ Some persons believethat it was the constant flow of water in the river which accounted forthe use of the term. In late springand early summer; the small creeksfeeding the main lakes and riverrose in flood but by mid-summer theflow of the water has been attachedto the site itself, a ‘permanent’abode or ‘place to stay forever.’Whatever the exact meaning, bothIndian and white settler agreed thatit was a highly desirable place tolive.

This was written by A. David MacDonald,editor of “1908-1983 75 Penticton - Years toRemember” as an introduction to apublication sponsored by the City of Penticton tocommemorate its 75th A,zniversary.

000POGOs a mythical creature —

Okanagan Lakes special feature. Somesay they have seen His coils, scaly green,Others scoff - (though one viewers apreacher>.


The Okanagcm-NicolaConnector ofthe 183O

by R.C. Harris

The southern interior of BritishColumbia was first explored for thefur trade from the south, whenDavid Stuart started from theColumbia River late in 1811. By1813, using Indian trails, two mainroutes from the Columbia basin toKamloops had been examined.What became the first main trail ranup the west side of Okanagan Lakeand round by Monte Lake toKamloops. The other more important in later years, ran upSimilkameen River and Otter Creek,reaching Kamloops via Nicola andStump lakes, 13,14,15

Though both routes made easycrossing of the Columbia divide, theywere somewhat circuitous. Usingother Indian trails, a shortcut wasdeveloped between the two maintrails for use by light and expresstraffic, see accompanying sketchmap. This cutoff headed northwestfrom near today’s Peachland, viaupper Nicola River and ChapperonLake, to join the SimilkameenKamloops trail at Stump Lake. Thecutoff was impractical for heavypack trains. Not only were parts ofthe trail steep and narrow, but itclimbed to 5500 ft. elevation, andthe snow lay late.It was 90 miles to Kamloops from

the site of Peachiand, using the cutoff, a saving of 40 miles, or twodays, compared with going by thehead of Okanagan Lake. AlexanderRoss travelled twice from FortOkanagan to Kamloops in 1812, going by the head of the lake, takingten days each time. AC Anderson,in his 1867 map , shows the ninetraditional camps on the journey.This confirms that ten days werestill allowed for the journey, andsuggests that Ross as early as 1812was travelling on well establishedtrails.Archibald Macdonald’s 1827 map

1, from the early fur trade daysshows that the territory of theOkanagan Indians reached northand west of Okanagan Lake andover the Columbia divide to includeNicola Lake and the upper Nicolacountry The cuttoff trail of interestto the HBCo lay entirely within thisterritory The Handbook of Indiansof Canada , states that the UpperNicola Indian Reserves are assignedto the Okanagan Indians; for example:

“Spahamin (Upper Nicola). AnOkanagan village situated atDouglas Lake, 11 miles from

Quilchena.”Nina Woolliams, writing of the

Douglas cattle ranch gives several instances of long established travel over the Columbia divide betweenthe Okanagan and the Nicola.Using today’s place names, the

cutoff left the regular brigade trailalong Okanagan Lake at TrépanierCreek, just north of Peachiand. Itran up the east side to the forks ofthe creek, where the trail alsoforked, passing on either side ofmassive Mount Gottfriedsen, formerly known as Mount Swara orHatheume. The two parts rejoinedon the upper Nicola River, followingthe right bank northwesterly, passing to the left of Chapperon Lake,then to the left of Glimpse Lake,then north to the left side of PeterHope Lake, whence it descended tothe east slopes of Stump Lake.Here it joined the other main trail ofthe fur trade. 14

From Stump Lake, this trail continued north, deep in the valley of“Lake River”, today’s CampbellCreek. At Richie Lake the trailclimbed north on to the plateau,passing between Brigade Lake andBrigade Hill, but closer to the lake,maintaining a northerly course before descending Peterson Creek to

Kamloops. Before the arrival of theCanadian Pacific Railway,Kamloops was north of ThompsonRiver.Looking at the early maps;

Archibald Macdonald, 1827, 1 showsthe extent of the Okanagans’ territory, and the trail up theSimilkameen, past Nicola Lake toKamloops. On this he notes “MrArchd McDonald’s trail in Oct.1826”. Samuel Black, c.1833, 2

gives more detail, showing the cuttoff trail in addition to the maintrails. He names the cutoff as “Routto Jacques River by SB”. (“SB” wasthe South Branch of Thompson’sRiver, i.e. it was Nicola River).Jacques River or Rivière de Jacqueswas the old name for TrépanierCreek, and was named for JacquesTrépanier.Black 2.4, also shows the trail pass

ing either side of “Snow Monte”(Mount (}ottfriedsen), and he showsNicola River rising from a lake(Hatheume) and flowing first east,then north. This interpretation remained until the 1930s, when thename “Nicola River” was moved to atributary from the northeast, whereit remains today. Other locationsfor Nicola River have been SpahominCreek, flowing from Pennask Laketo Douglas Lake, 6, 7, and AlocinCreek, which is ‘Nicola’ reversed.AC Anderson shows the cutoff trail

on his 1867 map , as a dashed line,whereas all other trails are solidlines. Along the trail, he wrote“Trail to Okn Lake - Snow lies xxxSummit”. One word is obscured byAnderson’s heavy line for“Watershed of the Columbia”.Many geographic features have

changed names in the last 100years; some of these old names areshown on the accompanying map incapital letters. Settlers and surveyors came and went. “Rivers” were

B.C. HistoricalNe16

921

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THE OKANAGAN’NICOLA CUTOFFcarUSED B OKAMCN Qt N1COL INDIANS C-c) PR1

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1827. Archibald Macdonald. “Sketch map ofThompson’s River District’.

2. c. 1833. Undated, untitled, worn and foldedmanuscript map of Thompson’s River District,attributed to Samuel Black. Shows rivers,lakes and trails; and mountains by shading.Probably the basis for several of the followingmaps.

3. 1861. Royal Engineers. “BRITISHCOLUMBIA, THOMPSON RIVER DISTRICT.From a Map in the possession of H. E. GOVDOUGLAS, C.B. made in 1835 by S. BlackEsq. HR. Company’s Service This copy ofBlack’s map, presumably a fair copy of 2above, is lost.

4. 1862. Gust[avu]s Epner. “Map of the GOLDREGIONS in BRITISH COLUMBIA”. Theplace names on this map make an interestingstudy.

6. 1867. A.C. Anderson. “Map of a portion of theColony of BRITISH COLUMBIA Compiledfrom various sources, including original Notes

THE GHOST OF GALLAGHER’S CANYONThe Chinese who came to the Okanagan Valley in mid 1800s

were very efficient at panning gold and one of their sites was onMission Creek where it flows through Gallagher’s Canyon.One day a cloudburst roared through the canyon and one of the

Chinese workers was caught in the flood and drowned. When hisbody was recovered it was buried beside the stream on the presentday golf course.About 16 years later a sheepherder named Clegg pre-empted

land and built a cabin close to the grave. Then strange thing beganto happen. Every night when he doused his lantern he was visitedby a ghostly Chinese image with a pigtail hanging down his back.After numerous ghostly visitations, Clegg became fed up and ap

pealed to the boss Chinaman in Kelowna, Lim Yun, who lived onAbbott Street where the Underhill Clinic is today.“That Chinaman you got buried up at my place?”“Yes, we know him.”“Well he keeps coming to my place and wants to get out.”A couple of weeks went by and nothing was done, so Clegg again

visited Lim Yun and said, “That man you got buried up at my placesays if you don come up and take him away he’s coming to town.”The next morning a party of Chinese arrived in the canyon and

took away their compatriot. History doesn’t record what happened, but since it was the Chinese custom in those days to shipremains back to China, that is probably what happened. In anycase Clegg had no more wraithy visits and that was the end of theGhost of Gallagher’s Canyon.

- Win Shilvock

from personal explorations between the years1832 and 1851”.

6. 1877, 1882. G.M. Dawson. “GEOLOGICALMAP of a portion of the Southern Interior ofBRITISH COLUMBIA”

7. 1930. Department of Lands, B.C. Map No. 4NPENTICTON. Shows the trail west of MountGottfriedsen, but not up the East Fork(Lacoma). This trail crossed “Nicola River”,which at that time rose southwest of MountGottfriedsen.

8. 1960. Department of Lands and Forests, B.C.Sheet 82 E,’NW, KELQWNA, Second Status.Shows the trail up Lacoma, the east fork, continuingon the west side of the creek beyondthe dam to Cameo (Cameron) Lake, just overthe divide. The trail passes both sides ofCameo Lake. This is the last government mapto show either branch of the trail past MountGottfriedsen.

REFFERENCE& BOOKS

9. 1912. HANDBOOK OF INDIANS OFCANADA. Geographic Board, Canada.

10. 1979. Nina Woolliams. “Cattle Ranch. TheStory of the Douglas Lake Cattle Company’.

REFERENCER B.C. HISIORICAL NEWS

11. 1978 November“Blackeyes and 1849 HBC Trail”

12. 1979 Summer“The HBC 1849 Brigade Trail. Fort Hops toKamloops. Collins Gulch Section”

13. 1980 Fall.“The Hope-Nicola Trail, 1875-19 13”

14. 1983 Spring.“The Brigade Trail. Nicola Lake to Kamloops”

15. 1989 Summer.“Fur Trade Trails. Princeton to Nicola Lake”

SMALLEST POST OFFICEAlthough it had no building, no name, no postmaster and no

postmark, it routed the mail and sold stamps for ten years andearned the distinction of being Canada’s smallest post office.Thomas Alva Wood (Wood Lake) gave his middle name Alva to

the post office named Alvaston which was established in 1909,where Winfield is now. But it was set up a half mile from theKelowna-Vernon mail coach route which followed today’s Highway97, and thereby hangs our story.The stage had a schedule to keep and the driver refused to trav

el a mile out of his way to the post office to deliver and pick up themail. The problem was quickly overcome, howeve by the localresidents when they acquired a large packing case with a lid on topand set it up by the side of the road where the stage would pass.The driver then agreed to deliver and pick up the mail.From 1909 to 1919, the postmasters of Alvaston P0., A.

Chatterhorn; H. Horsnell and C. Lodge, cooperated with this arrangement and obligingly took the outgoing mail to the packingcase and picked up the incoming mail to be distributed from the official post office.Individual pieces of outgoing mail were allowed to be left in the

packing case rather than go through the regular post office and forthe convenience of the sende an empty four-pound jam tin containing a dollar or two in stamps was kept inside and money forstamps taken would be left in the tin.This bizarre arrangement worked splendidly throughout the

whole decade that the Alvaston post office existed and it’s recorded that never was the privilege abused. No mail, money or stampswere ever stolen from the jam tin post office. - Win Shilvock

(now Highway 5A) near AspenGrove.One or other of the trails past

Mount Gottfriedsen was shown ongovernment maps until the 1960s,by which time the trails had beensupplanted by easier routes, mostlylogging access.The old trails here no longer have

commercial significance, but are interesting to hikers and historians,

**********

REFERENCES: MAPS SHOWING THE TRAILS

moved, and renamed “Creeks”.Many of the early names wereFrench; the working language of thefur trade was Canadian French.In May of 1989, Ray Findlay, Bill

Sanderson, Harley Hatfield, KenFavrholdt and Bob Harris looked forthe trail up Trépanier Creek. Agood section of trail was found upthe east fork, leading to the abandoned Lacoma dam. There was nottime to cross and continue up to thedivide. Latei a section of the westerly branch was found on top, as yetuntouched by the extensive clearcutlogging nearby. The south slopes ofMount Gottfriedsen may have beentoo steep for logging, and we expectto find more of the trail there in1990.Meanwhile, four-lane Coquihalla

III, the latest “OkanaganConnector”, is nearing completion.This crosses Trépanier Creek lowdown, and runs up its south side,passing over the Columbia divideand heading due west over an earlier location of Nicola Rive; and pastPennask Mountain. It joins the ancient Similkameen-Kamloops trail


Armstrong: From Celery to Cheeseby Judy Riemehe

Armstrong held its 90th annualInterior Provincial Exhibition (IPE)in September. For nearly a centurythis yearly celebration has recognized the integral link between thepeople of Armstrong andSpallumcheen, and the land.In the earliest history of the area,

when settlers came to the swampylowland country they came to farm.People were farming in the KnobHill and Round Prairie areas whenRobert Wood, Daniel Rabbitt andE.C. Cargill founded the town.Those three men, trading under thename of E.C. Cargill Co., were harvesting fir and cottonwood from theregion.In 1887, the area known as “The

Swamp” surrounded the island ofland where Armstrong was eventually established. In that year theswamp was drained and the blacksoil left behind was planted in vegetables. It was the beginning of achange in the direction and the character of the town, and led to thecity’s new nickname - Celery CityThe first established settlement

had been at Lansdowne, about threemiles northeast of the present city ofArmstrong. The coming of theShuswap & Okanagan railway linein 1891 changed the location of thetownsite, and brought many changes in the lives of the people.Settlers wanted to call their town

Aberdeen, but when the railwaycame through, the name ofArmstrong was erected at the station house. The name was in honour of Mr. Heaton-Armstrong, abanker who had arranged the issueof bonds to finance the Shuswap andOkanagan Railroad. Townspeopleheld on to their chosen name ofAberdeen until the Post Office wasbuilt and when it too was namedArmstrong, Aberdeen faded. Whenit became obvious that Armstrongwould be the centre of commerce, thesettlement of Lansdowne itselfmoved to the Armstrong townsite, in1892. The Anglican church, St.James, was moved from Lansdowne

to its present site on Patterson Ave.,where it’s still serving the people ofArmstrong.Farmers had followed the fur trad

ers who were the first to settle inB.C. They came from Britain,Western Europe, from easternCanada and the United States, andwith them they brought their ownfamiliar types and varieties of livestock, and their own farming methods. Each came with their own variety of seeds and plants, poultryand animals. Over the years theydiscovered which produced better inthe soil and climate of the area, andthose observations resulted in moreefficient and successful farming techniques.Rapid change followed the laying

of the railway lines. The municipality of Spallumcheen was organizedand a council elected, A grist millwas built beside the railway line,processing and shipping locally-grown wheat. C. Brewer built a major sawmill at the east end of town,which was later purchased by T.K.Smith. And these were the dayswhen farmers saw the first of manythreshing machines rolling throughthe fields of golden grain.In 1900, the IPE was established

as a table fair under the leadershipof Donald Matheson, who served aspresident for the next 14 years. Itwas the producers’ way of celebrating the industry that played a majorrole in the lives of the settlers, but itwas also a way of comparing agricultural methods, not only amongthe local producers, but with farmersfrom the surrounding towns.By 1903 the population of

Armstrong proper had reached over500. Three of the largest industriesin town included the OkanaganFlour Mill Co., the FarmersExchange and the OkanaganCreamery Association. Four churches, an elementary and a high school,and several lodges (including OddFellows, Foresters, Orangemen andthe Masons) had large memberships. The Armstrong Advertiser

had been reporting on all these since1902.One of the major crops grown was

hay, but harvests included berries ofseveral kinds (strawberries, raspberries and black currants), potatoes,and turnips. Orchards were thriving, and the Egg and Poultry Co-ophad been established to grade andmarket eggs and processed fowl,Vegetable production attracted

hard-working Chinese families, whocame in 1907. Where other hadseen only black muck in the drainedswamp grounds, the Chinese sawgold in the production of celery lettuce and cabbage. Their faith intheir own hard work saw its ownharvest when five packing houseswere built to process the vegetablesand ship them to the prairie provinces and west to the coastal cities.The Chinese lived near their land,

in buildings on Okanagan Street.Foster Whitaker, who came toArmstrong in 1910, remembers alarge building near Spallumcheen’snewly-established road paving plantwhich housed about 100 Chinese.More Chinese buildings lined thestreet to the corner north of the pay..ing plant, and in the general vicinity. He said, at the peak, there weremore Chinese adults over 21 thanwhite.When Alex Adair arrived in the

city in 1911 to start his merchanttailor business, there were “two hotels, a theatre, two grocery stores,two butcher shops, two drug stores,a confectionery a bakery, two liverystables, dry goods store, gent’s furnishings, pool hall, five or six churches, a harness shop, blacksmith shopand various emporiums,” accordingto his daughter. The elementaryand high schools were well established, and the first cottage hospitalon Patterson Ave. was nearing theend of its time. A new hospital wasbuilt in 1912, with Dr. Van Kleekthe first doctor.Peggy Adair Landon, who came to

Armstrong with her father in 1911,said: “When we first came, Messers


Daykin and Jackson ran a successful flour mill, but the chiefjob opportunities were at the lumber yardand sawmills, the Creamery, andthe packing houses.”On March 31, 1913, the City of

Armstrong was incorporated, formally separating itself as an entityapart from the Municipality ofSpallumcheen.After the first World War with

Germany and Holland rebuildingtheir own agricultrual industries,the bottom fell out of the seed market, and Armstrong’s Seed Co-opclosed. Small farms were in troubleas jobs became more readily available in industry, and that causedboth remaining packing houses toclose. Cheap produce fromCalifornia and Washington guaranteed the loss of Armstrong’s vegetable markets, and imported eggs didthe same to the egg industry Butthat still didn’t daunt many of theproducers.A fire destroyed the Chinese sec

tion of town in 1912 but didn’t holdback the production of vegetables.While production of celery and someof the other vegetables growing inthe area had declined, the discoverythat asparagus grew well inArmstrong created an expansion inthat direction. Soon Armstrong became one of the major asparagusgrowing districts in the countryHog production also survived, and

with the increase in asparagus,growers had a strong basis on whichto build. Ranchers and cattlemenwho were raising pure breeding animals improved the strains and continued successfully. Mechanization,specialization, and new technologrmeant successful farming.Automatic feeding systems, seedingand thrashing machines came intogeneral use, changing the familyfarm forever.This was also a time of revolution

in the dairy industry. Smaller herdsgave way to larger ones, milkingparlours were made more efficient,with several cows being milked atone time by automatic milking machines. The herds themselves werechanged through new breedingmethods that enabled cattle to makemore efficient use of feed to createB.C. HistoricalNe

more milk per animal. The dairy industry was served by a creamery established by local farmers which hasevolved to become the ArmstrongCheese plant.As agriculture grew, new related

industries sprang up in the town-site. Feed and supply stores wereestablished, with Buckerfield’s thefirst. Charlie Hoover built an alfalfamill (where the Pea Growers nowstands) to grind alfalfa, and he operated Inland Flour Mills, later purchased, in 1946, by Buckerfield’sWhen the CNR brought in its branchline in 1924, there were four trainscoming through the town every day,bringing in necessities and takingaway farm products to markets botheast and west. Farm machineryand equipment sales outlets werebuilt to service the growing trend toward mechanization on the farm.Each wintei hundreds of tons of

ice were hauled in from Otter Lakeby teams of horses and sleighs.They were stored in straw and sawdust, kept ready for packing freshvegetables. By 1925 there were fourpacking houses in Armstrong, witha Chinese shipping office (WongChong & Co.) established later nearthe stockyards.Throughout those years, the ex

pansion and changes in the industrywere reflected each year at the IPE.Farmers continued to bring theirnew varieties of stock and produce,and their innovative ideas, to thefair. The need for expansion was increased by the burning of the cattlebarn on the fairgrounds in 1925.Over the next four years, Fair directors bought more land and built asheep barn, poultry barn and twomore 30 x 100-foot barns to housethe swelling interest in exhibiting.The Depression and War years

brought the Armstrong area thesame hard times as every other partof the ocuntry went through. Timeschanged, markets dwindled, andmany of the Chinese moved away,leaving the economy at its weakest.But the pursuit of agriculture continued. The IPE reflected the changes,and served as a reminder of thestrength of the land. In 1930 theIPE Association held its first class Bshow; by 1938 further land was

added to the grounds, the livestockbuildings and grandstand were rearranged to make room for a quarter-mile race track and 200 feet of boxstalls.And agriculture, like the fair has

continued to endure and grow. Thedays following World War II sawrapid price hikes, and again consumers and farmers alike had to respond to a changing environment.The first hay balers were used in thedistrict in the late 1940s, and moremechanization meant higher initialcosts to farmers. It also gave themthe means to become more efficient,and to remain in the industry.Changes in the railroad system

also had its effect on agriculture.Throughout the early history ofArmstrong, farmers depended on therailway to ship their goods, but during the 1950s costs for shippingwere rising. That, combined withthe fact better highways were beingconstructed to connect Armstrongwith major markets both east andwest, brought about changes in howgoods were shipped. The last passenger train pulled out of Armstrongokn March 16, 1957, a service nolonger felt necessary because of thecompletion of Highway 97 the preceding year. In March of 1958,steam locomotive number 4308made its final run through the city,and an era ended.Farming continues to be the back

bone of the Armstrong economy.Dairymen supply Armstrong Cheesewith milk for its operation, andthere is a flourishing poultry market. Hatcheries, breeders, and poultry farm supply Colonial Farms andStarbird Enterprises, and egg producers are a growing industry.The city has benefitted through

the many related industries thatserve those involved in agriculture,and logging continues to contributeto the economy. This year, (1989)the city again paid tribute to its beginnings with the IPE, and 50,000people, the largest crowd evei joinedin the celebration.

JudyRiemche 18 a feature writer with theVERNON MORNING STAR papei andSecretary of the ArmstronglEnderby OHSbmnch.

20

TheRole ofEnderby in EarlyOkanagan History

by Bob CowanEnderby played a pivotal role in

the development of the OkanaganValley. Situated on the west bankof the Spallumcheen or ShuswapRiver, it was located at a pointwhere the river changed its westerlyflow to a northerly direction, emptying into Mara Lake. It was a milesouth of this point that AlexanderLeslie Fortune, an Overlander, preempted land in 1866, thus becomingthe first white settler in the northOkanagan.This geographical quirk made the

bend in the river an ideal stoppingspot for steamboats from Kamloopsshipping supplies to settlers in thesouth, It was from this point thatgoods could be transhipped to thehead of Okanagan Lake, a distanceof twenty miles.In 1871 Fredrick Brent bought

mill-stones, iron frame and hopperin San Francisco for his flour millnear Okanagan Mission. They arrived by sailing ship in Victoria,where they were re-shipped to Yale.They travelled by freight wagon toSavona’s Ferry where they wereagain placed on a steamboat. Theyprogressed through the ThompsonRiver system, Shuswap Lake, andthen up the Shuswap River toFortune’s Landing. From there theywere taken overland to the head ofOkanagan Lake near CorneliusO’Keefe’s ranch. A rowboat tookthem to Lequimes Landing wherethey were off-loaded and skidded bystone-boat four miles inland. ‘ Theconnection at Fortune’s Landingwas central to the success of thismarathon adventure.Recognizing the importance of this

spot on the river, Thomas andRobert Lambly pre-empted the 320acres to the west and north of theSpallumeheen Band Reserve in1876. They built a large warehouse. Thomas Lambly was madeCommissioner of Lands and Works

for the Okanagan Polling division,and had his office initially in part ofthe warehouse. The site becameknown as Lambly’s Landing orSteamboat Landing.The large ranches to the south con

tinued to grow and prosper. Theyhad considerable success with wheatand other cereal cultivation. To milltheir crop the farmers had to taketheir product to the Fortune mill (norelation to A.L. Fortune) inKamloops or the Brent mill nearOkanagan Mission.With the completion of the CPR

mainline in 1885, it did not seemunreasonable that a flour mill couldbe built at Lambly’s to handle thewheat production in theSpallumcheen and transport the finished product to Sicamous by boat.Messers. Lawes and Rashdale con

structed a five story roller mill onthe river bank in 1887. Mr. Laweshad come from an old milling familyin the neighborhood of Salisbury,Wiltshire, England. More recentlyhe had managed a mill in Oregon.AS. Farwell reported to the provin

cial government (June 9, 1887) onthe viability of the Okanagan for future development if a rail line wasextended from Sicamous toOkanagan Landing with the following:Messers. Lawes and Rashdale ex

pect to have their mill in running order by the first of August next.They inform me that they have1,500 tons of last years’s wheat onhand, which quantity is sufficient tosupply the mill at its full capacityfor four months. The cost of the millon the day it starts work will be over$60,000. I mention this fact toshow Mi Lawes’ firm belief in thewheat growing capacity of the district in the first place, and his confidence in being able to manufacturean article of flour which will competesuccessfully with that imported fromOregon, in the second.If Messers. Lawes and Rashdale

succeed in stopping the drain on theresources of the province for breadstuff amounting annually to over$200,000.00, they will deserve thethanks of the community at large.

Columbia FlourMil4 Enderby. Jack Balky delivering flou, circa 1892.

21 B.C. Historical News

Without the aid of rail transportation, Messers. Lawes and Rashdalehad great difficulty getting their finished product to Sicamous with anyregularity. At one point, WebWright, local teamster and owner ofthe Enderby Hotel, attempted totake a load of flour to Sicamous overthe frozen river and lake only to losehis team under the ice at theSicamous narrows.By 1888 the Lawes and Rashdale

mill was in receivership. Mr. R.PRithet, a Victoria businessman, purchased the mill. Mr. Rithet was amajor shareholder in the proposedShuswap and Okanagan Railwaythat would connect Sicamous withOkanagan Landing. He, togetherwith Moses Lumby (owner of thelarge ranch south of town, laterknown as the Stepney Ranch), wasinstrumental in persuading the provincial government to become financially committed to the Shuswapand the Okanagan Railway.It seemed clear that the railway

was coming, and the little settlement on the river would be the hubof the construction. A post office wasslated to open in Mr. Harvey’sGeneral Store, But what namewould appear on the post mark?Would it be Steamboat Landing orLambly’s Landing or Belvedere(Mrs. Lambly’s preference)? At a literary gathering at Mrs. Lawes’home, the group became excited by a

Jean Englow poem about a risingtide of water. The villagers weresaved by the chiming of church bellsplaying the tune “The Brides ofEnderby”. When the post officeopened that fall, many local residents were surprised that they livedin Enderby.Enderby was the centre for the

Shuswap and Okanagan construction crews. The scow the Red Star,plied the river carrying railway construction material south and flourfrom the mill north. Mr. Rithet alsoowned the Red Star.The completion of the railway in

1891 marked the end of an era forEnderby. No longer was Enderbypivotal for the shipment of goodsinto the Okanagan. While productssuch as flour (and later lumber)could more easily be shipped fromEnderby, the town could now be easily by-passed. Enderby’s growthand importance became inverselyproportional to the development andimportance of other Okanagan citiessuch as Vernon or Kelowna.

* * * * * * * * * *

Bob Cowan is chaimzan oftlw Enderby andDistrictMuseum Society, and current editor ofOHSReport.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. F.M. iluckland. Ogopogo’sVigil p.43

2. AS. Farwell - June 9, 1887 Report p. 22

3. OHS Reports #6 P. 22 & 24

OFFICIAL PROGRAM

VICTORIA DAYENDERBY, B.C.May 25908

Royal Salute 9:45 a. m.The booming of canon and chorus a! whistica will

welcome the city’s guoote

WATER SPORTS10 o’clock—sharp

Indian Canoe race, 3-paddles—-let,$4.60; 2nd, $1.60.

10.20 o’clockWhite Man’s Canoe race, 2-pad-

dles—lst, $4; 2nd, $2.10.40 o’clock

Singlit Canoe race, white man’s,br the amateur championship of theValley—Trophy.

U o’clockKlootchman’s Canoe race, 3-pad-

dies—-ist, $6; 2nd, $3.11.20 oclock

Log Rolling contest—One prize,$15.

11.40 o’clockWalking Greasy PoIe—$5.

12 o’clockLaunch race, open to all—-Trophy.

FIELD SPORTSBASEBAL-L Ver,,ou.ArcmtrocaEojsrhy

Captains will draw for the bye. The irat aanewill be caBal at 112111 a. m.; tho second at tbiconclusion of the lacrosse match In the at turnoon.

LACROSSE Arm.troag v. VernonGame called tl,li0 p. rn

RAClNG First race called at 410 p. m. In all,mns’s racm an entrance fee of ISo will be charged.Four to enter, three to utrt.

100—yards, open to all—ist, $4;2nd. $2.Ilaif-tiulo, oi,eu to all—:Iet, $4;

2nd, $2.Fat Man’s race, over 200-lbs.—-

1st, $4; 2nd, $2.Obstacle race, for boys, 16 and

under—let, $3; 2nd, $2.Sack race, boys under 12—1st, $1;

2nd, SOc.KpotctPnaU’8 race—let, $2; 2nd,

Wpeelbarrow raoe blindfolded—let, 4; 2nd, $2.Girl’s race. 75 yards, open to all—

1st, 12: 2nd, 1.Re1y rw3e, 4 men, must be bona

d4e rJdents ot the town they reprsent—Medals.Tug-of-war, married v& single

men—Box 50 cigars.

Grand Ball in EveningAcco,,uowlat,oo for 100 on the floor. Conibloed

ball room of the Ball blocl engaged. Foflowir,the days sports. and as a prelude to the GranBall. a street celebration of All Fools Hour will heheld, The Endcrby band will open the frolIc from

the hand stand atS o’r.,ock. Everybody Lainvited to parilclpate In the frolIc,

masked or unmask,.’d. Haveall the fun you wantuntil the day wecalibrate


Commandos in the Ohanagan Valley

by Win Shilvock

During the 1939-45 world wai theBritish war cabinet operated an organization called Special OperationsExecutive (SOE) which trained commandos to function behind enemylines in Europe, Few people everknew that these covert activitiesalso operated in the peacefulOkanagan Valley in BritishColumbia.The action began in 1944 when at

tention was directed more closely toactivities in the South Pacific. InApril, Major Hugh John Legg, whoworked with the SOE for some yearsin England, was ordered toVancouver to set up the organization.Since Occidentals wouldn’t fit into

Asian setting, a search began forChinese men who would volunteerfor this very perilous assignment.Many Chinese had enlisted in theCanadian army and from these several dozen quickly volunteered, butonly 12 were required to fill the establishment.The names of these intrepid men

were; Tom Lock, Eddie Chow, HenryWong, Raymond Low, John Ko,Doug Jung, W.L. Wong andNorman Wong. The remaining four,Roy Chan, James Shiu, NormanLow and Louie King would receivethe Military Medal for their heroicactions in combat. All were giventhe NCO rank of Sergeant.Secrecy was important to the mis

sion so a secluded spot on the eastside of Okanagan Lake was chosenfor the training area. It was a smallbay directly opposite today’s government campsites betweenSummerland and Peachland. Noroads led to the site and access wasgained to it only by water.At this time it was known as

Dunrobin Bay after L.R. Dunrobinwho had pre-empted the area manyyears before. After the war,

however, when the story leaked out,local custom changed the name toCommando Bay, a name that is nowpreserved forever as part ofOkanagan Mountain Park.In addition to the volunteers, the

party that arrived in Pentiction viathe Kettle Valley Railway fromVancouver on the first of May, comprised Major Legg, two Canadiansergeants who were trained in explosives and sabotage and Mr. & Mrs.Francis Kendall. Mrs. Kendall wasChinese and the couple had lived formany years in the Far East.Besides contributing a knowledge ofthe country the commandos wouldoperate in, Kendall was also a demolition expert.At this point a curious fact was

discovered. Since the trainees wereall Chinese it was assumed they allspoke Chinese, but such wasn’t thecase. Eight of the 12 had beenraised in families that spoke onlyEnglish at home, so Mrs. Kendallset up classes to teach her compatriots the rudiments of their native language.By the middle of May, with a

wharf constructed and a campsiteset up, a rigorous training schedulewas put into effect.Only four months had been allot

ted for training so the schedule wasrigid and intense. Every one wasup and in the lake at six a.m.Then it was discovered that none ofthe boys could swim. This wasquickly taken in hand and by theend of the course all excelled in theart, Brisk exercises were next andfollowing breakfast from seven toseven-thirty, a half-hour clean uptook place. Except for time out formeals, training went from 8 am. to9 p.m.The basic instructions were self-

preservation and sabotage whichmeant being able to kill the other

fellow before he killed you. It wasnecessary to know radio telegraphyand this was carried out on the lakeshore north and south of the camp.Sabotage required demolition andmany thumps, booms and crumpswere heard day and night by theresidents on the west side ofOkanagan Lake. The benches abovethe camp took a pounding and anabandoned cabin in Wild HorseCanyon was annihilated.Secrecy forbade movement too far

from the training area, but twice inthe four-month period everyonecrossed the lake to Paradise Ranchand picked fruit for a few hours.The routine was also broken whenGeneral George Pearkes, GOCPacific Command, spent a week-endat the camp to see how things weregoing.Training was completed the first of

September, 1944, and the commandos shifted to B.C. coastal waters forundersea exercises. This was quickly completed, and after a circuitousjourney via New Guinea to dodge enemy action, the party arrived inAustralia. Here, at another secret

Commandos (L to R.) Loule King, Jim Shiuand Eddie Chow Courtesy PentictonMuseum &Archives.


SOE camp, parachute training wasreceived.The moment of truth came when

they were parachuted into the interi

or of Borneo among the native headhunters. The combination of trainedcommandos and natives who knewthe jungle and were skilled in theart of quick killing worked extremelywell. So well, that in two monthsthe Japanese were forced from theinterior to the coast.The radio telegraphy training re

ceived in the Okanagan now becamevery important. From the continuousreports that were sent, the Alliesknew exactly the whereabouts of theJapanese on Borneo when it came

time to retake the area after thebombs were dropped on Japan inAugust 1945.Despite the manifold perils of the

jungle and many encounters withthe enemy, all 12 men survived.However, Norman Low, who won theMilitary Medal, was wounded anddespite several years of hospitaltreatment died in 1960.The operation was so secret that

no official records were ever kept andfor 44 years any recognition of thepart played by these men in thePacific was was masked with silence. Although many details willnever be known, enough came tolight over the years so that Parks

B.C. was able to erect a memorial atCommando Bay extolling the deedsof the 12 intrepid Chinese-Canadianvolunteers. The ceremony was heldon September 17, 1988.Wing Won, although now 87 years

old, was able to attend. He had liedabout his age and although he was43 at the time, was able to keep upto the grinding pace required of acommando.Another veteran in attendance, at

the age of 64, was Doug Jung.After his discharge Jung spearheaded the Chinese community inVancouver to obtain the Chineseright to vote. If we were goodenough to fight for our country (therewere 400 Chinese-Canadians in thearmed forces) we were certainly goodenough to vote. In 1947 the franchise was acquired.Jung also studied law, and in

1953 when his compatriots were allowed to be called to the BritishColumbia Bar, he became the thirdsuch lawyer to qualify. He was thenattracted to politics and became thefirst Chinese in Canada to becomean MF serving Vancouver Centrefrom 1957 to 1962.Although the memory of events

fades with time, there will alwaysbe a small reminder at CommandoBay on Okanagan Lake of the exploits of 12 brave men who playedan integral part in the war in theSouth Pacific.

THE BOUCHERIE MOUNTAIN SECRETOur story of buried treasure takes place near the log house

where John and Susan Allison (Allison Pass) lived at Sunnyside,just east of today’s Westbank. The house still stands at the corner of Sunnyside and Boucherie Roads.When Allison’s cattle were all but wiped out in the frightful winter

of 1879-80 he was forced to sell his property and move back to hisold home at Vermillion Forks (Princeton.The purchaser was a grizzled cowpuncher named John Phillips

who, the following year went into partnership with Hugh Armstrong,a tough bullheaded Irishman who came from the Oregon Territory.Armstrong had just sold some property down south for a considerable amount of gold which he was carrying when he arrived atSunnyside. Not knowing what to do with it he buried it but kept secret its location.The cattle-ranch partnership carried on amicably until 1886

when the two men had a falling out and agreed to divide the stockand horses and sell the property. All went well until a vicious argument erupted over who owned a certain halter. No decision had

been reached when on March 28, 1886, Phillips became ill and wentto bed in his cabin which was near the Allison house whereArmstrong lived.For some time Armstrong stewed over the halter matter and hav

ing worked himself into a state of almost frenzy, decided something should be done about it. Picking up a large stick he crossedto Phillips’ cabin, determined to get the matter settled. When theburly Irishman exploded through the door, wielding a stick, Phillipspanicked, grabbed a nearby rifle, fired and Armstrong droppeddead.After a lengthy trial in Kamloops, a jury decided Phillips acted in

self-defence and he was acquitted of a murder charge. It was suggested, though, that he might have done in Armstrong in order toget the gold. But he had never been told the secret and Armstrongtook the location of the treasure to his grave.So somewhere around the south side of Boucherie Mountain is

buried a lot of gold. To this day no one has found it.- Win Shilvock

Commando Bay - Okanagan Lake. Photo Courtesy Penticton Museum andArchives.

B.C. HistoricalNe24

Private Schools in the Ohanagan

by Winston A. Shilvock

In the early days of the OkanaganValley there was a plethora of private schools but most had a comparatively short life, due mainly to financial problems.The schools grew out of a need for

discipline; religious education; athletic facilities; small classes thatgave personal instruction; more desirable companions, and personalsupervision 24 hours a day forboarders. A large percentage of theyoungsters came from the Coast, foroddly, few private schools existedthere.The first record of a “private”

school is when F. Adrian Myers began what he called a “College” inhis home in Vernon in 1893. Thisfailed to develop and it was followedin 1905 by a school in theColdstream run by the Reverend St.John Mildmay. This, too, didn’tlast long.Two years latei in 1907, the enterprising Okanagan BaptistCollege was founded at WestSummerland. Although it existedfor only eight years it left a lastingimpression on local education.The main building was three and

one-half stories high, heated withhot water and had full electriclighting. There was accommodationfor 50 boarders, seven teachers andthe household staff; a large chapel,music room, principal’s office and adining room to seat 100.A gymnasium and large women’s

residence were added the followingyear. All this was built 600 feet upon the side of Giant’s HeadMountain, providing a magnificentview over the town and OkanaganLake.The project had an auspicious

start when almost immediately theenrollment was 71 pupils. Theycame from as far away as Ontario,Saskatchewan, Alberta and the B.C.

Coast. The first few years were verysuccessful, but when a depressionhit in 1912 and the war started in1914, attendance declined rapidlyand indebtedness rose sharply.The future looked bleak and de

spite an affiliation with McMastersUniversity, in the Fall of 1915 theBaptist Union of Western Canadadecided to close the college and writeoff the many tens of thousands ofdollars invested.The gymnasium became a fruit

packing house but today is a YouthCentre in Summerland and thewomen’s residence became a Homefor the Friendless. The two largestbuildings remained, but in 1941 onewas destroyed by fire and off and onfor the next 47 years the otherserved as a restaurant. Finally, inJuly, 1988, the last vestige of theOkanagan Baptist College vanishedwhen the building was moved toPenticton to serve as a restaurantand pub.Almost in step with the

Summerland venture was an attempt by a Miss Bloomfield to establish a co-ed day school at OkanaganMission in 1908. Little is known ofthis effort except that it ceased tooperate in 1909 and the peak attendance is thought to have been about10 pupils.In 1908 A.H. Scriven established a

non-denominational boys school inNorth Vancouver, called ChesterfieldSchool. Howevei in 1912 his wifebecame seriously ill and was told tomove to a drier climate. The schoolwas sold and a move made to theOkanagan Valley where Scriven, hissenior teacher WJ. Bennett, andMatron, Mrs. T.W. Harvey, begananother Chesterfield School inKelowna.Shortly after the opening in

October 1912, the Scriven’s decidedto return to England and Mr.

Bennett and Mrs. Harvey took overas joint owner.The school was never very success

ful financially and, as with theBaptist College, the depression of1912 and war of 1914 caused a decline in attendance. However, thetwo owners managed to carry on until 1924 when they married eachother and returned to NorthVancouver, again joining Scrivenwho had returned to Canada andstarted Kingsley School.The record shows, that in the 12

years it operated, ChesterfieldSchool in Kelowna graduated 71boys. Attesting to the excellent education received, many of the youngpeople became famous in futureyears and made names for themselves in the military, politics andthe professions.The private schools that were most

successful in the Valley were twothat began within a year of eachother in Vernon.St. Michael’s School was started in

1913 by Miss Maud LeGallais tocater to girls aged eight to 18. It began in two houses, but by 1921 ithad prospered to the extent that anew, large, three-story building wasable to be built on five acres of landon a hill overlooking Vernon.It had four dormitories and an in

firmary, class rooms and rooms formusic, dancing and dramatics.From the start it had the blessing ofthe Anglican Church and back in1917 was designated “The Bishop’sSchool of the Diocese of Kootenay”.Conformity in dress was required

and all girls wore a tunic, silk blouseand blazer. Bloomers were worn forsports for shorts were unheard of foryoung ladies in those days.Physical fitness was stressed and

there was a well equipped gymnasium. In the surrounding acreagegrass hockey, tennis, badminton


and cricket were played. The cricketteam often competed successfullywith one from the nearby boysschool.Financial problems arose during

the depression of the 1930s and St.Michael’s School was forced to closein 1937. It was turned into anapartment block which, when deterioration later set in, was torn downand a condominium complex wasbuilt on the site. It’s called St.Michael’s Court which today carrieson the proud memory of the school.The Vernon Preparatory School for

boys was founded by the Rev. AC.Mackie and his brother. HF.Mackie, January 13, 1914, and began in a small house in theColdstream with packing crates fordesks.It catered to boys eight to 15

years of age and covered grades oneto io. On opening there were fivestudents which grew in numberwhen a maximum of 63 was reachedin 1921. When the brothers retiredin 1946 they had educated 456 boysduring a 32-year period.The school was run in a typical

English spartan manner and great

emphasis was placed on physical fitness. The men were graduates fromSt. John’s School, Leatherhead, andthe Rev. A.C. also from CorpusChristi College, Cambridge andDurham University. They were wellgrounded in the rigid Old Countrymethods of schooling.“Mackie’s” as it was affectionately

called, never made much money butit did construct several buildings fordormitories, classrooms and agymnasium. It also acquired landfor great sporting events and in1921 the graceful St. NicholasChapel was dedicated to the religious aspects of education. A well-stocked library provided referencebooks on manifold subjects.An unfortunate incident happened

in 1927 when one of the boys wasbitten by a rattlesnake and died.Rev. Mackie swore a vendetta on thecreatures and is reputed to havekilled more than 4,000 during therest of his life.In 1946 C.M.WC. Twite took over

and ran the school until 1953 whenit was incorporated as anEducational Trust. It gradually

went downhill, however and in themid 1960s was closed permanentlyand became a home for the elderly.The last private school to start

and the only one still in operation isthe Okanagan Adventist Academy.In 1917 Robert Clayton, a

Seventh-Day Adventist, opened afamily school in his home inRutland. In time the facilities became too small and in 1920 a movewas made to a nearby hotel where aco-ed boarding academy was established.At the same time property was

purchased in Rutland and in 1925 aschool was built to handle all gradesup to Grade 10. This was known asthe Rutland Junior Academy.Growth continued and the schoolwas expanded and in 1944 Grades11 and 12 were added and thename changed to the RutlandAcademy.Finally, in 1968, the building in

use today was built and the namechanged to the Okanagan AdventistAcademy which is carrying on theeducational traditions establishedby Robert Clayton.

JohnMooreRobinson

by Win ShilvockThree towns in the Okanagan

Valley in British Columbia owe theirexistence to the workings of the spirit world, a long-dead Sioux Indianchief and the considerable foresightand unbounded energy of JohnMoore Robinson.“J.M.,” as Robinson was invaria

bly called was born of English stockin Ontario in 1855. A good education was obtained in Canada andthe United States when he movedwest to Winnipeg, Manitoba. By thetime J.M. was 33 he had been aschool teachei a newspaper reporterand owned three newspapers in

Portage la Prairie and Brandon. Hehad also found the time and staminato be Grand Master of the OrangeLodge and a member of theManitoba Legislature.In 1888 Robinson made a trip to

the Kootenays in southern BritishColumbia to investigate several mining operations. Then, continuingwestward he came to theSimilkameen Valley which extendsfor 70 miles between Princeton andOkanagan Lake. He took an immediate liking to the country and determined this was the place to searchfor gold. It took some time, howevei

to organize his affairs in Manitobaand it wasn’t until 1897 that he wasable to carry out his plans.Robinson was keenly interested in

the occult so when he formed a mining company from among hisManitoba associates, one of the sixdirectors was a Mr. Anderson, aclairvoyant. Diamond drills andscanners were unknown in thosedays and J.M. reasoned thatAnderson could invoke the aid of thespirit world to locate the motherlode.The spirits didn’t cooperate, howev

er, and the venture failed. One day

EC. Historical News26

while looking over the situation nearOkanagan Lake, Robinson hadlunch with Charles Lambly who rana cattle operation at TrepanierCreek and had a few fruit trees forhis personal use. When some luscious peaches were served for dessert and Robinson learned they hadbeen grown just a few yards awayhis agile mind jumped at theidea of developing the landcommercially to grow fruit ofall kinds - apples, pears,plums, cherries and grapes.Up to now Ontario was theonly area in Canada to growfruit commercially.Not one to daily when he

got an idea, he discarded themining venture and with thehelp of some moreWinnipegonians, in 1898founded the PeachiandTownsite Co. Ltd. Extensiveblocks of land were purchasedfrom early pre-emptors anddivided into 10-acre fruit lots.With irrigation water guaranteed from Deep Creek, thelots sold for $100 an acre.Through intensive promo

tion back east, immigrationsurged following the first carload of settlers who arrivedMay 6, 1898. So rapid wasthe flow that in December that yeara post office was opened and at therequest of Robinson was named“Peachiand.”While all this was going on J.M.

had been surveying the country immediately south of Peachland.Some pre-emptions were beingworked in the Trout Creek area, butthe benches to the west were practically virgin territory since no irrigation was available. He reasonedthat if water could be provided theland would be as good or better thanwhat he had already developed.In 1902 the Summerland

Development Co. Ltd was incorporated and with the help of a$75,000 loan from Sir ThomasShaughnessy of CPR fame, acquireda huge block of land owned byGeorge N. Barclay of Barclay’s

English bank, along with severalmarginal pre-emptions. With theconstruction of an extensive irrigation system things began to humand as more settlers flowed into thevalley a townsite was laid out onthe lakeshore.A two-story 20-room hotel was

built; a domestic water system in-

stalled; a hydro-electric plant wasconstructed, making Summerlandthe first community in theOkanagan Valley to have electriclights. In Novembei 1902, a postoffice was opened and at Robinson’ssuggestion was named“Summerland.” By the end of 1906the population warranted incorporation and Robinson was elected thefirst reeve.Never content with his accomplish

ments he looked south for furtherproperty to develop but was thwarted by the cattle baron, Tom Ellis,who owned the land. Howevei Ellisagreed to sell 12,000 acres directlyacross the lake from Summerlandand in 1906, 3,000 acres were developed into 10-acre lots. This venturealso boomed and in 1907 a post office was opened.

In naming this new developmentJ.M. toyed with the idea of calling itBrighton Beach in honor of theEnglish locale of his family.Howevei the matter was settled onenight when a seance was held in thetent home of J.S. Gillespie whosewife was a noted medium.In 1931 Robinson wrote to a friend

explaining what happened.“The question of the nameNARAMATA has been identified with claims of spiritualism and I hesitate to explainit to you as you will not knowwhat I’m talking about unless you, too, have spent thelast 30 or 40 years trying toinvestigate the subject.”He went on to say that Mrs.

Gillespie was entered by thespirit of a Sioux Indian chiefnamed Big Moose who spokeof his beloved wife, calling herNAR-RA-MAT-TAH whichmeant “Smile of Manitou.”Robinson then continued, “Idecided this was a goodname for our village.” Theunnecessary letters weredropped and NARAMATAcame into being.Of the three towns estab

lished by Robinson,Naramata appealed to him

the most and in 1907 he gave upthe spacious family home inSummerland, and with his wife, fivedaughters and three sons, movedacross the lake where he lived untilpassing away February 23, 1943.None of the three towns he found

ed has grown to a metropolis, butthey are, and probably always willbe, quiet, comfortable places to live.Through them the dynamic, visionary John Moore Robinson attractedmore settlers to the OkanaganValley than any other person.

J..M Robinson.

27 B.C Historical News

TheDevelopment ofthe OrchcudIndustry in the Okanagan Valley, 1890-1914

by David Dendy

Fruit has been grown in theOkanagan almost as long as thearea has been settled. The OblateFathers planted apple trees at theOkanagan Mission in 1863, andsmall orchards were laid out by other settlers, such as George Whelanand Alfred Postill at Kelowna in1875-76. But these were smallplantin, intended only to supplyfruit for the ranchers themselves.There were no serious attempts atcommercial fruit-growing in theOkanagan until the 1890s.Basically, the small production

was a result of the lack of transportation facilities. The completion ofthe C.PR. in 1885 really did littleto alter the situation, for the linewas forty miles or more north of thebest fruit lands at Vernon andsouth. While relatively imperishable grain and cattle could withstandsuch a trip in a wagon or afoot, fruitcould not.All this was changed by the

Shuswap and Okanagan Railwaywhich was completed from Sicamousthrough Vernon to Okanagan Lakeon May 12, 1892. But fruit was notking of the land yet.The man who brought fruit to at

tention and prominence, more thanany othei was the Earl of Aberdeen,Governor General of Canada from1893 to 1898. In the fall of 1890 hebought 480 acres at OkanaganMission (later named the‘Guisachan’ Ranch) and in 1891 theColdstream Ranch of Forbes G.Vernon, an estate of over 13,000acres. Lord Aberdeen was an innovative man, and in 1892 plantedout 200 acres at each of his ranchesto orchard, as well as experimentingwith hops. Some of the farmers inthe valley, inspired by this example,also planted fruit trees. By 1893roughly 75,000 trees, mostly apples

had been planted in the YaleCariboo district, largely at Kelownaand Vernon,But this burst of energy did not

last. One very significant check onthe expansion of the industry in theOkanagan was the continent-widedepression which commenced in late1893 and lasted for five years. Suchconditions were not conducive to ventures requiring large capital expenditures, and fruit growing fell intothat category. Lady Aberdeen, forexample, wrote that the prospectiveorchardist needed a capital of notless than £ 500 so as to afford tobuy twenty acres, plant it, put up ahouse, and live for the four or fiveyears before the trees produced acrop.Development was also slowed by

the fact that so much of the bestland was part of huge properties ofthe original cattle ranchers, and until they decided to sell there was nopossibility of extensive fruit growing.Lord Aberdeen attempted to alleviate the problem by subdividing part

of his Coldstream Ranch in 1893,and the Okanagan LandDevelopment Company also soldsome lands in smaller plots, butmost of the land was still locked upin huge ranches.Other problems beset the infant in

dustry as well. Many went into orcharding with the belief that all thathad to be done was to plant thetrees, which would take care ofthemselves, and to collect the profits. Even Lord Aberdeen’s experiments suffered from this assumption. In 1896 the ‘Guisachan’orchard had to be pulled out, andthe original plantings at Coldstreamwere also not very successful. Itwas not until the turn of the centuryand the coming into bearing of thereplanted areas, that theColdstream estate could again bepointed out as an example of thesuccess of orcharding, as can be seenfrom the fruit production statistics:25 tons in 1897, 150 in 1898, 100in 1899 and 279 in 1900.A final problem was that of finding

Early ditch and flume irrigation, cwca 189O.


markets for the fruit and getting itto them. As early as 1894 the manager of the Coldstream Ranch complained that Lack of markets weconsider the greatest drawback tofarming in this district, and also thehigh freight rates. The first sales,of course, were local. The miners atFairview and Camp McKinney inthe southern Okanagan provided amarket for some fruit, particularlyfrom Summerland and south, butthese camps were not large andcould certainly not absorb the cropfrom further north.The prairies were another matter

Most of the fruit sold there camefrom the United States. TheCanadian fruit which was sold onthe prairies was almost entirelyfrom Nova Scotia and Ontario,which had the transportation advantage of cheap Great Lakesshipping. Freight rates were veryhigh on the eRR., and only veryslowly was it pressured into reducing them; for example, it cost sixcents per pound in 1895 on fruit expressed from Vancouver toWinnipeg, and by 1899 this ratehad been reduced to two and a quarter cents. By 1901 rates had beencut to the point where apples couldbe shipped from points in theOkanagan to Calgary for onlyeighty-five cents per hundredpounds.The time was ripe for renewed in

terest in Okanagan fruit lands.British Columbia was emergingfrom the economic doldrums, andthe older orchards were now producing enough to show that fruit growing could be profitable.Surprisingly, it was a prairie manwho first took advantage of the newconditions. J.M. Robinson camefrom Manitoba to prospect for goldnear Peachiand. The mining venture was a failure, but Robinson wasimpressed by the fruit he foundthere. In 1899 he started sellingfruit lands at Peachland to wheatfarmers from the prairies, who wereentranced by the combination of favourable climate, sport, and easyliving. When he had finished sellingthe land available at Peachiand he

moved on to wider fields, and in1903 incorporated the SummerlandDevelopment Company.Others, noting the trend of the

times, were quick to followRobinson’s example. WR. Pooleyand EM. Carruthers had been engaged in the real estate business atKelowna since 1902 and in 1904they combined with T.W. Stirling toform the Kelowna Lands andOrchard Co., which bought 6,743acres from the Lequime family for$65,000. This land was quicklyprovided with roads and irrigation,and placed on the market at pricesfrom $100 to $200 per acre. In1905 the Southern Okanagan LandCompany, a similar enterprise, wasincorporated at Penticton to buy thehuge Ellis estate and subdivide it.The great Okanagan land boom wason.An illustration of the boom can be

seen in the statistics of fruit acreagein British Columbia: in 1901 therewere 7,430 acres planted. In 1904there were 13,340, and in 1905 a total of 29,000, almost all of the expansion being in the Okanagan.“This increase in acreage for 1905meant the planting of about1,000,000 young trees.” It shouldbe noted that most of the first buyers were settlers from Manitoba andthe prairies who were well oft, butwho had had enough of prairieweather. Only later was there aninflux of English settlers, lured outto farm the colonies by expensive advertisements promising large returns and appealing for British immigrants.The promoters of Okanagan lands

continued to boost their holdings,promising great profits: After amaximum wait of five years, I understand the settler may look forward with reasonable certainty to anet income of from $100 to $150 peracre, after all expenses of cultivationhave been paid. Some advertisements went higher, speaking of income from a ten-acre orchard as£600 or even £700 per annum.By 1911 scepticism was rising,

particularly among those who foundthat the land they had been sold did

not match up to the promises. oneman, who had bought an orchardfrom the Coldstream Estate, thensold out and returned to Britain in1911 reported: It was impossiblenot to be struck with the obvious,shall I say, lack of riches everywhere. I met man after man, someof whom had been fifteen or twentyyears in the country, but never a oneof them had done much more thankeep his head above wateiThe sceptics were confirmed in

1912. By this time many of the neworchards were coming into bearing.A heavy crop in the Okanagan coincided with similar heavy crops inWashington and Oregon, and the result was that the usual markets onthe Canadian prairies were gluttedwith the American surplus at lowprices, and the Okanagan fruit,which came onto the market laterthan the American crop, was put atan enormous disadvantage, with resultant disastrously low prices.One result if the disaster of 1912

was that the growers decided thatcooperation was a must if they wereto survive. The only cooperative organization previously extant, theOkanagan Fruit Union, had beenformed in 1908 and had operated ona small scale, but was forced to gointo liquidation as a result of the1912 debacle. A new organization,Okanagan United Growers Ltd.,was formed in May of 1913. Thisventure was more successful, andmanaged to hold a large portion ofthe market until 1923, when a newand larger cooperative associationwas set up.As far as land sales were con

cerned, the damage had been done.Although the promoters tried tokeep the boom going the customersno longer appeared. Conditionswere aggravated by the collapse ofthe province-wide real estate and investment market at the beginning of1913. After 1912 land salesdropped off to almost nothing, andthe land companies were left in severe difficulties, for few of them hadsold more than a third of their irrigable lands. They had been depending on the revenue from sales of land


to pay for the building and repair of the Okanagan valley.their rather makeshift irrigation changed the complexion of the landworks, now; with sales vanishing, from that of extensive to that of in-they had still to maintain these extensive agriculture, and firmly espensive systems for the settlers who tablished orcharding as a major ecobought land already, and who had nomic activity. The fruit industry ofbeen promised cheap water as an in- the Okanagan had grown to theducement to purchase. point where it accounted for the vastDespite the shortcomings of the majority of the province’s output, David Dendy is a graduate of the

land promoters, they fulfilled a valu- producing in 1913 over twenty mil- University ofBritish Columbia. He is nowteaching in the Department of History atable function in the development of lion pounds of fruit, worth to the Okanagan College in Kelowna.

In !7Vlemorüim

Barbara Stannard, Honorary Life Member of the B.C. Historical Federation,passed away in Nanaimo on Saturday, March 24, 1990. Mrs. Stannardwas a valued member of the staff at the Nanaimo Centennial Museum for

many years. She was President of the B.C.H.F. from 1981 - 84. She assistedthe implementation of the Competition for Writers of B.C. History It is

suggested that donations in her memory be made to theB.C.H.E Writing Competition Fund.

Donations should be sent to:

The Treasurer - B.C. Historical FederationMr. E SleighP0. Box 29

Deroche, B.C. VOM 1GO

They farmers more than $640,000 andwith 30,000 people dependent onthe success or failure of the crop orFruit growing had become the established and important industry of theOkanagan.

SUBSCR1 PT IONSThis Okanagan Special issue of the B.C.Historical News is reaching history buffs all overthe province. For those reading this magazine for ithe first time we will briefly define our editorialpolicy. Spring and Fall issues are compiled with a I NAMEtheme; Summer and Winter editions are apotpourri of B.C. History. The Fall 1990 theme is ADDRESSBecause of the War which may refer to the Ieffects of any war since 1858. Articles are beingsought for Because of the War, deadline July I —

15, 1990. A projected theme for 1991 is B.C.s i GIFT FROMCoast and Islands.If new readers wish to join the B.C. Historical IFederation see the form on p. 35. Readers who Mail your cheque to:

wishtosubscribeorgiveagiftsubscriptiontoa I The Subscription Secretary - B.C. Historical Newsfriend, may do so at a cost of $8 per year to an i 5928 Baffin Placeaddress within Canada, $12 outside Canada. Burnaby, B.C. V5H 3S8

I

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POSTAL CODE

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Gems from theArchives

PRODUCT OF CANADA 4.5 VOLUME BUSHEL

Shown are 3 examples of fruit box labels thatwere used in packaging. There were manydifferent kinds.

Labels courtesy of the British Columbia OrchardIndustry Museum in Kelowna

PRICE 10 CENTS.

roçrammeOF THE

PEACHLANDamateur guatic ociation’S

‘econb annuaL

3acc!attatjurbar, 3Iutp 21, 1910.

0 kanaaaniD 4

APPLE

pOLYPACK

L)IXLJ— -.. .

at. FRUIT SHIPPERS LTD., VERNON, SUMMERIAND AND OLIVER, at.

At the turn of the century,tobacco growing was a majorindustry in the Kelowna area.During the harvest, cut tobaccoleaves would be pierced onto afour foot piece of wooden lathe byway of a removeable spear-head -

such as the one pictured here.Once the lathe was full, it washung in a vented tobacco barnwhere the leaves would dry andcure.The artifact pictured is part of

the Kelowna Museums PermanentCollection.Photo courtesy the Kelowna Museum.

Research by Connie Liebholz


WINNERS

Lieutenant-Governor’s MedalROBERT BROWN AND THE VANCOUVEREXPLORING EXPEDITION

Best History for JuniorsWIDOW SMITH OF SPENCES BRIDGE

Best AnthologyFACES OF THE PAST

. + + + •. .• .:• ..

CONTINENTAL DASHThe Russian-American Telegraph:by Rosemary Neering$22.95 - 244 pp - Hard CoverISBN 0-920663-07-9Horsdal and Schubart Publishers Ltd.,P0. Box 1, Ganges, B.C. VOS lEOThe story of the Collins Overload Telegraph

THE FERNWOOD FILESJohn J. Ellis with Charles Lillard$12.95 - 125 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-920501-17-6Orca Book Publishers, P0. Box 5626, Stn. BVictoria, B.C. V8R 6S4History of the Fernwood District, Victoria, since1843

THE COAL COAS’f by Eric Newsome$13.95 - 195 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-920501-11-7 (Hard cover $26.95ISBN 0-920501-25-7)Orca Book Publishers, P0. Box 5626, Stn. B.Victoria, B.C. V8R 6S4Drama and conflict ofcoal mining in B.C.,1835-1900

THE JOURNALS OF GEORGE M. DAWSONBritish Columbia, 1875-78:Ed Douglas - L. Cole and Bradley J Lockner$70.00 2 volume set. Vol 1 296 pp 1875-6Vol. 2 297-611 pp 1877-8ISBN 0-7748-0276-6 & 07748-0286-3University of B.C. Press, 303-6344 MemorialRd. Vancouver, B.C. V6T lW5

CROFION HOUSE SCHOOLThe first ninety years.by Elizabeth Bell-Irving$21.00 - 273 pp - Hard Cover, plus $2 p & p.ISBN 0-9693399-0-1Crofton House School, 3200 West 41st Aye,Vancouver, B.C. V6N 3E 1The school’s history since 1898 -

WETcOAS’r VENTURES by Walter Guppy$11.95, postpaid - 192 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-919763-12-xCappis Press, 1119 Oscar St.Victoria, V8V 2X3

Obtainable from: Milestone Publications, P0.Box 35548, Stn. E, Vancouver, B.C. V6M 4G8or WetCoast Ventures, Box 94, Tofino, B.C.VOR2ZOMine finding on Vancouver Island described.

HAIERSTONF.: BIOGRAPHY OF ANISLAND: by Olivia Fletcher$17.95 - 150 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-9693960-0-7Apple Press, Hornby Island, VOR 1ZOThe historical geography and growth ofHornby Island

AWHITE MANS PROVINCEB.C. Politicians and Chinese and JapaneseImmigrants, 1858-1914: by Patricia E. Roy$37.95 - 327 pp - Hard CoverISBN 0-7748-0330-4University of B.C. Press, 303-6344 MemorialRd., Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1W5Changing attitudes towards Asianimmigrants.

**ROBEIIT BROWNAND THE VANCOUVERISLAND EXPLORING EXPEDITION:by Ed. John Hayman$29.95 -211 pp - Hard CoverUniversity of B.C. Press, 303-6344 MemorialRd., Vancouver B.C. V6T 1W5Selections from Brown’s 1864 Journols

ASSU OF CAPE MUDGE Harry Assu withJoy Inglis$29.95 - 163 pp - Cloth CoverISBN 0-7748-0333-9(Soft Cover, $19.95, ISBN 0-7748-0341-x)University of B.C. Press, 303-6344 MemorialRd., Vancouvei B.C. V6T 1W5Personal recollections of on Indion CoastalChief together with Indian. legends.

THIS WAS OURVALLEX Earl K. Pollonand Shirlee Smith Matheson$26.95 - 403 pp - Hard CoverISBN 0-920490-92-1 (Soft Cover $17.95,ISBN 0-920490-91-3Detselig Enterprises Ltd., P0. Box G 399,Calgary, Alberta T3A 2G3Effects on. th.e Hudson’s Hope areo of buildingthe WA.C. Bennett Darn.

THE SAME AS YESTERDAYSJoanne Drake-Terry$29.95 - 341 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-88925-925-9Lillooet Tribal Council PressP0 Box 1420, Lillooet, B.C VOK 1VOThe Lillooet chronicle the theft of their land

**WJDOW SMITH OF SPENCES BRIDGEJessie Ann Smith, as told to J. MerylCampbell and Audrey Ward.

$9.95 - 128 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-929069-00-5Sonotek Publishing, P0. Box 1725, Merritt,B.C. VOK2BOPioneer Life and the Spence’s BridgeOrchards, 1853-1 946

DICHONARY OF LOGGING TERMSGordon W. Carefoot$6.95- 72 pp - Soft CoverPublished by the author Copies from Mrs.Robin Schatz, P0. Box 464, Cultus Lake,B.C. VOX 1HOTei-ms garnei-ed from loggers across Canada

WE1’COASTWORDS: by Tom Parkin$9.95 - 156 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-920501-30-3Orca Book Publishers, Box 5626, Stn. BVictoria, B.C. V8S 3H9A dictionary of B.C. words and phrrzses.

1990 AND COUNTING: Ed. JohnMcTaggart, for the Sharon History BookCommittee, Chairman Norman Sheritt.$25.00 - 183 pp - Hard CoverPublished by Sharon United Church HistoryBook Committee.Obtainable from: Richard Chell507 - 21973 48th Ave.,Langley, B.C. V3A 3N1 Add $3.00 postageHisto,y ofSharon United Church, Miirroyville

EDGE OF DISCOVER’ñ by D.E. Isenor E.G.Stephens, and D.E. Watson$49.95 - 471 pp - Hard CoverISBN 0-919537-10-3Ptarmigan Press Ltd., Campbell River, B.C.Obtainable front Campbell River Museum andArchives, 1235 Island Highway, CampbellRiver, V9W 2C7 Attn.: Irene Ross.A history of the Campbell RIver district.

MERR1TFAND THE NICOLAVALLE AnIllustrated History: by Nicola Valley ArchivesAssociation.$14.95 - 120 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-929069-01-3Sonotek Publishing, P0. Box 1752, Merritt,B.C. VOK 2B0 Obtainable front SandhillBook Marketing, Box 197, Stn. A, Kelowna,V1Y 7N5Accounts of the pioneers and life in the area.

BRASS ROOTS: by Amy Campbell$12.95 - 68 pp - Soft Cover (plus p & p1ISBN 0-9694313-0-9Published by Amy Campbell, 3681 Place Rd,Nanaimo, B C. V9T 1M9A history of the Nanirno Concert Band since1872.

Writing Competition - 1989IThe following books were submitted for the seventh annual Competition for Writers of B.C. History. Books are listed in theorder in which they were submitted for judging. Books are for sale at local bookstores or may be obtained by writing to theaddress given below the title.


GUARDIAN ANGLES CHURCIt Ed. MaryLan dry.$10.00 - 86 pp - Soft CoverPublished by Guardian Angels ParishAnniversary Book Committee, 1161Brougbton St., Vancouver, B.C. V6G 2B340th Anniversory of Gao rdion Angels ParishCha,rh.

WRiTE IT ON YOUR l{EART The EpicWorld of an Okanagan Storyteller by HarryRobinson, Edited by Wendy Wickwire.$18.95 - 319 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-88922-273-8Talon Books, 201 - 1019 East Cordova,Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1M8Indian stories ond legends by a native stwyteller

THE GHOSTLAND PEOPLEby Charles Lillard$18.95 - 318 pp - Hard CoverISBN 1-55039-016-3Sono Nis Press, 1745 Blanshard St., Victoria,B.C. VSW 258A documentary history of the QueenCharlotte Islands 18.59-1906.

HISTORYOF MUSIC IN BRiTISHCOLUMBIA 1850:1950: by Dale McIntosh$29.95 - 296 pp - Hard CoverSono Nis Press, 1745 Blanshai-d St, Victoria,B.C. V8W 258“The first complete music history in B.C.”

BARNSTORMING TO BUSHFLYINGby Peter Corley Smith$1895 - 244 pp - Soft CoverISBN 0-55039-020-1Sono Nis Press, 1745 Blanshard St. Victoria,B.C. VSW 258B.C. ‘s Aviatioo Pioneers, 1910-1930

STREET NAMES OF PRINCE GEORGE -

OUR IUSTORYi University Womens Club ofPrince George.$10.00 - 144 pp - plus separate map - Spiralbound - (add $1.50 p & p)ISBN 0-921087-06-3University Women’s Club of Prince George,do Community Arts Council, Studio 2880,2880, 15th Ave.,Prince George, B.C. V2M 1T1The orinin and history of street aornes in theCity.

WHiTE BEARS AND OTHER CURIOSIT1E&by Peter Corley Smith148 pp - Soft CoverCrown Publications Inc., 546 Yates St.Victoria, B.C. V8W 11(8The first 100 yeors of the Provincial Museum

**FACES OF THE PASTS Ed. BarbaraMacPherson for the Arrow Lakes HistoricalSociety.$25.00 - 216 pp - Hard CoverISBN 0-9694236-0-8Arrow Lakes Historical Society, P0. Box584, Nakusp, B.C. VOG lEOFirst volume in a series to commemorate thecentennial of Nakusp.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUTSix provincial historical societies participated in a meeting held October 25, 1989in the Hotel Vancouver in conjunctionwith the Heritage Canada 1989Conference. In the reporting of the functioning and financing of the provincialorganizations, the following factsappear:

Historical Society of Alberta -

Membership of 2000.Annual fee $15.Government grant of $23,000 to assistwith financing the publication of a quarterly magazine, newsletter and a seriesof books.Saskatchewan Historical andFolklore Society -

Annual fee $20. Single, $30. FamilyAnnual Budget of $300,000 - 45r% ofwhich comes from lotteries.Society has an office with 3 full time, 3part time staff. They publish a quarterlymagazine, mark heritage farms andbusinesses, offer school programs, an annual writing competition and have anoral history project.Manitoba Historical Society -

Membership of 700Government grant of $6000 to assistwith publication of a twice yearly magazine.Government assistance for special projects, and an office with one full timesecretary and a part time ExecutiveDirector.Ontario Historical Society -

Menthership of 3000.Annual fee $40.A million dollar budget - 1/3 of which is agovernment grant. Society has a permanent office, Executive Director and 7staff members. Publishes a quarterlymagazine and a newsletter; gives 300workshops annually; arranges travellingdisplays, school programs, heritage conservation advice, and multicultural programs.

Federation of Historical Societies ofQuebec -

Membership of 80 societies - almost20,000 members.This society was given a large endowment by the government and operatesmainly on annual interest from thissum.Publishes a quarterly magazine - occasional government supplemental grants.British Columbia HistoricalFederation - Membership-23 local societies -1,800 Annual fee $1Subscription cost to members of membersocieties - $5 (Local members pay between $2 and $20 local dues)

Government grant $2000 to assist withpublication of quarterly magazine. Thissociety also has an annual WritingCompetition, Scholarship, and offersshort term loans to a member or societyto assist with publishing cost.

David McCrady of Penticton receivedthe 1989 B.C. Historical Scholarship. Apresentation $500 award was made atthe November meeting of the VictoriaBranch of the B.C.H.F. David is a serious young man who began his post-secondary career studying political science at the Kelowna campus ofOkanagan College. The highlight of hisstudent years there was attending, withfour other Okanagan College students,the 1988 North American Model UnitedNations held in Toronto. In the fall of1988 he enrolled in the honours historyprogram at the University of Victoria.He is concentrating on research to document native/white relations in theOkanagan Valley. David sends sincerethanks to those in the B.C. HistoricalFederation who made this scholarship aviable entity.

THE BRITISH COLUMBIACHURCH HISTORY GROUP

The B.C. Church History Group heldits founding meeting in September, 1989.They are still setting objectives and ar

ranging for exchange of information.Anyone interested in this group is askedto contact Rod Fowler at 420-3316, TomLascelles at 736-9363, or JacquelineGresko at 520-5466

NEWS & NOTES

SCHOLARSHIP WINNER 1989


REPORT FROM THE NEWSPUBLISHING COMMITTEE

We are happy to report that theHeritage Trust has increased our grantto $2000 for each of the next two years.Unfortunately this will not be enough tobalance our budget as all our costs continue to mount. During the coming yearthe cost of publishing each copy of theNews will reach $1.75 or $7 per annualsubscription. This means that our rateswill have to be increased to at least $7for members subscribers. Non-memberspay $8, institutions $16.As you consider this increase in price,

we would remind you that the magazinehas increased from 28 to 36 pages andnow contains twice as many articles as itdid in the past. For this we thank oureditors contacts and commitment.We have three new members on the

Publishing Committee: Tony Farr(Saltspring), Penny McDonald (NorthVancouver) and Margaret Matovich(Burnaby). Margaret has undertakenthe onerous task of keeping our books,thus relieving some of the load of theFederation treasurer.Finally a reminder to branch treasur

ers that we should like to have chequescovering subscription renewals sent directly to the Subscription Secretary,Nancy Peter; Federation membershipfees continue to go to the Treasurer.

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BURNABY HISTORICAL SOCIETYSCHOLARSHIP

The Burnaby Historical SocietyScholarship, given by Dr. and MrsBlythe Eagles in honour of EvelynSalisbury is a ne annual award of approximately $500 to a fourth year undergraduate student enrolled in a major oran honours program that specializes inthe history of British Columbia.Candidates should apply in writing, outlining their studies to date, including acurrent academic transcript and letter ofrecommendation from two professors,such application to be submitted by June15th to:

THE BURNABY HISTORICALSOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP

COMMflI’EEdo THE MAYORS OFFICE

4949 CANADA WAY, BURNABY, B.C.V5G 1M2

THE WOMEN’S INSTITUTEThe WI. will mark its centennial in

1997. Historical Societies and Museumsare urged to commence recording thehistory of their local Women’s Institutewhile older members are still here toflesh out information available in mm-

ute books and records. There was a timewhen the Women’s Institute was the onlymeeting place for women, other thantheir church, The WI., valuable to bothurban and rural members, was supportedby the Provincial Ministry of Agriculturefrom 1911 onward. Organizations withaural history programs should be awareof the potential for commemoration ofthe WI. in 1997.

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CANADIAN HISTORICALASSOCIATION TO MEET IN

VICTORIAThe Annual Meeting of the Canadian

Historical Association will be held May27-29, 1990 in Victoria. For details contact Chairperson, Dr. Patricia Roy,Department of History, University ofVictoria, B.C. V8W 2Y2

Treat yourself or a friend. Buy aSubscription to the B.C. HISTORICAL

NEWS for only $8 per year in Canada, $12per year outside Canada. Mail your

cheque today to:

Subscription Secretary5928 Baffin Place,Burnaby, B.C.

V5H 3S8

NOMINATIONS FOR ORDER OFBRITISH COLUMBIA

Do you know a British Columbian whohas demonstrated outstanding achievement, excellence or distinction in anyfield of endeavor benefiting the people ofthe Province or elsewhere? Here’s youropportunity to do something about it.You can nominate that person to theOrder of British Columbia. Nominationswill be considered by an AdvisoryCouncil. Honorary Chairperson is theLieutenant-Governor of B.C. To nominate someone, simply write for a brochure and nomination form to:

Order of British ColumbiaHonors and Awards Secretariatdo Deputy Provincial Secretary

Parliament BuildingsVictoria, B.C. V8V 1X4

orContact your nearest Government

Agent’s Office

LIKELY CEMETERY INFORMATIONWANTED

The Likely Cemetery (Restoration)Society would like to receive ANY inforniation pertaining to the identity ofgraves; or names of persons buried atQuesnel Forks, Keithly Creek, SnowshoeCreek, or other gravesites in this area.Also sought are xerox copies of any pre1975 photos of cemeteries or graves inthis area. (14 graves have been restoredat three sites in 1989.) Write to:Secretary Lucy Robinson, Box 1952,Likely B.C. VOL 1NO (604) 790-2468.

GRAND FORKS - MAY 10-13, 1990

The Boundary Historical Society hasplanned a full program for delegates atthe B.C. Historical FederationConference. There will be talks onDoukhobour history, mining, smelting,agriculture, and the Cascade power project. There will be a Doukhobour dinnerand an awards banquet. Guest speakerat the banquet is Bill Barlee, M.L.A. andhistorian. Deadline for registration isMay 1, 1990. All members and friends ofhistorical societies are invited.Registration forms are available fromBranch Secretaries or from BoundaryHistorical Society. Phone 442-3865 or442-3283 for further information.

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UNSUNG HEROES ANDHEROINES

A proposal has been made that theB.C.H.E compile and publish a book onlesser known characters” and benefactors in B.C. history. This sounds like afascinating project. Can we assemble aproduction team? Anyone interested inparticipating in the selecting and editingplease contact Naomi Miller in Wasa.(Phone 422-3594)

A HISTORY OF B.C.AGRICULTURE

Help is needed to compile a history ofagriculture in this province prior to1920. The researcher seeks prepared articles on horticultural activities, pluswishing to prepare a bibliography of material available for future researchers.Please notify:

Sharon RempelR.R. 1Keremeos, B.C. VOX 1NOPhone: (604) 499-5172

if you have any books, journals, diaries,photos, brochures or details of crops, varieties grown, garden designs, or otherreferences.


Book ShelfBooks for review and book reviews should be sent directly to the book review edltor

Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V6S 1E4.

Stein; The Way ofthe Rive,Michael M’Gonigle and WendyWickwire. Vancouver B.C.Talonbooks, 1988. Pp. 192,Illustrated, Maps, Notes. $39.95The Stein river valley has in recent

years become a focus for public debate in British Columbia and Stein;The Way of the River is a contribution to that debate. The valley, tributary to the Fraser and a few milesto the north and west of the villageof Lytton, is well defined, a distinctwatershed cut off by mountains andridges and is, the authors argue, ‘aunique North American ecologicaland cultural treasure.” Its proximity to the major population centres ofthe Lower Mainland and the factthat the valley is essentially untouched by agriculture, mining, orforestry have combined to make itsprotection a cause for conservationists.This book is a compilation of writ

ings, photographs, drawings andpaintings, and maps, and a narrative by the authors which serves asa connective and provides the background for the other materials.There are four main sections to thebook. The first deals with the human history both native and non-native; the second with the geologrand the natural life; the third withdevelopments since about 1900; and

the final section, “The JourneyAhead”, with some thoughts on thefuture of the valley and its surrounding area. In addition there are aforeword by David Suzuki of T.Vfame, a preface by Chief RubyDunstan of the Lytton Indian Band,an introduction by the authors, andan epilogue by John McCandless the“Stein Coordinator” for the Lyttonand Mount Currie Indian Bands.To bring together such a wide va

riety of materials requires that mostcareful design controls and the publishers and their designers have, onthe whole, succeeded admirably.The cumulative impression is good.The various items are well integrated so that the reader ends with astrong and vivid impression of boththe human and the natural historyof the valley. However as is usuallythe case, the merits of the elementsdiffer greatly. Some quotations areof the very highest quality, for example a section selected from thepresentation of Roy Mason of theFederation of Mountain Clubs, to theprovincial government in 1973 (p.124). Others have little literary orother value, and repeat only themost mundane of observations. Thegobbledegook of government bureaucracy approaches the ridiculous in aquotation (p. 126) from a 1976 report on the valley.

There are a few shortcomingswhich appear to be unnecessary.The maps are not listed in a table ofcontents and one must search thepages in order to find them. Theyare often difficult to read, most especially the historical ones. There areminor design problems; for example,a photograph featuring HarlanSmith appears on page 39 with themajor text for Smith on page 36,while a photograph of James Teit onpage 37 is separated from the texton Teit on page 39 - since the photosare much the same size, I wonder atthe arrangement. Reading the“Stein Declaration” of the Lyttonand Mount Currie Bands, an interesting and illuminating document,requires a magnifying glass.Primarily Stein; The Way of theRiv is a political document produced to promote the preservation ofthe valley, and its language and itspresentation reflect that. The preservationists’ and the authors’ opposition, the enemy, is “The GlobalIntruder”, modern industrial development. “At issue”, the authorsargue, “from the Stein watershed tothe Amazon basin is not just how wemanage the land base, but who ultimately controls it.”

George Newell.B.C.H.F., Victoria

APPLICATION FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPThe British Columbia HistoricalFederation was traditionally comprisedof local historical societies. In 1988 theconstitution was amended to create I NAMEAssociate Members. Associates arepersons who wish to support theprovincial organization and participate inthe fun of the Annual Conference BUT Ido not have access to a branch society.We invite new readers to become

Associate Members for $10 per year.This is $2 for Membership and $8 for a Isubscription to the B.C. HistoricalNews quarterly magazine.

ADDRESS

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Mail this form (or a photocopy thereof) with a cheque for $10 to;

Membership Chairman, Mrs. M. HaslamBox 10, Cowichan Bay, B.C. VOR 1NO


RECENT PUBLICATIONS

A Progression ofJudges;a history of the Supreme Court ofBritish Columbia.David R. Verchere. University ofBritish Columbia Press, 1988.$31.95This book focuses on the Supreme

Court’s colorful and sometimes controversial judges. At the same timeit chronicles the metamorphosis ofthe two young colonies - the Colonyof Vancouver Island and the Colonyof British Columbia - from a roughfrontier to a sophisticated province,as it is reflected in the maturing ofthe judicial system and growth ofthe legal profession.

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Itinerant CanadianWilliam F. Duthie. Victoria, OrcaBook Publishers, 1989. Pp. 193,Illustrated $13.95William F. Duthie recalls his fami

ly’s journeys - from the frontier mining communities in the Kootenaysto the historical towns of NewBrunswick. Beginning with hisgreat grandparents’ world of thelate 1800’s, Duthie writes from apersonal perspective of the turn ofthe century and the 1920’s, theGreat Depression and World War II,and the turbulent years that followed.

**********

Heritage Landscapes in BritishColumbia, a Guide to their identification, documentation and preservation.Douglas Paterson. Vancouver,Landscape Architecture Program,University of British Columbia,1989 Pp. 78, IllustratedThis publication is intended to

serve as a general guide to the identification, documentation and preservation of heritage landscapesthroughout British Columbia. It ishoped that it will not only increasethe general awareness of the importance of heritage landscape preser

vation but will give various communities and interest groups a sense ofhow to begin the process of preserving heritage landscapes.

**********

SharedMemories; The Old SchoolInspectoiDorothy M. Marryatt. Victoria,B.C., 1989. (1616 Agnew Ave.,Victoria, B.C. V8V 5M6.) Pp. 60.

Stories of the area from McBride inthe east to Vanderhoof in the west -milltown and farming communities.

Shuswap Chronicles 1989, Vol. 2.Published by the North ShuswapHistorical Society, Celista, B.C. VOE1LO Pp. 44

This second volume contains articles on Adams Lake, early schools ofNorth Shuswap, post offices, homesteads of the north Shuswap, and avariety of reminiscences of earlydays.

100Anniversary; VancouverDistrictLabourCouncil, 1889-1989,Adele Perry Vancouver 1989.Pp. 71.Pictorial history of the Vancouver

District Labour Council and itsmembers

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THE BRITISH COLUMBIA HISTORICAL FEDERATION

Honorary Patron: His Honour, the Honourable David C. Lam, CM, LL.D., Lieutenant-Governorof British Columbia

Honorary President: Mrs. Clare McAllister

OfficersPresident John D. Spittle, 1241 Mount Crown Road, North Vancouver, B.C. V7R 1R9

988-4565

1st Vice President Myrtle Haslam, PC. Box 10, Cowichan Bay, B.C. V0R 1NO748-8397

2nd Vice President Dorothy Crosby, 33662 Northcote Crescent, Mission, B.C. V2V 5V2826-8808

Secretary T Don Sale, 262 Juniper Street, Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 1X4753-2067

Recording Secretary Shirley Cuthbertson, 306 - 225 Belleville Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 4T9387-2486 (business), 382-0288 (residence)

Treasurer Francis Sleigh, Box 29, Deroche, B.C. VOM 1GO826-0451

Members-at-Large Margaret Stoneberg, PC. Box 687, Princeton, B.C. VOX iWO295-3362

Alice Glanville, PC. Box 746, Grand Forks, B.C. VOH 1 HO442-3865

Past President Naomi Miller

Editor Naomi Miller, Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB 2KO422-3594

Chairmen of CommitteesArchivist Margaret Stoneburg

Publications Assistance Helen Akrigg, 8-2575 Tolmie Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6R 4M1Committee 228-8606(not involved with Loans are available for publications, Please contactB.C. Historical News) Helen Akrigg prior to submitting manuscript.

B.C. Historical News Ann W. Johnston, R.R. 1, Mayne Island, B.C. VON 2JOPublishing Committee 539-2888

Subscription Secretary Nancy Peter, 5928 Baffin Place, Burnaby, B.C. V5H 3S8 437-6115

Book Review Editor Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th Avenue, Vancouver V6S 1 E4228-4879 (business) 733-6484 (residence)

Heritage Cemeteries John D. Adams, 628 Battery Street, Victoria, B.C.V8V1E5 342-2895

Lieutenant- Governor’sAward Committee Pamela Mar, PC. Box 933, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5N2

758-2828

Scholarship Committee Evelyn Salisbury, 5406 Manor Street, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 1 B7 298-5777

Historic Trailsand Markers John D. Spittle

The British Columbia Historical News Second Class MailP0. Box 35326 Stn. E. Registration No. 4447Vancouve B.C.V6M4G5

_______________________________

ADDRESS LABEL HERE

British Columbia Historical FederationWRITING COMPETITION

The British Columbia Historical Federation invites submissions of books or articles for theeighth annual Competition for Writers of B.C. HistoryAny book dealing with any facet of British Columbia history, published in 1990, is eligible.The work may be a community history, a biography, a record of a project or an organization, orpersonal recollections giving glimpses of the past. Name, dates, and places with relevant mapsor pictures turn a story into history’.The judges are looking for fresh presentations of historical information (especially if preparedby amateur historians) with appropriate illustrations, careful proof reading, an adequate index, table of contents and bibliography Winners will be chosen in the following categories:

1) Best History Book by an individual writer (Lieutenant - Governor’sMedal for Historical Writing.).

2) Best History as prepared by a group (Eg. Buiwh Grass to BarbedWire was published by Rose Hill Farmers Institute)

3) Best History for Junior Readers.

Awards are given where entries warrant. (i.e. a lone entry in group 2 or S will notautomatically be given a prize.)

Winners will receive a monetary award, a Certificate of Merit, considerable publicity, and aninvitation to the Annual B.C. Historical Federation Conference in Cowichan in May 1991.Deadline for 1990 books is January 31, 1991, BUT submissions are requested as soon as possible after publication. Those submitting books should include name, address, telephone number selling price of the book, and an address from which the book may be ordered if a readerhas to shop by mail. Send to: B.C. Historical Writing Competition

P0. Box 933, Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 5N2

There will also be an award for Best article published in the British Columbia HistoricalNews. This prize is reserved for amateur historians and/or undergraduate or graduate students.Articles should be no more than 2,500 words, substantiated with footnotes if possible, accompanied by photographs if available, and typed double spaced. (Photos will be returned.)Deadlines for quarterly issues are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15. Pleasesend articles directly to:

The Editor, B.C. Historical NewsP0. Box 105, Wasa, B.C. VOB 2K0

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