By Edna Badgley, Okanagan Historical Society , 1964
In the days of the Indians, Okanagan Falls was believed to have been a large camping and trading site. It was one of the best canoe routes to the Columbia River and the Pacific. The salmon run brought salmon in abundance to the foot of the falls, and until a few years ago, evidence of their drying and smoking racks could be found along the river banks.
Originally called “Dog Town,” the name was changed by early settlers to Okanagan Falls for the beautiful tumbling double falls in Okanagan River, just below Skaha Lake’s outlet. Unfortunately these falls had to give way to progress and had to be blasted when the flood control work was put through the valley.
Many fur traders, stettlers, and miners cmae through this valley in the late 1880’s and a number stayed to take up pre-emptions for cattle ranches and miners staked out claims throughout this area. Tom Ellis, whose principal holdings were in Penticton, went to Portland, Oregon, about 1891 looking for interested people with capital to come into this valley to help with its development. He contacted W.J. Snodgrass of Portland and La Grande, Oregon, who formed a syndicate ( of which he was the main stock holder and the only member who ever came into the valley) to come to Okanagan Falls. Mr. Snodgrass came in the spring of 1892 and fell in love with Okanagan Falls. Its situation at the foot of Skaha Lake, with rugged Peach Cliff standing as a sentinel on its eastern borders and the mountains falling back on all sides, gives it a setting that is unique and beautiful. Here he envisioned a city of considerable size in this setting of natural beauty.
The townsite was laid out that year, streets named (many still go by the names on the original plan), lots sub-divided and areas for parks, schools, a university, citiy hall, hotels, etc. were designated. It was truly a dream city of the future, but Mr.Snodgrass had more than dreams for Okangan Falls. He built a store, a hotel, a sawmill, and large barns to house the horses that were used on the stage and freight line he established and operated between Grand Forks and Penticton. His horses were said to be of the best in the country and were always stabled, fed and groomed between the twice weekly runs.
Roads were trails in those days and a set of brakes had to be replaced at least once a month.
He also owned steamboats on Skaha Lake. Early in 1894, “The Jessie” named for his second daughter, was put into operation. It was claimed she was the first steam boat to negotiate the river between Okanagan and Skaha Lakes. She burned at the dock in Okanagan Falls in 1898. His second boat, “The Maud Moore,” named for his youngest daughter, was in operation in 1900. She was sold to J.M. Robinson of Naramata in 1905 and saw many years in a tri-city ferry service on Okanagan Lake between Naramata, Summerland and Penticton.
During the 1890’s, a number of families came to Okangan Falls, some of whose children and descendants still live in the area, and things began to take on the look of a thriving community.
The first one room school house was opened on August 10, 1896, with nine boys and twelve girls in attendance. At that time Okanagan Falls had no post office, so the school was recorded as a Penticton school until 1898. School enrollment showed an increase each year for eight years, then there was a decline over the next ten year period. The next twenty years enrollment ranged from seventeen to thirty- six for the one roomed school. In 1932 another teacher was added and the primary room was housed in Mr. Snodgrass’ old store until the following year when a second room was added to the existing school.
The Okanagan Falls school was consolidated with the Osoyoos and Oliver schools itno the Southern Okangan School District in 1946 and pupils in grade eight and up are now transported to Oliver by bus. The present Okanagan Falls two room elementary school is being enlarged to three rooms this year, grades six and seven have been held in the community hall for the past school term. The school is modern in every way with spacious, beautifully kept grounds.
During those early years, church services were held in Mr. Snodgrass ‘ store or hotel as student ministers travelling through the country, held services whenever possible. From 1918 to 1929, Reverend James McKeen, retired minister and father of C.J McKeen of Penticton, held services in the school house. The Revereen Cleland, Anglican minister in Penticton, held services in the dining room of the Hotel Alexandria. All of these services were more or less intermittent. In 1921, the pastorial charge of the United Church at Osoyoos, Oliver and Okanagan Falls was formed and the present church was erected in 1929, built almost entirely of lumber from the old Presbyterian church in Fairview, the mining town that had become a ghost town with the closing of the mine. This year the Anglicans are completing a new church which will be ready shortly, they have held services in the United Church over the years.
Around the turn of the century, a few new families came into the Falls to become permanent residents while a number of the earlier residents left. The mines were closing down, and the ore was being shipped in greater quantities over the new Great Northern Railroad in Washington.
Mr. Snodgrass’ dream of a city at the south end of Skaha Lake began to fade. The stage coach and freightlines had reduced operations and in 1908, Mr. Snodgrass sold his store to James Ritche of Summerland, thus disposing of his last holding in Okaanagan Falls. Horses that weren’t sold, were turned loose to graze in the hills to become the property of anyone who caught them. He started his return trip to Le Grande, Oregon, in midsummer, travelling north through the valley and on to the coast. While at the Empress Hotel in Victoria he suffered a stroke. After some weeks in hospital, he conitnued on home but passed away early in the next year. Material from his hotel was used by William Edge in the building of his home, which he and his wife still occupy, the barns were torn down during the 1920’s and the material went into many ranch buildings. The store burned down some years later, leaving the fireplace and high chimney standing alone in the centre of the block, a silent memorial to an era gone by.
The Hotel Alexandria, built by W.B.Hine and Warwick Arnott, was opened in 1907 near the lakeshore. It was a large two storey structure and did a thriving business for the next few years, offering comfortable accommodation and refreshment to travellers. After prohibition came into effect, business languished, and the hotel was finally torn down. The lumber was used mostly in the construction of the Community Hall in 1929 and to build the Clark home on the former hotel site.
After World Wat 1, Major Hugh Fraser invested in considerable land in and around Okanagan Falls, much of which he still owns.
During all those years Okangan Falls remained a lovely little residential village, the centre of the ranching district.
Then came 1922 and the CPR built wharves at Okanagan Falls, Kaleden and the north end of Skaha Lake, running a spur line south from Penticton to the northern wharf and putting in a line from Okanagan Falls south to the Haynes siding, They operated a barge service to Skaha Lake powered by the S.S. York, brought down from Okanagan Lake and mastered by Captain Otto Estabrooks of Penticton as long as she was in service on this run. This service contnued until 1930 when the CPR built the line along the west side of Skaha Lake to Okanagan Falls, this line was extended to Osoyoos in 1944.
During the winter of 1936-37 the overhanging rock at Vaseaux Lake was blasted to allow for the widening of the road and the construction of a better highway for this part of the valley had begun.
Very little change took place in Okanagan Falls until after the Second World War, when new buildings began to appear and people from the coast began to display interest in lakeshore property to build homes. Once again, the Falls began to grow. In 1945 Mr. and Mrs. William Stevens built and operated the first unit of the Dolly Varden Auto Court, this was Okanagan Falls’ first motel. Now five modern motels and auto courts serve the travelling public, with more in the planning. There are a number of fine tent and trailer grounds, as well as a government camp site. The Okanagan Falls Hotel was built in 1950 with full facitlites for the traveller.
West Kootenay Power and Light Company began serving the village with light and power in 1947, extending its service to outlying districts in 1948. Domestic water and telephones were installed in 1953, from that time on there has been a gradual but steady growth, nearly all the orchard land within the village limits has been subdivided into building lots. In 1957, 12 houses from Copper Mountain were brought into the village, they were all remodeled into attractive homes and with each passing year the number of new homes being built is on the increase. Practically all available lakeshore property has been built on and the new homes along the lake present a pleasing sight as you drive down Waterman’s Hill into the village.
Early last year William Barton procured eleven acres in the centre of the village which lay undeveloped and were owned by the McMillan estate. The property was surveyed with a road dividing the main acreage into two sections, the south section bordering on Highway 97 as commercial and the north section facing the lake as residential. This property sub division was not approved and put ont the market until late August, 1962. All the property has been sold and at present there are three new homes, a tent and trailer park, and a large unit which houses a service station, a coffee shop, and a coin laundry. This new tract is “The Holiday Park Subdivision,” and with the opening of this tract, things are defintely on the upswing.
This spring there are ate least a dozen homes under construction as well as a new store building and a drive in ice cream place. All these things add up to rate Okanagan Falls as the fastest growing village in B.C.
There are now three modern garages, two good grocery stores, a meat market, four modern cafes, a coin laundry, hardware store, etc, all of which serve not only the needs of the community but give the traveller every service he might need. Two up to date beauty parlors are here to care for “my lady’s”needs.
On December 3, 1962, the new cattle auction sales pavillion was officially opened by the Honourable Frank Richter, Minister of Agriculture and MLA for the Similkameen. This pavillion was built by the Southern Interior Stockman’s Association which was formed in May, 1943, to serve the needs of the cattlemen in this district. In 1958, the Southern Interior Stockman’s Association leased their stockyards to the B.C. Livestock Producers Cooperative Association of Kanloops withi D.M. Brown of Oliver as manager. This has been a most successful and satisfactory arrangement. Auction sales have been held throughout the summer and fall months, with a sale being held in January, 1963.
With the continued growth, the old buildings were inadequate, so were torn down and the new pavilion has been erected. This pavilion rates as one of the best in the province and provides as fine an auction mart as will be found in much larger centres.
It contains a fine rotunda, housing offices and a concession stand, modern washrooms are placed under the seating area, this seating area will seat 300 persons, the first two rows being reserved for buyers. The scales and auctioneers room are across the auction arena from the seats, everything is under one roof and is electrically heated. This pavilion is bringing recognition to Okanagan Falls from well beyond the boundaries of the province.
Three businesses that opened primarily for the tourists were the Rock Shop, the Grey Sage Museum and the Double “B” Shetland Pony Ranch, are now all a part of this growing community . The Rock Shop offers a beautiful selection of polished rock gem jewellery and has a most interesting display of natural and polished rocks. It has a full line of equipment for the cutting and polishing of gem rocks, as well as equipment for othe rock hounds who will always find a welcome here.
The Grey Sage Museum, just south fo the village limits on Highway 97, draws thousands of visitors every year, to view the native wild life in its natural setting.
The Double “B” Pony Ranch with its Shetland pony rides and drives in the stagecoach and covered wagon, for the children , holds a great attraction for the young. During the summer children fromo many parts of the United States and Canada are registered and the local children are frequent callers.
There are a number of active organizations in Okanagan Falls, who are all interested in the community and have an active part in furthering its interests. The Women’s Institute is the oldest organization and through their efforts, the community hall was built and maintained, the Royal Canadian Legioni Branch 227 and the Ladies Auxiliary have their own hall, the Recreation Commission, Boy Scouts and Cubs, Girl Guides and Brownies , as well as the church groups are all actively engaged for the betterment of all.
The Chamber of Commerce has been reorganized and revitalized to take a more active interest in the community. They have an expansive program in regards to tourism, beautification, and publicity for Okanagan Falls.
The Robert Christie Memorial Park is the public park for picnics for family and group parties. It has a wide expanse of sandy, shallow beach which is perfectly safe for children and is a mecca spot for many gatherings in the summertime. Last summer evening church services were held in the park during July and August.
So after sevety-one years since the laying out of the townsite, we have a growing community and while is has not yeat become the city its founder envisioned, it on the way to becoming a little city of rare beauty, to which more and more people are attracted every year.