history

Spectators watching Summerland’s ski jumping competition at the community’s ski hill in Meadow Valley in 1956. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland had ski hill in 1940s and 1950s

Community’s ski hill was in Meadow Valley area

 

Summerland’s Rotary Club was founded in 1946. From 1951 to 1956, the Rotary Club offered free swimming lessons at Powell Beach. In 1956, a portion of the shoreline of Summerland’s Lowertown was cleared. In 1957, the new Rotary Beach was officially opened. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Swimming lessons once offered at Summerland beaches

Beginning in 1950s, lessons were offered at Powell Beach and later at Rotary Beach

 

Operation of the howitzers at Roger Pass when the program was started in 1961. (Revelstoke Museum and Archives)

60 years of avalanche control in Rogers Pass

The avalanche control system, run by Parks Canada alongside the Canadian Military, started in 1961

 

The clock tower at the corner of Main Street and Victoria Road in Summerland was installed in the 1980s. The iconic landmark was set up when Summerland had a Tudor theme in place in its downtown. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Historic Summerland clock tower was part of community theme

Summerland once had a Tudor theme in place in its downtown

The clock tower at the corner of Main Street and Victoria Road in Summerland was installed in the 1980s. The iconic landmark was set up when Summerland had a Tudor theme in place in its downtown. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Emma Scholefield, left, and Thea Scholefield show a banner of their great, great uncle, Charles Edward Russel Hall. He is one of Summerland’s fallen soldiers from the First World War. (Contributed)

Banners recognize Summerland’s fallen soldiers

Two names of fallen soldiers from First World War added to community’s banners

  • Nov 2, 2021
Emma Scholefield, left, and Thea Scholefield show a banner of their great, great uncle, Charles Edward Russel Hall. He is one of Summerland’s fallen soldiers from the First World War. (Contributed)
An alien invasion did not occur in New Jersey in October, 1938. (Pixabay.com)

COLUMN: The night the Martians didn’t invade earth

Chaos and panic resulted from a radio drama

An alien invasion did not occur in New Jersey in October, 1938. (Pixabay.com)
The Major Hutton home on Reynolds Avenue is one of Summerland’s heritage homes. However, unlike other old homes in the community, this one is believed to have a ghost. (Contributed)

Ghost sightings abound at Summerland heritage home

Sightings reported of elderly man and white dog at Major Hutton home

  • Oct 27, 2021
The Major Hutton home on Reynolds Avenue is one of Summerland’s heritage homes. However, unlike other old homes in the community, this one is believed to have a ghost. (Contributed)
According to the earliest maps of the Okanagan Valley, the Summerland area was called Nicola Prairie. This name meant the land of Nicola; Grand Chief Nicola. In 1845, Chief Nicola was protected by eighty bodyguards. In 1902, when Summerland was founded, only three Indigenous families remained: the Johnny Pierre, Antoine Pierre and William Manuel families. The children of these three families attended Summerland’s first official school in 1904. This photograph shows William Manuel’s home in the lower left corner. The road, left of the home would become Rosedale Avenue. The home was surrounded by Alf Richardson’s lumber yard. Today, the Manuel house would be located close to the Summerland Animal Clinic. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Summerland was once known as Nicola Prairie

Downtown Summerland was once Penticton Indian Reserve #3

According to the earliest maps of the Okanagan Valley, the Summerland area was called Nicola Prairie. This name meant the land of Nicola; Grand Chief Nicola. In 1845, Chief Nicola was protected by eighty bodyguards. In 1902, when Summerland was founded, only three Indigenous families remained: the Johnny Pierre, Antoine Pierre and William Manuel families. The children of these three families attended Summerland’s first official school in 1904. This photograph shows William Manuel’s home in the lower left corner. The road, left of the home would become Rosedale Avenue. The home was surrounded by Alf Richardson’s lumber yard. Today, the Manuel house would be located close to the Summerland Animal Clinic. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
When the Summerland Development Company sold land in 1906, the company created a map to show the route to Summerland. The company president was Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

1906 map created to show how to get to Summerland

Many early settlers came to Okanagan from the Prairies

When the Summerland Development Company sold land in 1906, the company created a map to show the route to Summerland. The company president was Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Vancouver Island camas meadows reveal agricultural impact of B.C. colonialism

Lekwungen food expert Cheryl Bryce looks to raise awareness of traditional food systems

  • Sep 30, 2021
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Sir Herbert Holt was featured on a Royal Bank of Canada $100 bill in the early 1900s. Holt, president of the bank, was also the richest of all Canadian billionaires. He owned land in Summerland. Portions of his orchard home, on Dale Meadows Road, are across the street from Millionaires’ Row Cider Company. Until the Bank of Canada Act in 1934, each bank had its own currency. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Billionaire on old $100 bill owned land in Summerland

Sir Herbert Holt, president of the Royal Bank of Canada, was the richest man in the country


Sir Herbert Holt was featured on a Royal Bank of Canada $100 bill in the early 1900s. Holt, president of the bank, was also the richest of all Canadian billionaires. He owned land in Summerland. Portions of his orchard home, on Dale Meadows Road, are across the street from Millionaires’ Row Cider Company. Until the Bank of Canada Act in 1934, each bank had its own currency. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)

100 metre dash – on all fours: Vernon woman breaks unofficial Guinness record

Vernon resident Julie McCann sets unofficial Guinness mark as fastest woman to cover 100 metres on all fours

Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)
Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)

VIDEO: Okanagan woman runs on all fours in world record attempt

Vernon resident Julie McCann sets unofficial Guinness mark as fastest woman to cover 100 metres on all fours

Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)
Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo

Vancouver Island man to be reunited with father’s 104-year-old First World War uniform

Geoff Goodship got a call out of the blue from an amateur historian who had acquired the outfit

Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo
Left to right – Jok (younger brother to Fee), Quentin (Fee’s son), Fee (older brother to Jok), May (Jok’s daughter) and Henry (Fee’s son). (Contributed)

Westside founding family donates temporary parkland to West Kelowna

The Mar family has a long history in the Central Okanagan

Left to right – Jok (younger brother to Fee), Quentin (Fee’s son), Fee (older brother to Jok), May (Jok’s daughter) and Henry (Fee’s son). (Contributed)
Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

VIDEO: B.C. man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum

UBC’s Beaty museum grateful for Bill Merilees’s historical record of B.C. marine biodiversity

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)

Cast in bronze, then into Victoria’s Inner Harbour: So who was James Cook?

Likeness of British maritime explorer commissioned in 1976, forcibly removed on July 1

Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)
The Kamloops Indian Residential School circa 1930. (Archives Deschâtelets-NDC, Richelieu)

Residential school survivors honoured in Okanagan Legacy of Hope exhibit

Museum exhibit on dark history sheds light

The Kamloops Indian Residential School circa 1930. (Archives Deschâtelets-NDC, Richelieu)
The Pierre family, an Indigenous family, once lived in what is now downtown Summerland. Today, Pierre Drive is named in honour of the family. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)

Pierre family played role in Summerland’s history

Downtown Summerland was once Penticton Indian Reserve #3

The Pierre family, an Indigenous family, once lived in what is now downtown Summerland. Today, Pierre Drive is named in honour of the family. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum)
Gwen Spencer Hethey with her uncle and mentor Major Frederick Richardson. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame)

‘She was a killer’: The B.C. woman who pioneered female sharpshooting

Gwen Spencer Hethey made military men ‘look like turkeys’ says her son

Gwen Spencer Hethey with her uncle and mentor Major Frederick Richardson. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame)