Local historian Richard Smith was kind enough to send me some cool ‘did you knows’ about Peachland, and he’s going to share what he knows right here, in his own words 🙂

No History?  Know history – as you follow the strange tales of the little town of Peachland in this ‘Know it All – About Peachland’, by Richard Smith. As a tribute to a century of stories, a few are included here:

Eddy Haymour and the story of Rattlesnake Island:

You’ve probably heard a version of this story – about Eddy Haymour, who stopped at pretty much nothing in his quest to make Rattlesnake Island a Middle Eastern theme park. 

A documentary released in 2020 called Eddy’s Kingdom was recently on TV, and local historian Richard Smith sent me a couple mementos of that time. Here’s a ticket to Haymour’s island, from 1972..

And here’s a couple books Richard has:

…it is quite the story. Here’s the link to the 2020 documentary, which was an official selection for that year’s Victoria Film Festival. In a nutshell, Haymour, who is now 85, had a vision for Rattlesnake Island, which he purchased with the intention of making a theme park that reminded him of Lebanon, where he was from. There was a mini golf course, and even a pyramid, Greg Crompton, the documentary’s producer told the CBC. According to that article, local opposition to Haymour’s plan in the 1970s escalated into a battle with then-BC premier William Bennett’s office. An involuntary stay in a psychiatric ward, and a hostage situation – he held 20 Canadians hostage in 1976 at the embassy in Beirut – marked the rest of Haymour’s tale. He didn’t face any jail time, and according to that CBC article, in 1986 the BC Supreme Court ruled that the province had treated Haymour unfairly. The island was no longer his, though – it’s what you see across the lake today.

The Christmas season / winter in Peachland:

In 1950 the lake froze over and so this Cessna 170 could be found parked on the frozen water in front of the Edgewater Hotel! People would board the plan for sightseeing tours.

And here’s a couple pics of downtown Peachland. The picture below was taken around 1958, says Richard.

“The three houses at the front are the Greata Ranch married homes – two still exist in Peachland and are used as homes. And there were also three more houses against the mountain for single workers. Today it is the Branch 69 Legion parking lot.”

And here’s another pic from 1950. People would skate right in front of Folks Store, which is the Sunnyside market today. You can also see where Lakeside Auto lives now – and that windowless building right at the beach? That’s the Okanagan Telephone automatic exchange.

In the early 1950s, Richard’s dad was our town’s waterworks manager.

“To make extra money, my mother and uncle cut Christmas trees one year.” Here are pictures of my sister Marg and Joan Topham looking at the piles of trees! They would be about 10 years old. This was around 1954:

Today, our local fire department maintains our ice rink, up at the Peachland Riding Club. But in the 1950s, kids had a couple different options. One of them was Richard’s family farm:

Beach Ave was another fun place to be. This pic below is on the lake, in front of Folks’ Store – which is now Sunnyside Market:

Some thoughts on Remembrance Day:

The original poppy that was worn on Remembrance Day.

While the symbolism of the Remembrance Day poppy was of course, because of Lt. Col. John McCrae’s famous poem, it was a young woman and fundraising expert from France who had the idea of using the flower as a fundraising means for veterans around the world. It was 100 years ago that Anna Guérin convinced the Great War Veterans Association of Canada of her idea.

And according to local historian Richard Smith, our town’s cenotaph is 100 years old this year, too!

“It was once in the centre of a boulevard on the West side of Beach Ave,” he says:

I asked Richard to share what he wanted about Remembrance Days past in Peachland. Many of us know about the highest per-capita loss we suffered in World War 1. But he also wants us to know about the four local men who were killed during World War 2.: Royal Edwin Bartee, Fred Mills, George Pringle, and Raymond Wilson.

“Noel Wilson is Raymond’s brother and will likely come from Vancouver as he has every year since his brother died,” Richard said.

Pilot Fred Mills

George Pringle, a navigator

Air gunner Raymond Wilson

Wilson’s brother has been as every Remembrance Day ceremony in Peachland, since his brother was killed. 

And you’ve likely heard about the Cousins family, the famous ball team of brothers. Six of the siblings went off to war, Richard says.

“The five brothers and their sister were all given leave from where they were posted to return home to Peachland for their mother’s funeral in 1943,” he says of this photo:

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Around 1953, this man was kind of a big deal – and Richard Smith’s mom took this pic of actor Lon Chaney Jr., who was staying at the Antler’s Beach motel. He was posing outside the restaurant that used to be there (and I’ll have something on that soon!)

If you’ve seen the 1939 version of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Lon played the role of Lenny. Later in his career, he made a name for himself playing various monsters in movies. His dad, Lon Chaney was a famous actor in the silent movie era, and according to the profile on IMDB, Chaney Jr. spent his whole life trying to exceed the success of his father. Many of his fans, however didn’t know his dad existed. This pic would have been taken a year after his 1952 movie, High Noon, which was a blockbuster at the time.

Actor Lon Chaney Jr., in Peachland BC

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Another 1950s memory of Richard’s, and this one has to do with juice:

“Don Wilson will tell you an interesting story about the time in about 1952 when a shipment of SunRype apple juice in large cans in a truck went off the highway here in Peachland and landed on the beach. Part of the load went in the lake and cans were floating around there. My Dad went to the accident and came home with a lot of dented apple juice cans from the accident. We had juice in the pantry for a long time. Don and his Dad fished theirs out of the lake!”

What are we looking at, in the above pic? You’re on 1 St., looking west. The building right beside that excavator is JM Robinson’s real estate office. He built it in 1897 to sell the lots and orchard acreages to create our town. The name of the company? The Peachland Townsite Company. Makes sense! Richard says the white building in the background is the original post office, built in 1898.

Yes, another excavator 🙂

This is downtown Peachland in 1950, and here’s what Richard has to say:

“Shown is the Sweet Caporal cigarette sign, high on Sunnyside market, then called Fulks General Store and that’s a logging bulldozer in for repair at the Chevron station.

The other, smaller building was the Post Office and today, it’s Edward Jones with the Fish & Chips shop now added. The (post office) letter drop from outside is visible and its location is still visible today as a plywood cover in same place.”

A logging truck being serviced, around 1949 or so. Richard says that across the street from where this pic was taken, was a business called McLaughlin Plumbing and Electric, and barely visible and to the right, is the old packing house.

I think this pic is my favourite – towing a trailer on winter roads! Richard says these pics are from the Redstone family album. They owned the Chevron Station mentioned above. This was their son’s pride and joy at the time – a 1950 Ford Meteor. The house shown in the middle belonged to the Sanderson family – and eventually, that site became home to the Gasthaus restaurant – specifically, its outdoor patio area.

“The building on the far left was the municipal hall, but it had been a Presbyterian Church well before that,” says Richard.

“The Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists all got together to form one church, thus the name “United Church”, and it was built  in 1911.”

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What do you think of this idea?

It occurs to me, having lived in this area since 1947 that a far more appropriate structure to attract tourism and be historically accurate might be a large example of a forestry lookout tower. On the east side would be the site of the great Okanagan Forest fire and on the west, Gorman’s Mill, a well-known family success story.

An elevator would lift visitors to an interpretive centre/museum at the top and a panorama view of one of BC’s famous assets, the forests. Big screen video of water

The Okanagan-famous Bambi bucket
-photo courtesy Richard Smith

bombers and fire fighting is also very entertaining as a possible added attraction.

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Some stories about Peachland’s art and culture:

The original culture in this area was that of the Interior Salish Indians who settled here. They used black, red and white pigments to decorate clothing and many games were enjoyed – sports-type contests, and also gambling. Pictographs are found throughout the Okanagan Valley, many of these on the east side of the lake, between Kelowna and Naramata.

The Fur Brigade trail was finished in 1824 by Tom Mckay, opening the area for pack trains and wagons. With the advent of settlers arriving and the completion of the railway in 1884, the country began to change. 

Canoe races, around 1912
(Photo thanks to Richard Smith)

From early gatherings, there were outdoor amusements such as boating, swimming, shooting, fishing and pony rides which soon became community socials with a band made up of locals. Once a year, everyone gathered for the Christmas concert. In 1910, Peachland held a Regatta in the new Packinghouse. Cost of the meal was 50 cents. The most popular part was the Indian war canoe races.

On October 9, 1919 the Women’s Institute put on the first Fall Fair and Flower Show. The Fall Fair was continued except during the years 1942-1945 until a separate body, the Fall Fair Committee, was formed to look after all aspects of this event in 1965. As many garden flowers, especially roses, were at their best in the spring, it was decided to hold a flower show in June, with judging for prize ribbons only.  The first Spring Flower Show was in June 1938 and became a yearly event. It is now known as the Rose Show.

This is the Ladies champion curling team, around 1956.
(photo from Richard Smith)

In 1947, 26 people put up $50 each and signed a bank note for a curling rink consisting of two sheets of natural ice and 20 men’s teams and six ladies’ teams in the league.  A heavy snow in 1950 collapsed the “House of Curling.”  This was rebuilt in 1951 as an indoor curling ring and Peachland was the first town of its size (population 614) in Canada or the United States to have artificial ice.

In 1955, after travelling in the snowy winter months to Summerland for art classes, Mary Smith, Mrytle Ferguson, Anne Webber and Jean Coldham decided to start their own art group in Peachland. Their artwork was soon displayed at the annual Flower Show.  Mary Smith taught pine needle basket making, Tole painting, smocking, fabric flowers, Christmas decoration, Dorset stitching, corn husk dolls, macramé, and more. Mary made arts and culture a huge part of Peachland; her original  Art Group thrives today with over 65 members. Peachland boasts many very active arts groups such as two painting groups, two quilting groups, the Senior Choir, Variety singers, Miniature Enthusiasts, Ukulele Players, Little Schoolhouse, Historical Society, Sowers and Growers, Peachland Carvers, Little Theatre Society, Photographers and a Writers Group.  Peachland also hosts concerts in Heritage Park during the summer and in the Art Gallery during the winter. Peachland has now become a very vibrant arts community with amazing local talent. We also have a wide variety of restaurants in Peachland with sunny outdoor patios to enjoy the one of a kind view, and a well used walkway which allows you to stroll between Heritage Park and the Bliss Bakery. 

Today, in May, 2021 Peachland has a beautifully restored 1908 School house changed into a home for the Boys & Girls Club, an art gallery , A visitor centre and social events space for numerous community events. It is run by the 400 member Peachland Arts Council, coming a long way from the original four ladies that started the first art group. 

The 50+ Centre for seniors is also a base for many activities on the site of the original two-sheet artificial ice Curling Club.

• What if a suspension bridge spanned between the Tabletop mountain development site and the park on 6 Ave on the Ponderosa side of town? It could even be an economic boost, says local historian Richard Smith.

“It could kickstart both that (Tabletop) project and a 9 hole golf course on the south side,” Richard says.

“It’s one of my favourite stimulus ideas on a world class scale.”

Here’s a few pictures of what the canyon looked like long ago, by the river:

June Todd, who is Jeff Todd’s sister in law, is on the boardwalk. Underneath is a massive water pipe.
(photo courtesy Richard Smith)

You can see the water pipe a bit better here…
(photo courtesy Richard Smith)

In RIchard’s words: Trepanier Creek has an interesting history. It was the site for a hydro-electric dam built in 1909 of logs, rebuilt of concrete in the 1930s. It was also the site of a gold rush but the gold turned out to be salted by an ambitious horse packer/guide. It originates from two lakes and a huge pond. The lakes are Lacoma and Silver. Lacoma feeds the North fork of the creek and the pond the other. Silver Lake drains down a steep hillside into the creek.

Trepanier Creek under ice and snow in February, 2021.

• Did you know that Trepanier Creek was named by a French Fur Brigade trader? It happened after a First Nations man who was traveling with the traders was attacked by a bear.  His skull was crushed and to save his life, it was necessary to perform an operation to remove the broken bones from his head. This type of brain surgery is called Trepanning! That lifesaving act took place, you guessed, at the creek crossing – but as Deep Creek was once called Trepanier on early maps, we don’t know at which creek!

Yes, Trepanier Creek has an interesting history. It was the site for a hydro-electric dam built in 1909 of logs, and then rebuilt with concrete in the 1930s. It was also the site of a gold rush but the gold turned out to be salted by an ambitious horse packer/guide. It originates from two lakes and a huge pond. The lakes are Lacoma and Silver. Lacoma feeds the North fork of the creek and the pond the other. Silver Lake drains down a steep hillside into the creek. 

Today Silver lake is a Forestry Summer Camp with a lodge and numerous log cabins on the site. Did you know that it  once housed a forestry museum inside the lodge and on the grounds of the site. Unfortunately the lodge burnt down and the entire collection of rare artifacts was lost but if you go there today you can still see the vintage logging equipment in the trees around the new lodge.  Most of the entire collection was donated by one Kelowna logging contractor in his will when he passed away. It would be nice to see the historic museum revitalized.

Headwaters Lakes are unique in one respect. On the lakes (a little more than 20 kms from town centre) are large floating islands with full size trees that move around the lake with the changing wind. They are very soft but in some cases they can be walked upon. They were caused and created by the large fluctuations in the depth of the lakes as they fill in the Spring and reach their lowest in the fall.The motion moves logs and weeds up and down adding more each year until they float. The shaded cool water under the islands is a great fishing spot. The amazing thing is the changing scenery as they move around. Although it is above Peachland , it is Summerland’s water supply.

• Did you know that Sunnyside Market was for many years called Fulk’s General Store? It was owned by a father and son, Len and Ken Fulks – and they were actually direct relatives of Captain James Cook, the famous British explorer. In 1958 Len and his wife were on a television quiz show called the Front Page Challenge and his James Cook ancestry stumped the panel! He was also invited to the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Family members were also flown to Australia for a major anniversary celebrating its discovery.

• The Edgewater Hotel started its life as the Lakeview Hotel above the Cutbill Feed store on the CPR wharf and then moved to become the Edgewater Inn,  J. M. Robinson’s home. It was changed to the Totem Inn in the 1950s when Pete Spackman bought it and carved a totem pole from a pine tree growing in the front yard beside the street.

The Edgewater today..

• Back in the day, Peachland supplied electrical power to Westbank! In the 1940s the water-powered generator in Peachland was linked to the Westbank diesel generator over steel wires. On occasion when the diesel shut down, the only electricity available was from Peachland over these power lines. During the day, Westbank provided most of the power for the two communities. All this ceased when electricity was brought to both communities by the BC Power Commission. Peachland’s power plant ceased operation in 1947. 

• About a decade before that, there was a man who out of the goodness of his heart, bailed out the District of Peachland. It was the 1930s and the man was Ray Harrington Jr. His father had been Mayor and also a councillor for many years. He was also quite involved with the local Baptist Church and when the District came upon hard times, he loaned them $1,000. Harrington was also among the founders of Maple Spring Bible Camp, and his home still stands on Victoria Ave.

• Rusty Palmer lived on the family farm in Trepanier, known as Palmer’s Flats. He was a graduate in Pharmacology and his sister Lillian was famous as an Olympic silver medalist. She competed in the 1932 Olympics and the 1934 British Empire Games in track and field events. She is in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. Possibly she is the town’s only Olympian?

From left, Chateau Jonn De Trepanier, Hainle’s original logo, and a label from Moeller’s winery.
(photos courtesy Richard Smith)

• Did you know Peachland has four different wineries in its history? Hainle comes to mind first for many – it’s the home of the very first ice wine in North America, and they’re still operating today (under new management – you can read the business profile I wrote for Hainle here)

According to Richard Smith, the first estate winery in BC, Chateau Jonn de Trepanier, was located at the top of Trepanier Rd. It was created by Marion John, who was famous for his Riesling. He was convinced Canada was ready for European, estate style wineries (his family roots were in Romania). A 1977 vintage is shown here. Few of these bottles remain, but two of them have a home at the Peachland Museum! The vineyard still exists today, but Smith says after operating as First Estate Winery and Chateau St. Clair, it is no longer a winery that you can visit. But if you Google First Estate Winery in Peachland, an Airbnb off Cousins Rd comes up.

Henry Moeller was another winemaker on the Trepanier side of town – Richard says he had a small family cottage winery, but unfortunately he died of cancer and the vineyard was lost as a result.

Have you ever heard of Working Horse Winery? Richard says it was owned by Tillman Hainle, who is Walter Hainle’s son. “He had a vineyard on his parent’s property, very close to the Hainle vineyard and he used a team of work horses to cultivate it.”

Unfortunately the home on the property was lost to the 2012 Trepanier fire. Richard says new owners still use the land as a vineyard only.

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• Did you know that in 1997, Peachland’s little schoolhouse – the cute red-trimmed building on Brandon Lane – was slated by the District for demolition? Here’s where some feisty Peachlanders came in: They formed the “Friends of The Little Schoolhouse Society” and offered to restore the building, at no cost to taxpayers. Ever since then, the Peachland Little Schoolhouse Society” exists to host artist workshops, and other community groups who would like to use the charming space.

The Schoolhouse courtyard, last July 🙂

• James and Frank Wilson were in trouble. It was 1912 and they had robbed the Charter & Taylor general store and post office in South Kelowna and were arrested in Penticton. The prisoners were being returned under police guard to Kelowna on the SS Okanagan. But as they neared Peachland, James surprised provincial police Constable George Aston with a .22 revolver. The policeman was shot and killed, and the duo made their escape into the hills above Peachland, heading north. They were recaptured by the police at Wilson’s Landing. James was later executed for the murder of Const. Aston.

The SS Okanagan, the scene of murder in 1912.
-courtesy Richard Smith

• RCMP Const. Neil Bruce was another police officer who sadly lost his life, and the man who killed him was arrested in Peachland. It was 1965 and the constable was investigating a hostage taking at a cabin in Powers Creek. He was only walking up to the front door, when he was murdered by Russell Spears. Spears fled but was cornered in the Trepanier area. The Haskell family spotted him, the suspect was surrounded – but Spears shot his dog and then took his own life. Const Neil Bruce Middle School in Westbank is a permanent tribute to this police officer’s memory.

• OK something a little lighter: Did you know Peachland used to have a drive-in theatre? This was in the mid – 1950s. It was located in a flat clearing of trees, near where the Okanagan Connector joins Highway 97. It was the perfect spot – far enough away the noise didn’t bother anyone, and right between Peachland town centre and Westbank. According to Richard Smith, it was very short-lived, exciting thing to have a drive in theatre here – at the time, the closest one was a long ferry trip to Kelowna!

• Did you know that at the corner of Turner and Princeton, there used to be a pound? It wasn’t just for dogs – it was also used to corral stray horses and cows. If your cow was ‘impounded’ you had to pay a fine, as well as the cost of feed during its stay. For many years, schoolkids would get off the bus at the ‘pound’ stop – and up to the 1950s, the corral was still there.

• There used to be a skating rink downtown, too. It was a very cold winter in the 1960s when Pete Spackman and a few other dedicated volunteers decided to build a rink for fellow Peachlanders. They set it up where the cenotaph is today. It was a big hit – for a week or so. Warm weather put an end to things, as it tends to do here in the Okanagan!

• Here’s a story about a man named Billy Williams: He lived in a small cabin in the woods between 5th and 6th St. before the downtown area was  built up. He lived from about 1925 to 1945, when he passed away. He was then taken to the Municipal Hall and laid out on the council table, ready for burial next day. The Girl Guides came into the hall  for their regular meeting and there was old Billy! His cabin, no longer needed, was dragged behind the Peachland General Store to be used as a feed shed. It was covered with cardboard walls inside for cleanliness. It was then moved to the scrap metal yard at the end of 3rd St. and became the home of Jim Robertson, the hired man at the Smith’s dairy farm. The cabin was then taken to that farm to store grain in about 1962. Rain coming through the roof buckled the cardboard walls in about 1982 and found under those walls, were 55 calendars of local Peachland  businesses that Billy had collected over the years for decoration. They still exist in Richard Smith’s collection.

• In the 1940s and 1950s a young boy, Peter St. John grew up in Peachland. His dad was retired Colonel St.John. His grandparents, the Pierces, lived at the end of Princess Street. Did you know that he is today the 9th and present modern Earl of Orkney relating directly back to the Vikings? Strangely enough 90% of all early Hudson’s Bay fur traders were from the Scottish Orkney Islands (Orcadians). Fur Brigade Trail traders in the 1860s stopped at May Spring beside the Pierce home! Peter now lives in Winnipeg, an expert on world terrorism and he was called by President Bush when the two towers were destroyed on 9/11.

• In 1942 Mayor, Ben Gummow died while in the office. His wife Stella Gummow took over his duties and was later elected Mayor. She served from 1942 to 1944. Did you know that she was the first female mayor in British Columbia and second in Canada? She was also the one to suggest the Dogwood as the official emblem of the province of British Columbia. She traveled extensively for the Provincial Department of Agriculture in the 1940s and 1950s. She was also president of the BC Women’s Institute of the day.

Peachland’s Blind Angler restaurant.

• Peachlander Jack Wilson was a man of many talents. Did you know that he was a decorated officer in World War 1, was wounded and gassed at the front line trenches, came home and was a logger, ran a dairy, and had an orchard. In World War Two he was the officer in charge of the Peachland guerrilla unit of the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers formed to defend against any attack by the Japanese. We were bombed here by the Japanese but not in a conventional way – by hydrogen filled balloons launched from Japan intended to start the forests ablaze. Jack investigated one nearby. His passion in later life, while going blind from WW1 gas, was fishing. Thus the historic name attached to a restaurant, “The Blind Angler.”

• Log Chute Road above Deep Creek is named for the unique method of moving logs from the top of Deep Creek hill to the lake. A log chute was built like the water flumes of the day and the logs introduced into this chute took no time to get to the lake. It was much cheaper and easier than dragging each log with horses. From there it was a short way to the McDougall Steam Sawmill, on the water, at the location of today’s Renfrew Road and Highway 97. After it burnt, for many years the pilings remained as a swimming area for the young people of town. If you want to know more about street names, there’s more right here!

• Here’s something timely from a ways back! Richard says in the 1960s when he was hitch-hiking across Canada, Europe and North Africa, there was an important piece of documentation he had with him at all times: His vaccination certificate. (That’s Richard on the right, at 21 years old.)

“It was still required when I went to England in 1968 so a new one was needed,” he says.

“You can easily guess which (document) is the oldest!”

A different Peachland! This North Carolina town was founded in 1895 and its population is a little over 400 people.

• Did you know that Peachland is also the name of a town in the metro area of Charlotte, North Carolina USA?  The community was named for a nearby peach orchard. The mayor of that village visited our Mayor Waldo many years ago. Peachland residents, Bernice and Albert Galpin  also made a trip to visit the small town. It is the only other known town in the world named Peachland!

• The Kelowna Ferry ‘Lequime’ once came to Peachland but not to pick up cars. It arrived in its present form as the Fintry Queen and was docked on the outside of the Yacht Club wharf. It was here to take on board delegates from a large church convention. The date was September, 1991.

• There was such an abundance of Kokanee in both Deep Creek and Trepanier creek that the town once had a small fish company that provided Kokanee and possibly even the then abundant Kamloops trout to the CPR paddle wheelers. This odd story was told by the old-timer Jim Clements, who also had for many years, in his possession a wooden box with the words ‘Peachland Fish Company’ stencilled on it. It seems that fish were caught commercially on a very small scale and sold to the CPR for use in the dining rooms of the lake paddle wheelers.

• For many years in the 1930s and 1940s the Mannring family herded 1,000 sheep on the hills above Peachland, on  the Pennask plateau. In the winter they were herded on the hillsides above the town and above Greata ranch and the Miller ranch, now Okanagan lake Park campground. In spring with the help of sheep herding dogs, the sheep were moved up Princeton Avenue to the summer range on Pennask Mountain. Betty (Mannring) Sim still lives here, and her outstanding voice has been part of the United Church congregation for many years.

• The chief administrator of the municipality was once called the municipal clerk. One was particularly memorable. He ran the municipal office with the help of a secretary but he was also the Fire Chief, the head of Public works, drove the dump truck, drove the road grader, ran the asphalt plant, and in winter he had a skating rink for the community children on his front lawn. His name was Chesel Haker and his home still stands at the top of Princeton Avenue. He is fondly remembered, to say the least.

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What’s new at the museum?

Some good news! The Peachland Museum was successful in getting a grant that will go a long way towards making some fixes to our town’s 100+ year old home of local history. The District just announced (Feb 23) that they’re getting $600,000 from the CERIP Unique Heritage Infrastructure Grant.

“The grant was not for the entire amount that we applied for ($950,000), but we are currently completing a pre-renovation study and will work with our contractor to determine which parts of the project we can defer to another year,” says the District’s Cheryl Wiebe.

UPDATE May 20. 2021: The report is in: Museum repairs to top more than a million – and the grant is for $600K

The project has to start by the end of the year and finish by March 2023.

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A special message from Barbara Dionne, president of the Peachland Historical Society!

On May 18, 2021, the Peachland Historical Society celebrated its 40^th anniversary of the official opening of the Peachland Museum.

On that date in 1981, the top floor of the iconic eight-sided building on Beach Avenue was dedicated as a Museum, by Mayor George Waldo, PHS Chairman Charlie Martin and Pastor Bruce Haskins.

Representatives of some of the early pioneer families, Ivy Bradbury, Wally MacKenzie and Jeff Drought were special guests.

Mary Smith, who was a driving force behind the formation of the Peachland Historical Society as well as the establishment of the Museum, was there along with Jesse Shaw, Brenda Davies and other members of the relatively new Society.

Today, fascinating exhibits, photos and artifacts fill the entire building and the Peachland Museum has become a well-known and much loved institution in our town.

The top floor is, by far, the main attraction with the Central Okanagan Railway Company’s amazing interactive layout of the Kettle Valley Railway circa 1955 – 1960.

Our Museum Curator, Don Wilson, who was very much involved in the formation of the PHS and the establishment and development of the Museum, is still at his post to greet visitors.

The Peachland Museum has welcomed thousands of people from almost every country in the world over its 40 year history and continues to be one of the highlights of our community.

We invite you to visit our wonderful Museum whenever you can and walk through the doorway to Peachland’s fascinating past.

We are open most days with masks required and social distancing practiced.

–Barbara Dionne, President, Peachland Historical Society

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Here’s the latest edition of The Story of Peachland!

Did you know the fourth edition of The Story of Peachland is out? You can get your copy at the Peachland Museum – and it’s also handed out to every Grade 5 graduate at Peachland Elementary. Whether you’ve lived here forever or are a newer resident, it’s a great read.

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We know there’s many sides to history – and in Peachland, it’s mostly contained within the eight walls of our unique historical museum downtown. Built as a Baptist church, it’s been here since 1910, and for locals, it should come as no surprise that it was built mainly by volunteers. Today, the Peachland Museum is home to our town’s early stories, artifacts and photos. It’s also where you’ll find one of the most detailed model train settings (depicting life along the Kettle Valley Railway from Nelson to Hope BC in the mid 50s to 1960s).

From September to June, the museum hours are 1 – 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. During the summer the museum is open seven days a week! Here’s their website for more info.

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Ever notice most Peachland streets are named after someone? Don Wigfield is the author of The Story of Peachland and The Roads of Peachland: The Historical Origins of Their Names. He’s working on a second edition of this book now, and in the meantime he’s generously lent me a copy of the first edition. I’m using info from there to let you know the meaning behind our street names! Check it out!