- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
The new paperback edition of this excellent illustrated history includes additional information about recent developments up to 2025.
The Kelowna Story is a comprehensive full-length history of the largest metropolitan centre outside BC's Lower Mainland, a labour of love by a leading local historian whose family roots have been entwined with Kelowna's for five generations. It embraces the full sweep of central Okanagan history, starting with the days of the S-Ookanhkchinx, who enjoyed a largely peaceful existence along the shores of the lakes and rivers before the earliest explorers came to trade, followed by Father Pandosy and his Okanagan Mission in 1859. It was the mission that attracted Kelowna's first homesteaders, soon followed by cattle ranchers and orchardists, and much later by the empire-builders like the Bennett family who paved the way for today's budding metropolis.
Author Sharron J. Simpson believes "history is best told through the stories of ordinary people," while allowing today's readers may not think it 'ordinary' to walk over mountain ranges to collect mail, or consider it 'ordinary' to climb into a narrow irrigation pipe to scrape the rust off the inside as it runs up and down the hillsides, or to row freight from one end of Okanagan Lake to the other. "In their time," she writes, "those who did extraordinary things were simply doing what needed to be done to get ahead. Their stories are fascinating and tell of the remarkable investment early settlers made in this community."
Simpson tells the story of her hometown with an attention to detail and a passion for narrative that bespeaks her own considerable talent and deep commitment.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Half Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Introduction: Kelowna’s Stories
- Chapter One: Before Kelowna
- Chapter Two: Discovering the Okanagan
- Chapter Three: Kelowna Flourishes, 1905–1930
- Chapter Four: And We Thought We Would Be Spared, 1930–1940
- Chapter Five: Despair and Recovery, 1940–1955
- Chapter Six: Kelowna Grows Up—The Tumultuous Years, 1955–1975
- Chapter Seven: The Past Thirty-five Years—Kelowna Finds Its Heart, 1976 to the Present
- Afterword: Kelowna 2024
- A Timeline for Kelowna
- Sources
- Acknowledgements
- Index
- About the author