Old Kelowna

Old Kelowna This page is dedicated to documenting, celebrating, and preserving the collective history of Kelowna. Please add pictures to commemorate Kelowna's past.
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This wonderful hand tinted postcard from the 1940s shows Bernard Avenue from the intersection of Pandosy Street, with th...
06/13/2026

This wonderful hand tinted postcard from the 1940s shows Bernard Avenue from the intersection of Pandosy Street, with the Royal Anne Hotel, Capital News building and other nearby businesses visible.

Thanks again to Fred Fleck for sharing the first postcard image of Abbott Street's Mayfair Hotel. We added a photo of th...
06/12/2026

Thanks again to Fred Fleck for sharing the first postcard image of Abbott Street's Mayfair Hotel. We added a photo of the same property from shortly after it was opened as the Lake View Hotel. (present location of the Caravelle @ 1585 Abbott Street)
Here is the history of the Lake View Hotel, Mayfair Hotel.
In 1892, the townsite of Kelowna was being laid out. Archie McDonald purchased a block of land on Abbott Street, extending from Bernard Avenue to Lawrence Avenue. He contracted Crowell and Holland of Vernon to construct a three story hotel on the property. Archie called the hotel "Lake View," as it overlooked Okanagan Lake. The structure was Kelowna's pride and joy for many years. There was a wide veranda the length of the building facing Abbott Street. A revolving door opened onto the lobby. The dining room, a very popular eating place, was located in the wing on the north end of the building, and a bar "for men only" was later located in the south wing.
Mr. McDonald had a number of regular boarders, and also catered to the travelling public. Mr. McDonald operated the hotel for ten years, and then sold it to Mrs. E.J. Newsome of Vernon. Two years later, she leased it to James M. Bowes, who came from Silverton in the Kootenays. He was very popular in the city, belonging to a number of local organizations. While Mr. Bowes was running the hotel, the Lake View continued to be Kelowna's best hotel, and the place to stay when coming to Kelowna. It was the favorite place for banquets and fraternal gatherings. In 1928, Jim Bowes left Kelowna, much to the dismay of the citizens. There is one story about the Lake View Hotel that old-timers will remember. In 1932, Chief of Police, David Murdoch, murdered a young woman in the hotel. Luckily he was arrested before he found another victim. The Lake View Hotel gradually deteriorated, and the name was changed to the Mayfair Hotel around 1935. Eventually the building was torn down. The lot remained vacant for a few years, and then a new modern hotel was built. But, no hotel could ever take the place that the Lake View Hotel occupied in community life in early Kelowna. * Information taken from Okanagan Historical Society Annual Reports Nos. 24, 33, 35. OHS 97

to this early ad for Flintstones Bedrock City (open from 1968 to 1998) which was located at Hwy 97N and McCurdy road. ...
06/11/2026

to this early ad for Flintstones Bedrock City (open from 1968 to 1998) which was located at Hwy 97N and McCurdy road. Image originally shared thanks to Herb Tanaka‎.

takes us to the turn of the last century (approx. 1900-1905) and this view of the road between Kelowna and Vernon. Pho...
06/10/2026

takes us to the turn of the last century (approx. 1900-1905) and this view of the road between Kelowna and Vernon. Photo shows the isthmus between Wood Lake and Long Lake (Kalamalka Lake) in the distance. This would be just south of the present day location of the Gatzke's Farm Market. Thanks again to Kyle Barker for sharing this image with our group.

The SS Sicamous at Okanagan Landing just prior to her launch. At the turn of the 20th century, the port of registry was ...
06/09/2026

The SS Sicamous at Okanagan Landing just prior to her launch. At the turn of the 20th century, the port of registry was Victoria, so "Sicamous of Victoria" was supposed to be proudly written in gold paint on the back of the paddle wheel. When the SS Sicamous was launched a mistake had been made, and Vancouver was accidentally written instead of Victoria. It was repainted soon after the launch. Launched in 1914, Sicamous ran for many years connecting rail lines and communities up and down Okanagan Lake. The vessel operated until 1937 and is currently beached as a part of a heritage shipyard operated by the S.S. Sicamous Marine Heritage Society in Penticton. The vessel today is operated both as a museum and events and banquet facility.

Although always a first-class steamship complete with luxurious staterooms and cabins, Sicamous was renovated in 1935 and became primarily a cargo vessel, reducing her total number of berths from 80 to 20. This change was in hopes of serving the people of the valley better while increasing her profits. Operation: Construction of Sicamous began September 1913 and continued throughout winter, finishing in the spring of 1914. The hull, engine and boiler were fabricated beforehand in Port Arthur, Ontario (Thunder Bay) and shipped to the construction site at Okanagan Landing. It took seventeen railcars to ship the prefabricated materials out West. Up to 150 men were hired to build both Sicamous and Naramata. The cost to build Sicamous alone was estimated to be $180,000 not including the additional $14,000 spent on fine furnishings.

Sicamous was launched May 19, 1914 at 2:15 in the afternoon, and had its first excursion June 12 of 1914. The first to pilot the ship was Captain George Estabrooks, followed by Captain Otto Estabrooks in 1915, Captain William Kirby in 1916, Captain George Robertson from 1917 to 1921 and lastly Captain Joseph Weeks from 1922 to 1935. To be captain of such a ship was considered to be one of the most prestigious careers in the Okanagan Valley and each captain was held in very high regard.

Thanks to Gordon Kaltenhauser for sharing this personal mid 1970s photo of the old CN Rail Station. Built in 1926 the Ca...
06/08/2026

Thanks to Gordon Kaltenhauser for sharing this personal mid 1970s photo of the old CN Rail Station. Built in 1926 the Canadian National Railway (CNR) station was a pivotal hub that shifted the regional economy from water-based to land-based transport. Passenger service ended in 1967, though it operated as a freight and express depot for several more years. The building is now the location of the Train Station Pub (located at 1177 Ellis Street) pub which opened in 2011.

Darryl Andrews shared this old Kelowna photo with our group and commented: "Just picked this up thrifting; not sure of ...
06/07/2026

Darryl Andrews shared this old Kelowna photo with our group and commented: "Just picked this up thrifting; not sure of vintage or POV, but suspect it's 35 years or more ago..." Anyone have thoughts on where this photo might have been taken? Thanks for sharing Darryl!

Saint Joseph's School Grade 3 and Grade 4 Class Photos from 1962 & 1963 shared thanks to Ted Gerk. Recognize any of the...
06/07/2026

Saint Joseph's School Grade 3 and Grade 4 Class Photos from 1962 & 1963 shared thanks to Ted Gerk. Recognize any of these fresh young faces?

Kelowna sends 1000 men off to fight in WWI. For the 134 who did not come home, the Kelowna War Memorial was dedicated on...
06/06/2026

Kelowna sends 1000 men off to fight in WWI. For the 134 who did not come home, the Kelowna War Memorial was dedicated on August 7, 1921.

In June, we celebrate Kelowna’s Canadian Italian community. Hope you can make to some of the events.
06/06/2026

In June, we celebrate Kelowna’s Canadian Italian community. Hope you can make to some of the events.

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Richter Street
Kelowna, BC

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