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Soon after completion of the Canadian Pacific mainline on May 12 1893, a 46 mile line was run from Sicamous south to Vernon then 5 miles west to Okanagan Landing. In the spring of 1909, Canadian Pacific started building a rail wharf and tracks in Kelowna, and was finished that fall. Barges left Okanagan Landing, on the shore of Okanagan Lake and headed south, stopping at various locations on the way to Kelowna.
Photos from the Kelowna Museum.
Cars loaded on the CP barge entering Kelowna.
Barges continued onto Penticton, at the south end of Okanagan Lake, connected with the Kettle Valley Railway.
Cars at the CP wharf in Kelowna in 1912.
The industrial area of Kelowna started to built up quickly around this isolated railyard. Teams of horses would move the train cars from the wharf to the packing houses and coal dealers. Years later the horse teams were replaced by a shunter truck. A locomotive was not used from the wharf and track between the buildingsbecause of soft ground,sharp curves and the need to run around train cars to push or pull when switching. An article from the January 1952 Kelowna Daily Courier, describing this operation. This truck was supplied by Chapman Transport. A replacement truck used for this job was a 1945 six cylinder International, with spring loaded bumpers. Rear wheels were weighted with concrete. A picture of this truck was taken on Water street. Wharf is behind the truck.
One of Kelowna's early residents, William Haug arrived here on April 13, 1892. Being involved in several business ventures, W.Haug moved to the railyard area of Kelowna, opening up a building supply/coal dealer in 1910. Located across Water St. from the rail wharf and stock pen. Exact location is shown on the track plan below. The picture link will show many more pictures of this interesting area from the late 1920's to early 1930's.
View from the Haug building of the wharf and stock pens.
This 1947 view shows the packing houses and CP rail yard, to the left, which was put in after 1927. The wharf is just out of the picture on the lower left. View is to the north. The packing houses date from the 1920's. They were all destroyed by fires in the early 1960's.
A 1957 aerial view shows the construction site for the Okanagan lake bridge which opened July 19 1958. The CP wharf is on the lower left. Upper wharf and docks belong to CN. Very few buildings remain today.
COMPARE the above picture to the same area in 2000.
