Tulameen
Tulameen
Stulameen | |
---|---|
Location of Tulameen in British Columbia | |
Coordinates: 49°32′45″N 120°45′30″W / 49.54583°N 120.75833°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
Elevation | 783 m (2,569 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 250 |
Postal code | V0X 1W0 |
Area code | 250 |
Tulameen, originally known as Otter Flat, is a small community in
Early history
The locality was known in fur trade times as Campement des Femmes (Woman's Camp, known as Tseistn in the native language)[1] which was located in present day Tulameen, was native encampment of women while the men went hunting. In the decades of exploration of the remote areas of the province following the creation of the Colony of British Columbia in 1858 and the flurry of exploration of back-country engendered by the nearby Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, prospecting activity led to the discovery of gold in 1885[2] near the confluence of Granite Creek with the Tulameen River, near present-day Coalmont, about 8 km south of Tulameen and about 18 km northwest of Princeton, which lies at the confluence of the Tulameen and the Similkameen River.
Around the site of the find, the boomtown of
Some miners from this rush congregated by the amenable shores of Otter Lake, with the town that sprang up having the name Otter Flats or Otter Lake, which had a number of stores, two hotels, a saloon and post office.
The railway era
The name Otter Flats endured until 1901 when the name Tulameen was officially adopted[citation needed] as the town acquired some stability due to its being on the routing of the southern mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway, constructed in 1896 after a potential routing of the US-based Great Northern Railway to the Tulameen.[dubious ]
The southern mainline is commonly known today as the
Although early tourism never really transformed Tulameen into the fashionable watering-hole it might have been, the town enjoyed another small boom with the discovery of a major coal deposit in the area, with a mine nearby Blakeburn opening in the 1920s, but lasting only about 1940.[citation needed]
Tulameen today
There are approximately 300 permanent full-time and 150 part-time residents. This number grows in the summer months. The community also has quad rentals, a community centre, an outdoor skating rink, a library, a volunteer fire department, a skidoo dealer and repair centre, and a general store.
Tulameen is located in Electoral Area 'H' of the regional district of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS).
Otter Lake
This very popular 6 km long lake covers approximately 290 hectares (716 acres) at an elevation of 823 m (2700 ft.) It is a great recreational lake for swimming, water-skiing and fishing for lake trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and kokanee. The town of Tulameen is located at the south end of the lake and the provincial campsite borders the north-west side. A scenic bike ride will take you along the Trans Canada Trail, and stopping for ice-cream in Tulameen.
"The Trading Post"
The Tulameen General Store has a restaurant, a liquor store, a post office, and a gas station.
"The Otter Sleep Inn"
There is a motel with six rooms available, mostly vacant throughout the year, that books solid for the summer months. The motel has propane for sale, a public telephone, public pay showers and a small laundry facility.
Summer events
"Tulameen Daze" August Long Weekend.
A parade takes place on Saturday at noon on the August long weekend. There are many activities and crafts for children and the younger people of the community; there's a beer garden for the adults, with a horseshoe tournament. The community puts on a baron of beef/cob of corn lunch at the town community hall. There are many sights, contests, duck races, raffles and booths to check out on the main street, in town. There's a pancake breakfast and town clean-up on Monday. All funds raised from the Tulameen Daze events supports the community of Tulameen and the Tulameen Fire Department.
Miscellaneous note The name "Tulameen" is praised in the poem "Say the Names" by Canadian poet Al Purdy.
References
- BCGNIS listing "Tulameen (community)"
- [1] maintained by the Tulameen Ratepayers Association