Cherryville

Cherryville is a small community in the foothills of the Monashee Mountains in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia’s Thompson Okanagan region. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts have an abundance of opportunities to experience nature in the surrounding area. Hiking trails, wildlife viewing, canoeing and even hang gliding are close to Cherryville. The community also has its own museum displaying old farming and mining equipment and lets you explore life as it was through the stories of local residents. Visit the Artisans’ Shop offering local handcrafted wares from sculptures to jewellery, pottery, woodwork and more. The O’Keefe Ranch, an 1897 fully restored ranch and a BC Heritage Site is close by and a must visit.

O’Keefe Ranch near Vernon | P. Cashin

Location

Cherryville is located on Hwy 6 in the North Okanagan, 53 km (33 mi) east of the city of Vernon and 27 km (17 mi) east of Lumby.

A Step Back in Time

The small community of Cherryville was an old gold mining camp founded in the 1860s by prospectors from the California Gold Rush. Between 1863 and 1895, the original town that is now known as Cherryville was a small mining camp located within the canyon walls of Cherry Creek. Its population was 100 people, half of whom were Chinese miners.

With more and more miners heading into the Cherry Creek area, a road was built from Lumby in 1877, through Blue Springs Valley, attracting new families to the area. The community was known by the post office name of Cherry Creek, then Hilton, which remained for many years. Cherry Creek and Cherryville were named after the wild Choke Cherries that grew along the banks of the creek.