1

In the early days of mining
1890-1900
Olalla, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

2

While other parts of British Columbia were experiencing booms and gold rushes, the Similkameen Valley had its share of mining. There were always a number of prospectors working the creeks and rivers from the 1860s on.
The communities of Fairview and Olalla were booming: Fairview was the county seat and Olalla was considerably larger than Keremeos. Along with gold and silver there were good-sized deposits of copper ore, enough to be worth mining.
Working in the mines was dangerous, but there were other hazards for gold-seekers to consider. A local resident who grew up in the area, remembers some such occasions. Her older sisters were called upon several times to rescue stranded miners who had camped above their place. During the night their horses were lured away by the bands of wild horses that roamed the hills above Olalla.

3

Main Street
Circa 1905
Olalla, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

4

A postcard of the Hedley General Store
1903
Hedley, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

5

There was a rush to the Similkameen and its tributaries in 1885 that resulted in the settlements of Granite City and Tulameen. Strangely enough, in their search for gold, these early panners despised the light-coloured metal they found - platinum, now worth more per ounce than gold. It was around 1898 when development began to happen in the Hedley area - the now famed Mascot and Nickel Plate mines, which produced millions of dollars worth of gold ore before closing down.

6

Men working in the Nickel Plate Mine
1942
Hedley, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

7

Palace Livery Stable with a freight outfit leaving for the Nickel Plate Mine
1904
Hedley, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

8

One of the major challenges involved the shipment of ore. At first, supplies were packed over the trail from Fairview, through Keremeos and then up to the mines at Hedley. In 1900, M.K. Rodgers invited L.A. Clark, at that time residing in Vernon, to come and build a road from Penticton to the Nickel Plate Mine. This road was completed in about five months and greatly reduced the distance for freighting supplies. Clark pre-empted land along what became known as Green Mountain Road. There he built a residence and stopping house; Ezra Mills, also of Vernon, and later a prominent businessman in Keremeos, undertook the project for him.
There were several outfitters who had freighting contracts with the mines. Dave Innis was one of these - he later married L.A. Clark's younger daughter, Winnifred - and he also owned the Palace Livery Stable in Upper Keremeos.

9

Similkameen River trestle & dam
1920
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
From the Clark Estate

10

Of course, the railroad was the best solution to the problem of ore transport. There had been much demand for a line to be brought in, both to serve the mines, and also by the farmers and ranchers of the area. Ironically, the arrival of the train only shortly preceded the end of the boom in Olalla, although the railway continued to Keremeos until 1972.
The Hedley mines continued to produce well over the next few decades, but the days of prosperity for Olalla were numbered. A few unsuccessful attempts to revive the workings were made, leaving only a few shafts and foundations to mark the passing of an era in the Similkameen.

11

Fairview, the county seat
1908
Fairview, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

12

The mines in Fairview ceased operations in 1904. William Ring, after making a visit to the once vibrant town site, wrote this letter to the Keremeos Trumpet, dated October 16, 1908:
"In continuing the drive to Fairview one expects to catch a glimpse of the village, but it is not until you take the last turn at the foot of the mountain that you get your first look, and then you suddenly come right there and the scene that meets you is indeed a surprise. I had failed to ask anyone what to expect and had pictured, nestled at the foot of the mountain, a small and interesting town, instead of which my eye could see nothing but a scene of desolation, and turning to the driver I exclaimed, 'This surely is not Fairview.'
"I looked around for signs of life, could see none, but in the distance I saw a building, brilliant with a new coat of vivid green, and was told it was the court house, and there I went and was made acquainted with the gentlemen in charge and to them all credit is due, as they have certainly done all they could to make conditions as presentable as possible. But I have to extend my sympathies to them for the government keeping them there in such surroundings. I stayed there some four hours, during which time I saw eight men, two women, three dogs and a cat, which I think must comprise the population of Fairview.
"It was with a sigh of relief that I got into the rig and said 'home' to the driver. My return trip was a pleasant one, my rig being the only one in and out that day."

13

Long Alex
1890-1910
Fairview, British Columbia, Canada