Online History Portal

The objective of this portal is to provide the reader with a comprehensive list of information pertaining to the Coldstream Lavington Area, that is available from secondary sources. As more information comes available, it will be added to the portal.

The portal is divided up into sections of interest. Photographs, Books and  Articles.  

Vernon Preparatory School Chapel, 2022

Photographs

Lavington Maypole Dancing - 1955

The Greater Vernon Museum and Archives (GVMA) Photograph Collection features over 30,000 archival images of people, places, and events from the Greater Vernon area. Explore the collection online at https://bcrdh.ca/islandora/object/gvma%3Aphotographs

How to Search the Collection

  • Browse Alphabetically – The collection is arranged by photo description, so images starting with “A” will appear first.
  • Keyword Search – Enter a name, place, or keyword in the search bar. Note: This search includes all collections on the BCRDH platform, not just that of the GVMA.
  • Filter to GVMA – After searching, scroll down to the bottom left and select “Greater Vernon…” under “Source” to refine results.
  • Narrow Your Search – Use filters like date range to find specific images (e.g., photos of “dogs” from 1920-1930).
  • View Photo Details – Click an image to see metadata, including the date, location, and subjects.

Requesting Images: Each image has a local identifier (photo number). To request a copy, email [email protected] with the number. The BCRDH platform is for research use only—please contact the GVMA to discuss permissions and any associated costs.

For assistance, contact Archives Manager Gwyneth Evans at [email protected] or 250-550-3146.

Books

The books, included, vary from those, as depicted in their title, cover just the Coldstream Lavington area and those that contain only a section on the area.

Ormsby, Margaret A. Nulli Secundus: A History of the District of Coldstream. Altona. MA: Friesen Printers, 1990. Available from District of Coldstream Office

  • Okanagan College: Kelowna, Vernon: link here. Call number: FC 3949 .C64 O7 1990
  • UBC Library: link here (https://webcat.library.ubc.ca/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=781356). 
  • Other Libraries: Washington State Library; UC Berkeley Libraries; Wisconsin Historical Society Library; Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum; Library and Archives Canada; Harvard University

Pearson, Anne. An Early History of Coldstream and Lavington. Vernon, B.C. Wayside Press, 1986. 

Middelton, R.M. The Journal of Lady Aberdeen: The Okanagan Valley in the Nineties  Victoria, Morris Publishing Ltd., 1986 Reviewed by Elaine Dickson OHS 51st Report 1987 p.148

  • Okanagan College: Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kelowna: Link here. Call #: FC 3845 .05 A23 1986
  • Other Libraries: Thompson Rivers University; UBC Library; Shoreline Community College Library (Washington); University of Victoria Libraries; University of Calgary Library; University of Northern British Columbia; Athabasca University Library; Southern Oregon University Library; Stanford University

Ken Mather Coldstream Lake House, A Storied landmark of the Okanagan. , Hancock Publishers Ltd 2024. Available from GVMA bookstore 

Donna (Yoshitake) Wuest Coldstream The Ranch Where it All Began: (Harbor Publishing Ltd, 2005), 

Marjorie Pentland, Bonnie Fechter: the Life of Ishbel Marjoribanks Marchioness of Aberdeen & Temair, G.B.E., L.L.D., J.P,, 1857-1939 , Publisher: Batsford, London ( Life of the first Marchioness of Aberdeen as told by her daughter)

Gordon Hamilton with Allan Thorlakson, & Brad Thorlakson Tolko Story The Family Values Build a 65 Yr. Legacy.  Published by Tolko Industries, Vernon BC. Available for purchase from Antiquarius Booksellers, Falkland, BC  https:/www.antiquarrius.com/ note: not found in libraries.

Tassie Peter. Water from the Hills, The Story of Irrigation the Vernon District. Published by The Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society 2017, available from GVMA bookstore 

Other Libraries: 

Kidston, Jamie. Vernon, A Geological Guide. self published

Articles

A majority of the articles come from the Annual Reports of the Okanagan Historical Society ( OHS). All of these reports are digitized and their links are provided.  The digital links to other sources are provided. Additional articles will be added as their presence comes known.

Coldstream Municipality

Webber Jean, Coldstream Municipality. OHS 15th Report 1951 p.77-85

Lavington

Okanagan Place Names. Lavington, OHS 12th Report,1948 p.209. 

H. R. Denison,  Ruben Swift, OHS 13th Report 1949 ,p.149-152. 

Knox Jim. Where is Woodville. Okanagan Historical Society 86th Report 2022 p.86-89

Marlene Ohlhauser, The Lavington Ranch. OHS 31st Report, 1967, p.107-108

Mabel Johnson, Lavington Store Destroyed by Fire. OHS 21st Report, 1957, p.111-112

The Canadian Battle Drill Training Centre

Hamilton Megan. Battle Drill Comes to Vernon 1939-45. Okanagan Historical Society, 86th Report,2022. P.7-17

Hamilton, Megan. The Vernon Military Camp and the Imperial Training Archipelago, 1939-45. Published in: Canadian Military History, 2024. Database: Military & Government Collection. 

 VIDEORECORDING: Production of CHBC Television 2001. Vernon Army Camp. CHBC TV. FC 3845 .04 P56 2001 v.6 DVD.

Kinlock David F.B., The Canadian Battle Drill Training Center: Coldstream Ranch, Okanagan Historical  Society: 47th Report, 1983, p. 19-21

MacNiel Walker, The Battle School on Coldstream Ranch. Okanagan Historical Society, 47th Report, p.17-18

Coldstream Ranch

Memorandum of Agreement between C.F. Houghton and C.A. & F.G. Vernon. OHS 6th Report 1935 p.184

News Item, Hon. F.G. Fobes & G.G. Mackay inventorying assets for transfer to Lord Aberdeen on Dec. 1,1891. OHS 10th Report 1943 p.62

Old Coldstream Ranch Accounts, OHS 13th Report 1949 p.57.

Rude Brian, The History of Vernon Irrigation. OHS, 35th Report 1971 p.108-110.

Jantz Graham. Early History of the Coldstream Ranch. OHS 57th Report 1993 p.163-164.

Gregory David, The Canadian Pacific Railway: Van Horne and Shaughnessy’s Agriculture Initiative. OHS 66th Report 2002, p.59-60.

Wamboldt Beryl The Marquess of Aberdeen’s Visit to the Coldstream Ranch OHS 54th Report 1990 p.15-17.

Kitcher Mary, Coldstream Ranch Goes Back One Hundred Years. OHS 27th Report 1963 p. 119-123.

Almquist Bethe Women Orchard Workers of the Coldstream Ranch. OHS 69th Report 2005 p.162-169.

Fraser Greg, Life of Charles Fredrick Houghton. OHS 80th Report 2016 p.157-160.

Ormsby Margaret A., Captain Houghton’s Exploratory Trip, 1864. OHS 13th Report 1949 p.38-44

Osborn Diane, The Coldstream Ranch. OHS 22nd Report 1958 p.118-121

Viel Harold, Selling Agents and Fruit and Vegetable Packing Houses of the North Okanagan 1890-1978. OHS 43rd Report 1979 p.11-14

Events

History of Canadian Girl Guides in Vernon and District. OHS 30th Report 1966 p.34-41

Indigenous Peoples

Murray Ken. The Seafaring Origin of the syilx ( Okanagan) Nation’s Ancestors. Okanagan Historical Society, 87th Report 2023 p. 205-219

de Lautour  E.V., The Nez Perce Indians. OHS 14th Report 1950 p.110-118

de Lautour  E.V., Nez Perce Indians Hop Picking at Vernon. OHS 24th Report 1950 p. 119-122

Joe Mary, Food of the Okanagan Indian. OHS 45th Report 1981 p.72-73

Indian Lore. OHS 20th Report 1956 p.105-113

Vernon and District Riding Club

Mavis Huston Cameron. Drag Hounds OHS 21st Report 1957 p53-57

Persons of the Area

Bagnall Guy P., The Craster Family. OHS 19th Report 1955 p.116-119

Boyd Molly: Full Circle, by Devon Muhlert. Okanagan Historical Society 87th Report 2023 p.90-96

Cochrane Hilda, Charles A. Vernon and Forbes G. Vernon. OHS 31st Report 1967 p152-154

Steinke Susan,., Forbes George Vernon Loses The Provincial Election of 1894. OHS 51st Report 1987 p.139-147

Kinlock David F.B., The Cossitt Family. OHS 64th Report 2000 p.166-171

Kidston Jamie, A Century of Fruit Growing in Coldstream. OHS 68th Report 2004 p.90-97

Kidston Jamie, The Palreys of Coldstream. OHS 66th Report 2002 p.109-113

Kidston J.R., Micheal Vincent McGuire. OHS 39th Report 1975 p.1315

Kidston J.R., Anna Euphemia Kidston. OHS 24th Report 1960 p.107-109

McCormick Lucy , James (Jim) Casey 1849-1936. OHS 66th Report 2002 p.15-16

McCormick Lucy, Dr. Art Sovereign 1924-2002. OHS 67th 2003 Report p.111-112

Mackie George, Okanagan Impressios: The 1922 Diary of Percial Mackie. OHS 68th Report 2004 p.11-26

Randall Rueben, Memoirs of the Early 1900’s. OHS 33rd Report 1969 p.106-112

Roberts Louise Patenaude, Pauline Legg ( Nee Patterson. OHS 69th Report 2005 p.48-50

Tassie Peter: A Tribute, Okanagan Historical Society 88th Report 2024, p.236-237

Global Women Elizabeth Shakespear Nel (Layton) by Devon Muhlert. Okanagan Historical Society 86th Report 2022 p. 90-94

Kidston Jamie A Century of Fruit Growing in Coldstream. OHS 68th Report p.90-97

Osborn June : by Diane Toth. Okanagan Historical Society. 76th Report, 2012 p. 161-164

Osborn C.D. Bill by Diane Toth. Okanagan Historical Society, 65th Report 2001 p. 167-170

Middleton William and Jessie by R. M. Middleton, Okanagan Historical Society, 58th Report 1994 p. 106-110

Middleton William and Caterine Middleton by R. M. Middelton, OHS 50th Report 1986 p.152-156

Middleton Margaret Campbell, Morrice Smith Middleton 1883-1950. OHS 21st Report 1957 p.27-33

The Joe Family of Vernon, by Lucy McCormick. Okanagan Historical Society, 58th Report 1994 p. 136-137 

The Heriot and Edgar Family Histories by Joan E. Heriot. OHS, 57th Report 1993, p.114-125

Kidston James Burns by J.R. Kidston. OHS 59th Report, 1995 p.105-107

Ormsby Margaret A., My Irish Father. OHS 47th Report 1983 p. 82-87

Ormsby Margaret A. My Irish Father Part 11. OHS 48th Report p.130-134

Ormsby Dr. Margaret by Patrick F. Mackie, OHS 51st Report 1987 p.114-116

Cumine  Constance G. The Cosens Family. OHS 52nd Report, p133

Rendell Madeline (Mada) ,The Rendells of Coldstream. OHS 62nd Report 1998 p.154-158

Steinke Susan Forbes George Vernon Loses The Provincial Election of 1894. OHS 51st Report1987 p.139-147

Tassie Peter, Gilbert Culloden Tassie OHS 42nd Report 1978 p.134-135

Rottacker Barbara, John Lindsay Webster. OHS 56th Report 1992 p.122-123

Places

Boyd Molly, Mud Lake on Middelton Mountain. Okanagan Historical Society, 88th Report 2024 p.158-159

Knox Jim. Where is Woodville. Okanagan Historical Society 86th Report 2022 p.86-89

Merchant Vivian. The Bishop Wild Bird Sanctuary. Okanagan Historical Society, 75th  Report 2011 p, 48-59

Bishop’s Garth, OHS 40th Report 1976 p.25

Bartholomew Kay & Merchant Vivian, The Memorial Garden at the Bishop Wild Bird Sanctuary. OHS 84th Report 2020 p.77-85

Geology

Murray Ken. Earthquakes in the Okanagan: Past, Present and Future: Okanagan Historical Society 88th Report 2024 p.34-46

Gellatly Dorothy Hewlett, Glacial Erratic on the Coldstream Ranch. OHS 11th Report 1945 p.62

Grant Adam, The Glacial Erratic on the Coldstream Ranch. OHS 3rd Report 1929 p. 17

Grant Adam, The Glacial Erratic on the Coldstream Ranch. OHS 6th Report 1935 p. 87

Lang Dr. Arthur H., Glacial Erratic in Coldstream Valley. OHS 6th Report 1935 p.24-25

Lang Dr.Arthur H., Glacial Erratic in Coldstream Valley. OHS 17th Report 1953 p.19-20

Lodge Terry, An Update on the Glacial Erratic in the Coldstream Valley. OHS 47th Report 1983, p.44-45

Tolko Industries

Matheson George, The First Fifty Years of a Family Business. OHS 70th Report 2006 p.16-22

Vernon Preparatory School

Mackie Hugh F., Private Schools in the Okanagan Valley. OHS 12th Report 1948 p.160-165

Pethick Derek A preparation for Life. Okanagan Historical Society, 58th Report 1994 p. 54-63

Mackie Mary Elizabeth Haddon. Children Venturers. OHS 58th Report, 1994,p.146-148 

Water

Baumbrough Lydia, Irrigation and Water Legislation in the Pioneer Years. OHS 47th report 1979 p.5-10

Davies Ann M. The Grey Canal. OHS, 45th Report, p.56-61

Rude Brian, The History of Vernon Irrigation. OHS, 35th Report 1971 p.108-110