| 1860 |
Father Pandosy arrived founded the Okanagan Mission, the first interior agricultural settlement after arriving in the area the previous year. |
| 1861 |
John MvDougall founds a small Hudson Bay Co. trading post here, the first in the area. |
| 1871 |
Grist Mill was established. |
| 1872 |
Eli Lequime’ stopping place had the first postal station. |
| 1875 |
The first teacher arrived to teach in a school built the year before.
The first wagon road was built, which connected the O’Keefes (Vernon area) to the Okanagan Mission. |
| 1890 |
The Earl and Countess of Aberdeen first visit the Okanagan. |
| 1891 |
Recognising the fruit growing potential of the Okanagan, the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen bought Guisachan Ranch for their summer home and for subdivision for potential fruit farmers. |
| 1892 |
The S.S. Aberdeen was launched: the first CPR stem wheeler put on Okanagan Lake. The stem wheeler increased traffic to the area, and so the township of Kelowna was registered and Lakeview Hotel was built. When naming the township, many settlers recalled a story about a man who had lived in the area 30 years earlier, who was so covered in fur and whiskers that the Indians thought he resembled a bear. “Kelowna” is the native word for Grizzly Bear. |
| 1893 |
The first marketing co-op was founded. Lord Aberdeen became the Governor General of Canada. |
| 1894 |
Dr. Boyce, Kelowna’s first doctor, arrived in the area. For years he was the only doctor between Vernon and the US border.
The first tobacco plants were planted. |
| 1904 |
The Bank of Montreal became the first bank in Kelowna, but it experienced some problems at first as the heavy vault fell through the floor.
The first newspaper, the Kelowna Clarion, was published. |
| 1905 |
Kelowna was incorporated as a city with a population of 600.
The first mayor of Kelowna was Henry Raymer.
The first cars were brought to Kelowna and a telephone line linking Kelowna to Vernon was completed. |
| 1906 |
Kelowna had its first regatta, and the first fire hall was built – horses pulled the wagon. |
| 1907 |
The hospital opened.
Kelowna fruit made a clean sweep of prizes at the Spokane Apple Fair. |
| 1909 |
A power plant was built for downtown use. |
| 1911 |
Population of 1100. |
| 1913 |
Oil was reported found in Kelowna. The Okanagan Oil and Gas Co. Ltd. Drilled down 3000 ft., but never did find any oil. |
| 1914 |
The first hydroplane came to Kelowna. |
| 1919 |
The Empress theatre opened as the first movie theatre. |
| 1920’s |
Many of the richer townspeople and farmers in Kelowna started buying “horseless carriages”.
The Fire Department even bought a car. |
| 1922 |
Kelowna experienced a large population jump (800 people) in one year to bring the population total to 3336 people. |
| 1925 |
Canadian National Railway trains came to Kelowna. Before the railway was built, there was only water transportation to Kelowna. |
| 1929 |
The Radium Air service begins in Rutland and Vernon. |
| 1931 |
CKOV becomes the first public radio station broadcasting in Kelowna. |
| 1946 |
BC Growers started marketing the Sun Rype brand. |
| 1949 |
The Hope – Princeton road opened. |
| 1952 |
W.A.C. Bennett, a hardware merchant from Kelowna, became the premier of BC. He remained premier for the next 20 years. |
| 1955 |
Kelowna received its official coat of arms. |
| 1958 |
The Okanagan lake floating bridge was opened by H.R.H. Princess Margaret Rose and Premier W.A.C. Bennett. |
| 1959 |
Capri Shopping mall opened – the first in the BC interior. |
| 1960 |
Kelowna airport was opened, as was the Black Mountain Ski Bowl. |
| 1962 |
Kelowna community theatre opened. |
| 1963 |
Kelowna vocational school opened. |
| 1968 |
Kelowna airport built a new air terminal complex. Okanagan College/Vocational School began enrolling university students. |
| 1969 |
The Blue Angels flying ace broke the sound barrier over Kelowna – much of the glass in downtown store windows. Kelowna also experienced one of its worst fires as the aquatic building burned down. |
| 1972 |
The first Ukrainian Orthodox Church was built. |
| 1973 |
Kelowna amalgamated with several outlying districts (including Rutland and Okanagan Mission), doubling its area and population overnight. Kelowna now had a population of 50,000. |
| 1976 |
Kelowna museum opened its new, expanded facility. |
| 1977 |
Robert Dow Rieds Sculpture “The Sails” was placed at the foot of Bernard Ave. |
| 1980 |
Kelowna celebrated its 75th birthday.
City population was 60,000. |
| 1985 |
Okanagan college opened its core facility. |
| 1991 |
Okanagan connector built to link with coquahalla pass.
Kelowna had a population of 78,000. |
| 1999 |
Skyreach place stadium was opened. |
| 2003 |
Okanagan Mountain Park fire burned down many subdivisions of homes. |
| 2005 |
UBC Okanagan opens in Kelowna replacing the former Okanagan University College North Campus. |
| 2007 |
City population was 123,456. |
