A Pictorial History of Kelowna BC

The Oblate Missionaries Father Pandosy, Father Richard and Brother Surel, arrived in the Okanagan in October 1859. The site they chose for a Mission was known as L'Anse au Sable. With the building of the Mission, the name Okanagan Mission came into use to describe the whole area for miles around. It was not until 1892 that the town site of Kelowna was laid out. On completion of the drafted plans of the town site the all important matter of a name had to be considered. A number of settlers recalled an incident involving one August Gillard who had pre-empted property here thirty years earlier.

August Gillard had made snug winter quarters in a sort of underground soddy, similar to the First Nations' Kekuli or Kickwillie. A group of passing Okanagan Natives seeing smoke issuing from the dwelling stopped to see who lived there. Hearing the chattering going on outside Gillard, all fur and whiskers, emerged, whereupon they delightedly shouted "Kim-ach-Touch, Kim-ach-Touch" or "Brown Bear, Brown Bear". This First Nations name struck the town planners as a possible name, but a bit of a mouthful for the average white tongue to contend with. After some discussion it was thought that "Kelowna" the Native name for Grizzly Bear would suit. So Kelowna it was, and the new town site was duly registered under that name in 1892.