Eagle Valley is a small east-west valley which lies to the west of the Okanagan Valley. It is the easternmost extension of the larger Similkameen Valley. Though relatively small, the valley produces an abundance of fruit and vegetables. For centuries it has been a gathering place for the local Okanagan and Similkameen Indians. The Cawston-Keremeos area has become known as the
Organic Farming Capital of Canada, with the highest concentration (40%) of organic farms in Canada.
Eagle Valley
For many thousands of years Sukwnaqinx (later Anglicized to "Okanagan") travelled and peopled a far-reaching territory. Though their main camp was centred at Penticton, this valley was used as a food gathering basecamp. Pre-contact Sukwnaqinx populations numbered in the thousands, however small-pox and influenza epidemics decimated elders and children. At its lowest ebb in 1926, the Similkameen Band had just 26 members; today there are over 350. Settlers took up land for ranching during the 1860s and hired tribal members who were recognized for their expert handling of horses. From the earliest days to the present, relations between band members and settlers have been positive and open.
From the marker