Built in 1938 by the Grindler Brothers as a grocery store, in 1942 this building was converted to a hardware store. In 1955 it became somewhat of a historic icon as it was expanded using reclaimed lumber and beams from historic
Camp McKinney. Founded in 1896, Camp McKinney is today a ghost town in the Boundary Country region of British Columbia. Established on the seemingly bright future of several gold mines, Camp McKinney thrived until about 1904, when the mines were played out and the miners and entrepreneurs moved on to other prospects.
For a number of years the building has been the home of
Home Hardware, a large Canadian hardware chain. The wording on one of the plaques indicates that Home Hardware itself was responsible for the mounting of the photos and plaques.
This, the story of the beginning of fruit growing in the Osoyoos area, is the second one from the right, when facing the group of five.
THE FIRST COMMERCIAL ORCHARD IN THE OSOYOOS AREA CONSISTED OF 40 ACRES PLANTED ON THE EAST SIDE OF OSOYOOS LAKE IN 1907. THE CLIMATE WAS IDEAL FOR AGRICULTURE. WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE IRRIGATION DITCH IN 1927 AND THE RAIL LINE IN 1944 TO GET THE FRUIT TO MARKET IN A TIMELY MANNER, THE TAGLINE; "THE EARLIEST FRUIT IN CANADA" WAS ADOPTED. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 1960S THAT GRAPE-GROWING BECAME ESTABLISHED ON A LARGE SCALE. TODAY, VINEYARDS ARE A MAJOR FEATURE OF THE LANDSCAPE.
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