A Brief History
The name Penticton derives from the interior Salish word 'snpintktn', commonly translated as "a place to stay forever". For over 7000 years Penticton has been home to the Syilx First Peoples, who were instrumental in helping the first European fur traders travel through the Okanagan Valley during the 1800s. A young Irish immigrant named Thomas Ellis became the first European to settle in Penticton in 1865. As one of the province's most successful cattle ranchers, Ellis acquired territory that stretched from Naramata all the way south to the American border. Upon retirement in 1892, Ellis sold off a large portion of his property to developers who in turn laid out a small townsite at the foot of the Okanagan Lake. Penticton was officially born. Beginning with a population of 600 in 1908, Penticton today is home to over 32, 000, and continues to thrive as a gorgeous waterfront city.
Location
Penticton is located in the south-central region of British Columbia, in an area known as the Okanagan Valley. Penticton is easily accessibly from a number of major urban centres: a 5 hour drive to Seattle or Vancouver, and an 8 hour drive to Calgary, Alberta. This beautiful city is surrounded on the north and south ends by 2 fresh water lakes and gentle rolling mountains to the east and west. According to Environment Canada, Penticton has the most attractive climate of any other Canadian city, with over 2100 hours of sunshine and 15 inches of rain annually.