Step Back in Time at the Historic O'Keefe Ranch
The Historic O’Keefe Ranch is exactly as old as Canada. It was founded in 1867 by Cornelius O’Keefe, who was born near Ottawa in 1838, of Irish immigrant parents. Cornelius came west in his early 20’s and began to drive cattle from Oregon to provide food for the gold miners in the north. He camped on the site of the Ranch, and decided to raise cattle rather than drive them from Oregon. Cornelius pre-empted 161 acres of land. By the early 1900’s, with Thomas Greenhow, a business partner, the ranch had grown to 15,000 acres.
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Thomas later married Cornelius’ niece Elizabeth who came for a visit and they purchased 10 acres of land next to the log house so the two families could remain close. Unfortunately Thomas died in 1889 at the age 54 leaving behind his wife and two children. Ten years later, Mary Ann died of a massive stroke and a year later Cornelius returned to Ottawa where he married Elizabeth Tierney, 40 years his junior and the two produced 6 children. Unfortunately, in 1908, their oldest son Faber died of spinal meningitis at the tender age of 6 ½. He is believed to haunt the mansion particularly around the doll room where he died. Shortly thereafter, Charles, the eldest son of Cornelius and Mary Ann, died tragically on the way back from herding cattle. Both were buried in the family plot behind the church and were later joined by Cornelius in 1919 and Elizabeth O’Keefe in 1929.
In the mid 1870’s, Cornelius returned for a visit to his hometown where he married Mary Ann McKenna, who returned to the ranch with him in 1876. Together they moved into the log cabin, then, after having nine children, moved into the newly built mansion, which at the time was considered one of the most elaborate homes in the Okanagan remaining the family home for 91 years.
In the mid 1870’s, Cornelius returned for a visit to his hometown where he married Mary Ann McKenna, who returned to the ranch with him in 1876. Together they moved into the log cabin, then, after having nine children, moved into the newly built mansion, which at the time was considered one of the most elaborate homes in the Okanagan remaining the family home for 91 years.
The ranch continued to be operated by his youngest son Tierney and his wife Betty until 1967, at which time they decided to preserve it as part of Canadian history. They restored and rebuilt the original ranch buildings and opened the Historic O'Keefe Ranch in 1967, exactly 100 years after Cornelius O'Keefe had arrived on the site. The O'Keefe family operated the Ranch as a tourist attraction until 1977, when the buildings and their furnishings were purchased by the Devonian Foundation.
The Ranch, in its earliest days, was at the end of the wagon road into the Okanagan Valley and the site of the stage coach depot. The small, self-contained community had a Post Office, blacksmith shop, grist mill, and even its own church and cemetery. Many of the original buildings still exist, and are a delight to explore. The site includes a turn of the century General Store with old fashioned candy and the original Okanagan Post Office. They also host a number of special events throughout the year including a Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Vintage Motorcycle Show and a Victorian Christmas.
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HOW TO GET THERE...
The ranch is located at 9380 Highway 97 just before Vernon, BC in Spallumcheen. It is just past the Motoplex Speedway if you are coming from Kamloops. Call for more information at (250) 542-7868 and check out their website www.okeeferanch.ca |