Tom Ellis Cabin north of Vaseux Lake

This old and interesting log cabin has a story to tell.

It has survived fire and vandalism for over 150 years and is one of the few reminders of the early days in the South Okanagan as well as one of its early pioneers. The cabin was built by Tom Ellis, a young Irishman who came to British Columbia in 1864, with headquarters in Penticton.

Ellis built a vast cattle ranch that included most of the South Okanagan valley. One of the busy streets in Penticton, Ellis St., is an ever-present reminder of his influence in those early days.

The cabin is situated approximately a mile north of Vaseux Lake on the east side of Highway 97. It is visible to the interested observer from the highway.

Arthur McCuddy, son of a pioneer family in the Oliver and McKinney area told me he pastured their flock of sheep in the Vaseux Lake area each spring and used the Ellis cabin for shelter

(This story has also been published by the Oliver Chronicle).

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