Cawston, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
small community in the south Similkameen
Similkameen Country
The Similkameen Country, also referred to as the Similkameen Valley or Similkameen District, but generally referred to simply as The Similkameen or more archaically, Similkameen, is a region roughly coinciding with the basin of the river of the same name in the Southern Interior of British Columbia...
Valley.
The community was named for R.L. Cawston, a pioneer rancher and magistrate who settled in the area in the 19th century. Nearby was the site of the original Hudson's Bay Company store.
Geography
Cawston is located on Highway 3 (the Crowsnest HighwayCrowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is an east-west highway, in length, through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and...
) nearby communities are Keremeos (8 km to the West), Osoyoos (36 km to the East), and Penticton (50 km to the North).
Economy
Today, Cawston is a busy agricultural center. The town has two fruit packing plants, the newest being built strictly for organic produce - a fast-growing segment of the area's agricultural economy.There are many apple and soft fruit orchards throughout the Cawston area. In recent years, vineyards and wineries have become an important part of the local economy.
The rural nature of this community has also made it a popular home to horse ranches, hobby farms and nature enthusiasts. There are many hiking trails in the area covering almost every terrain possible, from cactus and sagebrush desert to sub-alpine meadows.
Skiing and other winter activities can be enjoyed nearby as can 18 hole golf course at Twin Lakes, boating and swimming throughout the Okanagan
Okanagan
The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...
and fishing in the Similkameen
Similkameen River
The Similkameen River runs through southern British Columbia, eventually discharging into the Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington in the United States. The river is approximately long, and its drainage basin is in area...
and Ashnola
Ashnola River
The Ashnola River is a tributary of the Similkameen River, rising in the northeastern part of the North Cascades in Washington, United States, and flowing north into British Columbia, Canada to join the Similkameen River about halfway along that river's course between the towns of Princeton and...
rivers as well as on the many lakes in the area.
